Boutique
Caro Hotel
Valencia · old town
26 rooms inside a 19th-century palace built over Roman walls, Arab baths and a Gothic staircase. One of Spain's most singular hotels.
From 300€Check prices→
01
Excursions
The most-booked experiences on the island · book with free cancellation
Tours & excursions · Best-sellers on Viator
The eight best-reviewed excursions across the Valencian Community
Hand-picked from Viator's top-rated experiences on Valencian Community, sorted by review volume and average rating. Free cancellation up to 24 h before, reserve now and pay later.
- ◆ Free cancellation 24 h
- ◆ Reserve now, pay later
- ◆ Instant confirmation
- ◆ Best-price guarantee
Culture4 hCity of Arts and Sciences + Oceanogràfic skip-the-line, Valencia
4.8(4,200 reviews)
Combined skip-the-line ticket to the Oceanogràfic (Europe's largest aquarium) and the Hemisfèric IMAX inside Calatrava's City of Arts and Sciences complex. Optional guided visit of the Príncipe Felipe science museum.
From
£42per person
- Skip-the-line at both venues
- Valid for a full day
- Dolphinarium show included
Food & wine5 hPaella cooking class in Albufera with rice-field visit
4.9(3,600 reviews)
Half-day at a traditional barraca in the Albufera natural park: rice-field visit, boat trip on the freshwater lagoon, and hands-on paella valenciana class over a wood fire with an accredited chef.
From
£68per person
- All ingredients and drinks included
- Boat trip on the Albufera lagoon
- Certificate + recipe card to take home
Culture3 hValencia old town + Cathedral tapas walking tour
4.9(2,100 reviews)
Guided walk through Valencia's UNESCO Lonja de la Seda, the Cathedral (with the Holy Grail chapel) and the Barrio del Carmen, with three tapas stops and one horchata & fartons at Santa Catalina.
From
£38per person
- Licensed English-speaking guide
- 3 tapas + 1 drink included
- Cathedral entry with Holy Grail chapel
Nature4 hPeñón de Ifach hike from Calpe with certified guide
4.9(1,500 reviews)
Guided hike to the summit of the Peñón de Ifach, a 332 m limestone rock declared a natural park. Includes helmet, headlamp for the summit tunnel and pick-up from Calpe or Altea.
From
£45per person
- Helmet + headlamp provided
- Small groups (max 10)
- Pick-up in Calpe / Altea / Benidorm
Nature6 hGuadalest & Algar waterfalls day trip
4.7(2,300 reviews)
Day trip from Benidorm or Alicante to the cliff-top village of Guadalest (population 190, one of Spain's most-visited villages) and the natural pools of the Algar river. Free time to swim in the waterfalls.
From
£55per person
- Round-trip transport
- Free time to swim in the falls
- Photo stops at Guadalest reservoir
Culture3 hAlicante Santa Bárbara castle + tapas evening
4.8(1,200 reviews)
Guided walk up to the Santa Bárbara castle (10th-century Moorish fortress on Mount Benacantil) at sunset, followed by a three-stop tapas & wine tour through the Casco Antiguo of Alicante.
From
£32per person
- 3 tapas + 3 wines included
- Licensed English-speaking guide
- Small groups (max 12)
Boat & beach3 hBenidorm to Isla de Benidorm boat + snorkel
4.6(2,800 reviews)
Boat trip from Benidorm's harbour to the Isla de Benidorm marine reserve. Snorkel gear included and 1h30 free time on the island to swim, hike or eat at the only restaurant.
From
£28per person
- Snorkel gear included
- 1h30 free time on the island
- Multiple daily departures
Adventure1 dayTerra Mítica theme park entry, Benidorm
4.6(1,900 reviews)
Full-day entry to Terra Mítica, the ancient-civilisations theme park on the hills above Benidorm. 30+ attractions across Egypt, Greece, Rome, Iberia and the Islands, plus daily shows.
From
£38per person
- Full-day entry (open Apr–Nov)
- Optional Terra Natura combined ticket
- Fast-pass upgrade available
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02
Towns
The essential villages and what to do in each
05 · MayValencia
Old town, Turia gardens and Calatrava's Ciudad de las Artes. Base for three nights in Ciutat Vella or Ruzafa.
Read the guide →- 08 · May
Alicante
Santa Bárbara castle over the Explanada and 7 km of urban beach at San Juan.
Read the guide → 
09 · MayBenidorm
The 'Manhattan of the Med' — Levante beach, Sierra Helada and boat trips to Isla de Benidorm.
Read the guide →- 10 · May
Altea
White-washed village crowned by a blue-tile dome — the Costa Blanca's most photographed skyline.
Read the guide → - 11 · May
Jávea (Xàbia)
Fortified old town, harbour and Cala Granadella — Spain's most-voted beach.
Read the guide → - 13 · May
Peñíscola
Sea-locked Templar castle on a rock, backed by five kilometres of golden sand.
Read the guide →
03
Town map
Filter by category and see what to do in each town
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VerComerPlayaExcursiones● Beach
04
Beaches
Beach-by-beach guide with parking, best time and facilities
8 handpicked beaches
Beaches on this island
Each beach has its own guide: where to park, the best time to arrive, what's actually on site, the beach bars worth recommending and what to avoid.
Town beach1.8 km
Playa de la Malvarrosa
Valencia
Valencia's paella-and-horchata beach, three metro stops from the Cathedral
- ◆
- Parking: Blue-zone metered parking; free at Marina Sur car park.
- ◆
- Best time: Late morning on Sundays for local paella lunches at the beach chiringuitos.
