What to visit in Valencia with kids
If you're here, it's probably because you're wondering if coming to Valencia with kids is a good idea. Well, we are going to put your mind at ease.
Valencia is a Mediterranean city with good weather and long-standing traditions. A place to have fun, learn and spend time together doing things that will be part of those family stories that are remembered for a lifetime.
To help you start planning your trip together and decide what to see in Valencia as a family, let us tell you about the must-see places in the city.
Before coming and buying tickets, though, keep in mind that with the València Tourist Card you can travel for free by bus, metro and tram, and you also get discounts on most attractions. Take advantage of it!
With that out of the way, let's talk about the best things to see in Valencia with children.
A day at Bioparc València: a wild experience
Ready for an African adventure when you visit Valencia with kids?
Likable meerkats ("I like to move it, move it" ... remember the movie Madagascar?), impressive rhinos and slender giraffes await you, along with many other species of African flora and fauna.
It's no surprise that a visit to the Bioparc de València is high on everyone’s list.
In this unusual zoo, children can run around freely as they visit the most amazing African species in a recreation of their habitat containing multi-species spaces.
The Bioparc offers a piece of Africa in Valencia, where you can learn about the most important animals, vegetation and landscapes of that continent's habitats: the savannah, the forests of equatorial Africa and Madagascar, and the wetlands.
And all this with no barriers or cages, of course. These spaces are set up so you can see them in their element, in a safe setting, while understanding the importance of respecting and preserving nature.
And to round out the experience, take advantage of the fact that next to it is the Parque de Cabecera: a 168,000 m2 metropolitan park where you can run, have a picnic or go sailing on a lake.
Oceanogràfic: immerse yourself in Europe's largest aquarium
The face of kids (and kids at heart) when they see a shark or a beluga whale is priceless.
The same goes for dolphins and penguins.
In addition to these marine superstars, the Oceanogràfic de València has around 500 species, represented by a whopping 45,000 specimens. Tour the places that give a home to these species from some of the most important ecosystems in each of the Earth's seas and oceans.
During your visit with kids to l 'Oceanogràfic, be sure to cross the longest underwater tunnel in Europe surrounded by… sharks!
And to complete the experience, there's a dolphinarium with daily educational shows where you can learn more about their biology and behavior.
A boat trip through l'Albufera
L'Albufera is the perfect place to spend a day with the family surrounded by nature, and it's just 10 kilometers away from the city.
What exactly is l'Albufera?
It's a natural park with a large, freshwater lake, the largest in Europe, measuring 2,800 hectares, although it's a few meters away from the sea. Only a strip of natural dunes and pine forests separate it from the Mediterranean.
Thanks to its unique location, its biodiversity is enormous.
Go on a ride on a traditional boat, called albuferencs, and look for gray herons, red ducks or flamingos among the 350 species of birds.
And at sunset, the light is fantastic. If you can, be sure to go on the boat ride at that time.
Take advantage of the visit to go hiking or take a walk along the beach of El Saler and get a close-up look at the traditional Valencian rice fields, which change radically, depending on the harvest season.
And speaking of rice fields, did you know that the paella was created in l'Albufera? Now you know what's on the menu: l'Albufera awaits you.
Museums? Yes, please.
If you have to decide what to visit in Valencia with your kids, be sure to put a fun museum on the list. There are many to choose from so you can fit one in on your visit to the city.
If you have (at least) two hours or more, you can go to the Science Museum of the City of Arts and Sciences, where the kids are the stars; time flies in the museum, as they take part in interactive exhibits and educational scientific activities.
Next to the museum is L'Hemisfèric, a digital cinema with a 900 m2 concave screen where you can watch 3D movies that bring you closer to science and nature.
And if you don't have that much time or you're not in the area, in addition to adding the museum to your to-do list for next time, the L 'Iber Museum is very entertaining: in the heart of the Carmen neighborhood, it has more than 95,000 tin soldiers on display.
Who said learning science or history has to be boring?
Parks in Valencia: nature in the heart of the city
To begin with, Valencia has the Jardin del Turia: nine kilometers of flat green areas that cross the city. It has a bike path, a special track for runners, soccer fields and snack bars where you can eat, or have a vermouth, a very Valencian tradition.
If you rent a bike, you can ride it from end to end, stopping at places like Gulliver Park (right now it's being remodeled, so it's closed, check if the work is finished if you want to go) or in a playground or skating area.
If you're into bike riding, there are several guided bike tours that you can sign up for.
In addition to this mega park, you can go to the Jardines del Real - also known as Viveros - and visit the Museum of Natural Sciences, which usually has activities and workshops for children.
The Botanical Gardens, the Gardens of Monforte, Ayora, Parque del Oeste and Benicalap are other green areas where you can play with the family, have a picnic or rest in the shade of a nice tree. And don't miss the latest addition to the city's gardens, the Parc Central, 100,000 square meters that include a climbing wall, slides, trails and water areas.
And of course, the Parque de Cabecera, which we mentioned earlier.
Fallas: the festival and its museum
It goes without saying that if you can come to Valencia during the Fallas, don't hesitate.
The Fallas are the quintessential Valencian festival, when the city is taken over by colorful artistic and satirical monuments, which are burned on the third day.
But if you can't make it from March 14 to 19, don't worry, because the Museo Fallero of Valencia has a mock-up of these ninots (as the figures are called locally). You can look for your favorite characters and see how the artistic techniques that are used to construct the fallas have evolved.
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE FALLAS
A day at the beach
Another thing that makes Valencia an ideal place to visit with children is its large urban beaches, just 10 minutes away, as well as wild beaches just a few kilometers away.
The beaches of Malvarrosa, Patacona and Las Arenas are three of these urban beaches with fine sand where you can take a dip and enjoy Valencian cuisine, since there are restaurants there for all ages and budgets.
And if you want something a little wilder, the beaches of El Saler, Pinedo and El Perellonet are just a stone's throw away from Valencia.
Still not sure?
Well, here are some more plans.
And don't forget to buy your Valencia Tourist Card to move around the city for free. You also get free admission to municipal museums and monuments, and discounts of up to 50% on tourist and leisure services.
