People go to Madrid for its famous museums and Barcelona for its wonders, but what is good about Valencia? First, the absence of noise and bustle is typical of the advertised tourist centres.
The ancient city on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea seems completely serene, which is essential if you are travelling with children. But leisurely means something other than boring: Kidpassage has researched all of Valencia's family attractions to ensure you'll need at least three days to see them all.
We'll tell you what to see on a holiday in Valencia with a child to make this trip a joy for little tourists.
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Day 1. The City of Arts and Sciences in Valencia (Science Museum, Oceanographic Park, IMAX-cinema Hemisfèric), Gulliver's Park
Many places in Valencia testify to the city's ancient history. But while Valencia honours its history, it still strives to be a modern city, so it's a good idea to explore it not from the historic centre or the ruins of a Roman settlement. If you want your children to be genuinely amazed, stunned with surprise and delight, you first should go with them to the place where fantastic snow-white buildings stand on a big square.
Openwork like lace, as bony as a fish skeleton, as fanciful as an alien ship — that's what the buildings of the City of Arts and Sciences in Valencia look like. They can be viewed from different angles, choosing the most accurate comparisons. But the exciting things lurk not only outside but also inside the buildings.
One of them houses the Prince Philip Science Museum. The most welcome guests of the museum are children, curious, inquisitive and exploring the world around them. Interactive exhibits have been created to help them understand the laws of nature.
If your child wonders how lightning arises, whether telepathy exists, or why do aeroplanes fly, and ships float, they can find answers at the Science Museum.
Children will also be happy to know that they can touch everything in the museum, use the exhibits for experiments and perform the most daring experiments.
The City of Arts and Sciences is also home to Europe's largest oceanarium, Oceanogràfic, and the largest dolphinarium in this part of the world.
The Oceanographic Park is a realm of cold oceans, warm seas, tropical rivers, mangrove swamps, rocky shores and ice-covered islands. And even though the seas and oceans have been reduced to the size of an aquarium, their inhabitants are life-sized.
Sometimes, it is even frightening when a toothy moray eel swims a few centimetres away from you or a half-metre length spider crab flicks its claws. But the dolphin show leaves only pleasant impressions. Clever and good-natured mammals shine with their talents, and at the end of the show, they willingly smile into the camera lenses.
You may also have time to go to the Planetarium. Among its programmes, we recommend choosing those related to space travel. The dome screen with a diameter of 24 metres and modern projection system contribute to the fact that a virtual walk through the vastness of the universe will be very similar to the real one.
No matter how interesting it is in museums, creating conditions for children to play and have an active rest is desirable. Fortunately, not far from the City of Arts and Sciences, there is a playground like no other city.
Valencia has prepared a real surprise for the children: instead of the usual playground with slides, they will find a massive figure of a sleeping man.
Do you recognise Gulliver, whom the Lilliputians took captive? However, the giant's sleep is serene, even though there are slides in the folds of his caftan, and his arms and legs are entangled with rope ladders.
"Gulliver's Park" is suitable for a walk with older preschoolers, who can climb a huge structure. For younger children, it is better to take a walk in the green area next door.
Tip: Buy online Valencia Tourist Card, which can help you save a lot of money. The Valencia Tourist Card is your key to the city with 24, 48, or 72 hours of excellent discounts, free travel, and entrance to museums.
Day 2. Turia Gardens, Bioparc Valencia
One of Valencia's main attractions is visible even on a small map. The green strip stretching through the entire city is the bed of the Turia River, drained and turned into gardens. Since the Spanish summer makes people seek coolness in the shade of trees, there is no better place to walk around Valencia with children. In addition, the gardens of Turia have plenty of activities for children.
If you've already visited the Gulliver Playground in a former riverbed, we suggest exploring the other family attractions in this recreational area. But wouldn't it surprise you to hear a lion roaring, an elephant trumpeting and monkeys squealing in the landscaped family recreation area? It would because in Cabecera Park, located in the Turia riverbed, savannah and rainforest creatures roam free. The Bioparc Valencia has created such a favourable environment for animals.
The animals do without cages on their territory, so they behave as if they had never left their native lands. Natural barriers (imperceptible but reliable) separate the park's inhabitants from visitors, but they do not prevent them from viewing zebra and giraffe, hippopotamus and rhinoceros, jaguar and orangutan.
However, some friendly animals are allowed to make contact with people, and they take advantage of this: be prepared to accept an offer of friendship from a lemur and give it something tasty in return.
Take advantage of the other treasures of the park: African baobabs, rock-like termites, underground tunnels dug by burrowing animals, a show of birds of prey. And if you offer your child lunch in a café overlooking the African savannah or equatorial forest, he definitely won't say no.
Once you've explored the biopark, take your time to leave the cosy grounds of Cabecera Park. You will find a large children's playground and a lake where you can take a ride on a swan boat.
The rest of the walk depends on your mood — the gardens are 9 kilometres long! You don't have to walk the whole way; you can hire a family bicycle and ride along the paths, enjoying the fresh air.
Not far from Cabeçera and just off the Turia riverbed is the Botanical Garden. It contains plants from the Mediterranean region and other parts of the world. Here, you can see strawberry trees and 120 varieties of palm trees. Discover oranges, peaches and almonds in the "Useful Plants" section.
Another green area adjacent to the Turia Gardens is the Royal Gardens. White marble sculptures are visible against the background of their dense greenery. Will it be easy to find Donald Duck among them? In addition to statues, fountains and trees with shaped crowns, the Royal Gardens have a giant children's playground and aviaries with birds.
By the way, you'll come across the 100 Montaditos Café twice during your walk. It does not serve full-fledged food, but there is plenty of room for snacks — 100 kinds of sandwiches with various fillings, including fresh vegetables and famous Valencian cheeses.
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Day 3. Historic centre, souvenirs, shopping
During the first days of your holiday, you have already mastered Valencia's longest walking routes, so we suggest that the third day be devoted to short walks and discovering the beauty of the old town. Let the route start at the Serranos Gate, where one of the entrances to the city was in the XIV century. You'll walk through quiet streets to the Archaeological Museum of La Almoina. You don't even need to enter the museum to see the ruins of ancient Valencia.
One of Europe's best archaeological monuments will be under your feet: through the strong glass that paves the square, you can see the foundations of buildings built 2,000 years ago.
Before the walk starts, we're already encouraging you to relax. The easiest way is to sit in front of the fountain in St. Virgin Square and listen to the sound of its jets, joined by the chirping of parrots.
The tricky Valencian way is to turn into the old orchateria Santa Catalina and drink a glass of a cool, refreshing drink that looks like milk. You can continue your stroll through the old town by turning to the richly decorated ceramics museum or walking to the Quart Towers.
For souvenirs, it is best to go to Mercat Central, one of the oldest markets in Europe. Most foodstuffs are sold here, and among them, you can choose from chufa nuts, used to make a refreshing orchata drink, and hard Alicante turrón, a traditional Spanish treat.
Souvenir shops can also be found in Plaza Redonda and Plaza del Ayuntamiento. Various products with the Valencia logo are sold at tourist information centres. The most expressive souvenir is probably the bat — this animal is the symbol of Valencia, and the image of a bat crowns the city's coat of arms.
Shopping in Valencia will not disappoint you either, especially if you are holidaying here in August when the sale season starts. However, it is advised to remember that small shops close for siesta. Only the larger shopping centres are open without interruption.
Leaving cosy and hospitable Valencia is a little sad. Or are you not going to leave yet? Then we recommend you to find out what other family attractions in Valencia you can visit.
