Valencia is one of my favourite cities, and I even lived there a for a while before the pandemic. As one of Spain’s biggest cities, there is obviously a lot to see, do and discover. And another thing about Valencia is that it’s made for cycling.
With the city being practically flat and some of the attractions sprawling around the town, discovering Valencia by bike hire is one of the best ways to experience VLC.
If you’re planning on looking around Valencia, and you’re only in town for a few days, cycle hire can help you cover lots of ground.
Let’s look at some of the best cycle routes in Valencia, and suggest some great cycle tours too.
Turia River Park
Perhaps the defining feature of Valencia is the park built on the former river that runs through the city. The Turia River was diverted in the 1950’s after a huge flood, and today the Turia River Park is one of the focal points for locals and visitors alike. Because it’s a long meandering river route there is obviously a lot of ground to cover, and walking it is obviously quite long and slow.
There are several well signposted cycle routes through Turia which will take you to the main points of interest.
This includes:
- The City of Arts and Sciences
- Torres de Serranos
- Gulliver Park
- Royal Gardens (Jardines del Real)
- Biopark (the zoo)
- Cabacera park
Of course you don’t even need to head to these specific points. One of the joys of Turia park is to meander through and find a quiet spot to enjoy a picnic under a tree, or just to sit and people watch.
If you want a bike route that takes in the main sights of Valencia, check out this handy map.
The Marina
The Valencia Marina area is probably most famous as the setting for the European Formula 1 Grand Prix. But today it’s a good spot to watch the boats.
There isn’t loads to see and do at the Marina, and you’ll mostly pass through it on your way to or from the beach, rather than making a stop here.
There are some points of interest though, such as a warehouse which often hosts free events and a few restaurants.
Cabanyal Beach
The closest beach to the city is Cabanyal, which is the beach just across from the marina by the spit. While you can get here by tram, getting here by bike is the most fun. While you might want to jump straight in the sea, you can also cruise along the promenade towards beaches further along the seafront such as Malvarossa and Patacona.
Keep an eye out for the old ice factory (Fabrica de Hielo) which is now a popular spot for drinks and tapas just back from the beach. And Mercabanyal which is a fun food court with views towards the sea.
Be careful with those drinks though… You definitely don’t want to drink and cycle in Valencia with all those pedestrians.
Albufera
OK, this one is a bit of a trek. But if you’re looking for a fun cycle route in Valencia that goes beyond the city limits, this is the one to take. Albufera is a town south of Valencia, often regarded as the home of paella. Cycling here will take you a couple of hours, although the path is flat.
El Palmar is the town to head to. This is a village by the side of the lake which is dotted with paella restaurants and a bunch of boat tours on the lake. The boat tours are great too, and cruise around the waterways and the lake where you can enjoy the tranquility and do a bit of bird spotting too.
If you don’t want to go all the way to El Palmar, stop in Les Gavines which is lakeside and also a good launch point for boat cruises.
Pre-book your Albufera boat trips with our partners.
Historic Valencia
If you want to stay in the city and explore the historic monuments, there are several Valencia cycle routes you can explore. It can be hard going cycling through hotspots like Plaza de la Virgen, which can be thick with people. The best option is to start at Torres de Serranos, double back to the Centro el Carmen and then follow the route into town from here.
You’ll go past the old Silk Exchange, (La Lonja da Seda – well worth a look around) and head down to the central Placa de Ajuntament. This is basically the city centre, with the bull fighting ring and the train station to the south, and the city hall (ajuntamento) dominating the square.
While the roads do have some cycle routes marked, they can be… Ahem… Exciting to cycle around to say the least.
Aim to follow cycle routes in Valencia that avoid the main roads.
Cycle Tours in Valencia
One of the best ways to really see all that Valencia has to offer by bike is to book a cycle tour. Even when we lived here, we found that a cycle tour was a great way to get your bearings in this slightly confusing city. And because so much stuff is hidden down random side streets, or cycle routes suddenly become main roads, a bike tour can help you both stay safe and enjoy Valencia even more.
Check out these recommended Valencia cycle tours courtesy of our partners.