Sandy beach7 km
Playa de San Juan
Alicante
Seven kilometres of open urban sand north of Alicante
- ◆
- Parking: Free parking along Avenida de Niza and paid at Playa de San Juan station.
- ◆
- Best time: Late afternoon; the sun holds till 20:30 in July.
Town beach2.1 km
Playa de Levante
Benidorm
Benidorm's east-facing showcase beach — sunrise year-round
- ◆
- Parking: Underground car park at Plaza SYP and Aiguera Park.
- ◆
- Best time: Sunrise for empty sand and the postcard skyline photo.
Sandy beach500 m
Playa del Arenal
Jávea (Xàbia)
Jávea's family-friendly bay between two rocky headlands
- ◆
- Parking: Free parking at Duquesa de Almodóvar and paid at Avenida Marina Española.
- ◆
- Best time: Weekday mornings; the beach fills after 12:00 in August.
Wild cove160 m
Cala Granadella
Jávea (Xàbia)
The Costa Blanca's postcard cove — pine-clad cliffs and turquoise water
- ◆
- Parking: Small paid car park at the cove (5€/day).
- ◆
- Best time: Arrive before 09:30 or after 17:00.
Sandy beach5 km
Playa Norte de Peñíscola
Peñíscola
Five kilometres of sand under a Templar castle on a sea-locked rock
- ◆
- Parking: Free car parks along Avenida Papa Luna.
- ◆
- Best time: Late afternoon for the castle-lit-golden-hour photo.
Wild cove300 m
Cala del Moraig
El Poble Nou de Benitatxell
Cliff-locked cove under a natural sea-cave, the 'Blue Cave' of the Costa Blanca
- ◆
- Parking: Paid car park above the cove (5€/day).
- ◆
- Best time: Morning for shade under the cliff and calm water for the sea-cave swim.
Rocky cove3 km
Playa de les Rotes
Denia (Dénia)
Denia's rocky coast — snorkelling capital of the Costa Blanca
- ◆
- Parking: Free parking along the coastal road; blue-zone at Marineta Cassiana.
- ◆
- Best time: Morning for calm water and best visibility.
05
Sleep
Beds worth the trip
Style
Luxury
The Westin Valencia
Valencia · Colón
Modernist Art Nouveau grande dame with a central garden courtyard. Rimini Bar and pastry chef Paco Torreblanca's afternoon tea.
From 260€Check prices→
Boutique
Hospes Palau de la Mar
Valencia · La Xerea
Two 19th-century palaces joined by a garden courtyard, five minutes from the Turia gardens and the Cathedral.
From 220€Check prices→
Luxury
Barceló Asia Gardens & Thai Spa
Finestrat · Benidorm hills
Five-star Leading Hotel of the World set in 26,000 m² of Thai-inspired gardens with seven pools. The most polished address on the Costa Blanca.
From 280€Check prices→
Boutique
Hospes Amérigo
Alicante · old town
Refurbished Dominican convent metres from the Explanada. Rooftop pool with a Santa Bárbara castle view.
From 210€Check prices→
Adults-only
SH Villa Gadea Thalasso
Altea · seafront
Adults-only five-star on a private beach cove between Altea and Albir. Thalasso spa and infinity pool over the Med.
From 240€Check prices→
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06
Eat
Tables jotted on a napkin
- Book →
Quique Dacosta (3★)
Avant-garde Mediterranean · Denia
- Book →
Ricard Camarena (2★)
Seasonal Valencian produce · Valencia
- Book →
El Poblet (2★)
Luis Valls · modern Valencian · Valencia
- Book →
BonAmb (2★)
Alberto Ferruz · Mediterranean-Asian · Jávea
- Book →
Casa Carmela
Wood-fired paella on the Malvarrosa since 1922 · Valencia
- Book →
Peix i Brases
Red-prawn (gamba roja) rice on the harbour · Denia
07
Diario
A journal entry
Entry 07 · Monday
Albufera at dawn
We drove south from Valencia before sunrise, through the rice paddies still under mirror water. A silent 40-minute boat across the freshwater lagoon and a paella cooking class in a barraca in El Palmar — bomba rice, chicken, rabbit, garrofón beans, wood fire. Back in the city by 15:00 for a horchata at Santa Catalina, an hour in the Lonja de la Seda and dinner at Ricard Camarena.
- ✓Book the paella class two weeks ahead
- ✓Bring long sleeves for the dawn boat — mosquitos
- ✗Save room for horchata after lunch, not before
08
Itineraries
Ready-to-copy routes
4 days · Valencia essentials
Ciudad de las Artes, Albufera paella day, old-town tapas walk and a Malvarrosa afternoon.
Leer itinerario →7 days · Valencia + Costa Blanca
Three nights in Valencia, then down the coast via Denia, Jávea, Calpe, Altea and Alicante.
Leer itinerario →10 days · the full Valencian arc
Add Peñíscola and Morella in the north and a night in the Sierra de Aitana.
Leer itinerario →09
Practical
What we've noted for next time
Getting there
Direct flights to Valencia (VLC) and Alicante (ALC) from most European hubs. AVE from Madrid: 1h50 to Valencia, 2h20 to Alicante. Ferries from Denia to Ibiza and Formentera in 2–4 h.
Getting around
Rent a car for the Costa Blanca — the coastal N-332 links every village, and the AP-7 speeds it up. Between Valencia and Alicante the Cercanías and AVE work. In Valencia city stick to bike and metro.
Best time to go
April–June for orange blossom and the Fallas aftermath. September–October for warm sea and empty beaches. Avoid July–August: 40 °C in the interior and packed coastlines.
Emergencies
112 · Conselleria de Sanitat public hospitals in every provincial capital · look for the green cross for farmacias.