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Some of the most rewarding places to visit near Valencia are just an hour or two away. These towns and landscapes feel nothing like the city, yet they’re easy to reach. You can take a slow boat through Albufera’s lagoon, walk the double hilltop of Xàtiva Castle, or explore Requena’s ancient wine caves. Chelva’s quiet stone streets and the sea-facing walls of Peñíscola bring a change of pace without needing an overnight stay. Step outside the city and you’ll find a mix of history, nature, and small-town rhythm waiting to be explored.
Top 10 Places To Visit Near Valencia
Just a short drive from the city, these 10 places to visit near Valencia combine history, scenery, and everyday local life you won’t find in central Valencia.
1. Albufera Natural Park
Photo: Guillermo Scharffenorth / Unsplash / Image For Representation Only
If you’re looking for peaceful and scenic places to visit near Valencia, Albufera feels like the opposite of the city without being far. The landscape is shaped by water of wide lagoons, narrow canals, and endless rice paddies that stretch across the flat horizon. A ride in a traditional wooden boat gives you a close view of the wildlife here. Herons, flamingos, and storks are easy to spot, especially at sunset. The nearby walking trails take you through reed-covered banks where you’ll rarely see crowds. The food here is reason enough to stay longer.
Distance From Valencia: 15.8 km
Timings: 9 AM – 6 PM
Cost: €5 – 10 / ₹500 – 1000
Major Attractions: La Albufera lagoon, traditional fishing villages, rice fields, El Palmar village
2. Xàtiva
Photo: Emilio Sánchez Hernández / Pexels
Among the places to see near Valencia that mix history with real local character, Xàtiva stands out. Perched across twin hills, its castle offers one of the most dramatic fortification layouts in eastern Spain. The walk up from the old town takes time, but every turn gives you a new perspective of the valley. Inside the fortress, there are layers of history, from Iberian origins to Moorish walls and Bourbon-era ruins. The lower part of town is just as full of stories. Narrow streets lead to the Collegiate Basilica and the old Hospital Reial, now a cultural centre.
Distance From Valencia: 63.2 km
Timings: 10 AM – 7 PM (Xàtiva Castle)
Cost: €2.4 / ₹242 (Castle entry fee)
Major Attractions: Xàtiva Castle, Collegiate Basilica, historical streets, museum of l’Almodí
3. Sagunto
Sagunto is one of the oldest and most historically layered tourist attractions near Valencia, and you can feel it the moment you arrive. The Roman theatre, built into the hillside, still holds performances today. From there, you can walk uphill to Sagunto Castle, a massive stretch of fortifications that offer sweeping views of the plains below. The castle isn’t restored with gloss; it’s raw and worn, with Arabic cisterns, Roman stones, and medieval arches sitting side by side. Down in the old Jewish Quarter, the streets twist tightly with faded signs still marking where synagogues and schools once stood.
Distance From Valencia: 27.8 km
Timings: 10 AM – 8 PM for Sagunto Castle (closed on Mondays)
Major Attractions: Sagunto Roman Theatre, Sagunto Castle, Jewish Quarter, Archaeological Museum
4. Requena
Photo: Walter Frehner / Unsplash / Image For Representation Only
If you want to explore wine country without the tourist polish, Requena is one of the most rewarding attractions near Valencia. It’s a working community with deep roots in winemaking. Beneath the main square lies a network of underground caves once used to store barrels, press grapes, and even hide during attacks. You can tour these cellars and see the original clay amphorae still in place. Above ground, the Barrio de la Villa is a quiet maze of stone homes, wrought-iron balconies, and small churches with chipped frescoes. The Church of Santa María, with its Gothic facade, is worth a slow look before heading to a slow lunch of embutidos and local red.
Distance From Valencia: 68.8 km
Timings: 7 AM – 8 PM (Church of Santa María)
Cost: €6 – 15 / ₹600 – 1500 (wine tasting)
Major Attractions: Underground wine caves, Church of Santa María, wine tours, old quarter
5. Peñíscola
Out of all the coastal places to visit near Valencia, Peñíscola feels the most cinematic, not just because it has featured in films and series. The walled town rises straight out of the sea, its whitewashed houses stacked below the 13th-century Papa Luna Castle. Walking through its steep, narrow streets, you’ll pass stone arches, iron lanterns, and blue shutters that look out over the Mediterranean. Below, small coves and sandy stretches offer swimming spots without needing to go far. The lighthouse still works, and the sound of its horn carries through the streets at night. You’ll find small family-run restaurants tucked into the cliffs, serving grilled sardines and cold vermouth.
