4 must-visit options to complete your time in Valencia.
(5 minute read)
I imagine you arriving in Valencia on a cruise. You’ve booked an excursion and have seen some parts of the city. But you still have a few hours before the ship departs, and you’d like to make the most of your visit to Valencia.
To help you, here are some must-visit attractions in Valencia for cruise visitors that you can explore in less than 2-3 hours, so that when you return home, you’ll feel like you’ve seen the most important parts of the city in a very short time..
#1.- Walking Tour of the Historic Center
Approximate duration: 2-3 hours
Taxi from the cruise terminal to Torres de Serranos: approx. 20-25 euros (4 people) / 20-25 minutes
Why visit the Historic Center?: Because it is a living expression of the power and wealth of 15th-century Valencia.
What route should you take? I recommend starting at the Torres de Serranos, and from there, passing by the Palacio de la Generalitat to reach Plaza de la Virgen, where you’ll find the Cathedral and the Basilica of Our Lady of the Forsaken. From there, wander through the streets to see the Lonja de Valencia, the only building in the city recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In the same square, you’ll also find the Central Market (open only until 3 PM, Monday to Saturday). You can end your visit at the nearby Plaza del Ayuntamiento, where you can take a taxi back to the ship. 
What else to do besides seeing buildings? Wander around and discover beautiful plazas and hidden corners, sit at a terrace to watch life go by, enjoy a horchata with a fartón or an agua de Valencia, or buy a souvenir from one of Valencia’s traditional shops (a fan, products from the Valencian Community, a hat, etc.).
#2.- Walking Tour of the City of Arts and Sciences (CAC)
Approximate duration: 1-1.5 hours
Taxi from the cruise terminal: approx. 12-15 euros (4 people) / 10-15 minutes
Why visit the City of Arts and Sciences? Because it is perhaps the most astonishing modern architecture you can admire in Spain and Europe.
For cruise visitors with limited time, this must-visit attraction in Valencia offers a unique glimpse into the city’s cutting-edge design and cultural richness.
What route should you take? I recommend losing yourself in this cultural and architectural complex and discovering countless corners and structures on your own. Play a game of guessing “what the buildings designed by Santiago Calatrava resemble” and capture this unique place with your eyes or in a thousand photos (after all, the CAC is a paradise for Instagrammers).
And even though it’s an outdoor tour, don’t miss entering the interior of the Ágora, Valencia’s latest cultural marvel. 
This building, once empty, now boasts a marvelous project of organic structures, radically sustainable, where you can rest, have a coffee, or admire the largest indoor vertical garden in Europe. A delight.
#3.- The Cathedral, Valencia’s Hidden Gem
Approximate duration: 1.5-2 hours
Taxi from the cruise terminal to the Cathedral (Plaza de la Reina): approx. 25 euros (4 people) / 25 minutes
Entrance fee: 9 euros
Why visit the Cathedral of Valencia? Because it is the city’s hidden gem.
The Cathedral is rich in art to behold and stories to tell. Its exteriors showcase every style from Romanesque to Baroque, including Gothic and Renaissance. Inside, you can admire Gothic, Baroque, and Neoclassical decorations.
The Cathedral is a museum in itself, with paintings by great artists like Goya. Additionally, there is a cathedral museum with paintings and sculptures from various eras, incunabula, the largest monstrance in the world, etc.
And something you absolutely cannot miss are the relics it houses, most notably the true Holy Grail, kept in a beautiful chapel that is worth seeing on its own.
The entrance fee includes an audio guide that will help you understand and appreciate this Valencian jewel.
#4.- La Lonja, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Approximate duration: 1-1.5 hours
Taxi from the cruise terminal to La Lonja (Plaza del Mercado): approx. 25 euros (4 people) / 25 minutes.
Entrance fee: 2 euros
Why visit La Lonja de Valencia? Because it is the best expression of the city’s wealth in the 15th century, the finest example of European civil Gothic, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
La Lonja de Valencia, also known as the Silk Exchange or the Merchants’ Exchange, is a building of impressive architecture and decoration, holding great historical significance. Constructed from the late 15th century to the mid-16th century, this “sumptuous and very beautiful” building (as was desired by the authorities when it was commissioned) was a temple of good commerce, housing a municipal bank, issuing bills of exchange, and controlling the silk produced in Valencia’s fields.
An audio guide is also available for the visit, allowing you to better understand what you see and the significance the building represents.
Would you like to take any of these tours with a guide to learn more about Valencia and better appreciate what you are seeing? Contact us. It’s worth it.
At DACTours, we enjoy sharing stories and curiosities about Valencia.