Distance From Valencia: 143.6 km
Timings: 9:30 AM – 9:30 PM (Papa Luna Castle)
Cost: €5 / ₹500 (Castillo del Papa Luna)
Major Attractions: Papa Luna Castle, beaches, medieval old town, lighthouse
6. Alcoy
Photo: Jordi Miró / Wikimedia Commons
Alcoy is a city with working-class roots, steeped in textile history, and framed by mountain ridges that change colour with the season. The bridges alone are massive stone structures that link neighbourhoods across deep gorges. If you walk through the centre, you’ll see buildings from the early 1900s with curved facades, iron balconies, and stained-glass details. This is one of the most intact examples of Catalan modernism outside Barcelona. The MUBOMA museum, housed in a former fire station, tells the story of industry and everyday life without over-glossing it. Markets run year-round, and local cafés serve almond cakes and strong coffee.
Distance From Valencia: 110 km
Timings: 10 AM – 4 PM (MUBOMA museum)
Cost: €2 – 4 / ₹200 – 400 (museum entry fee)
Major Attractions: Serra de Mariola Natural Park, MUBOMA museum, modernist architecture, bridges
7. Cullera
Photo: Taisia Karaseva / Unsplash / Image For Representation Only
Cullera is one of those places to visit near Valencia where the coast meets history without being overrun. It offers a different kind of beach experience, which is less polished than the city’s shoreline, but with more variety. The hillside castle watches over the town, and the climb up is worth it for the wide, open view of the Júcar River as it curves around the valley. Inside the castle, small chapels and lookout points give you a sense of how this was once a defensive stronghold. At the base, the town mixes modern seaside flats with an older core of winding lanes and tiled churches.
Distance From Valencia: 48.3 km
Timings: 10 AM – 4 PM
Cost: €3 / ₹300 (Cullera Castle)
Major Attractions: Cullera Castle, beaches, Sanctuary of the Virgen del Castillo, cave museum
8. Morella
Photo: Javier Gómez / Unsplash / Image For Representation Only
Among all the places to visit near Valencia, it’s the one that feels furthest removed from modern life. The walled town looks like a medieval sketch brought to life, with steep cobbled streets, arched gateways, and homes built into the slope itself. The castle is layered and enormous, with each terrace giving a different view of the land below. You’ll find Romanesque churches, stone cisterns, and lookout towers. The Santa María Basilica has intricate wooden choir stalls and a spiral staircase carved from a single block. Morella’s shops sell cured meats, honey, and local cheese. The mountain air is crisp, and there’s space to walk without weaving through crowds.
Distance From Valencia: 3.4 km
Timings: 10:30 AM – 6:30 PM
Cost: €3.50 / ₹352 (Castle), €2 / ₹200 (Basilica)
Major Attractions: Morella Castle, city walls, Santa María Basilica, hilltop views
9. Buñol
Photo: Enrique Íñiguez Rodríguez (Qoan) / Wikimedia Commons
Most people know Buñol for La Tomatina, but there’s much more to this small town than one festival. It’s one of the most overlooked places to visit near Valencia, despite being so close. The town sits in a narrow valley, and the sound of the river follows you as you walk. Buñol Castle rises at the edge of the old quarter, built into the rock with its archways and courtyards still intact. You don’t need a guide to explore it, just time and good shoes. The Paseo de San Luis is a shaded path along the water, lined with plane trees and benches where locals play cards.
Distance From Valencia: 40.8 km
Timings: 24*7 (Buñol Castle)
Cost: €12 / ₹1200 (La Tomatina festival)
Major Attractions: La Tomatina festival site, Buñol Castle, river walk, local bakeries
10. Chelva
Photo: Falconaumanni / Wikimedia Commons
Built into the slopes above a winding river, Chelva is known for its Water Route, a walking trail that leads past springs, mills, and aqueduct remains, all tucked between stone terraces and fig trees. The old quarters are still divided by past cultures: Moorish, Jewish, and Christian streets, each with their layout and character. You’ll pass fading archways, hand-painted tiles, and stairways that lead into the hillside. The Roman aqueduct outside town still stretches over the gorge, and you can hike right beneath it. There are no big shops or flashy cafes, just family-run bakeries, small garden plots, and quiet squares where neighbours stop to talk.
Distance From Valencia: 70.4 km
Timings: 24*7
Major Attractions: Water Route trail, Arabic quarter, Roman aqueduct, medieval houses
The best places to visit near Valencia move at their own pace. Just outside the city, you’ll find medieval towns, riverside paths, vineyards, and quiet beaches. From the peaceful waters of Albufera to Requena’s wine cellars and Morella’s mountaintop views, each destination offers something unique. These day trips let you escape the city without leaving Valencia’s charm behind. Explore beyond the usual with TripXL and discover what lies nearby.
Cover Photo: Samuel Beer / Unsplash
