Valencia in 2 days

Morning

• Valencia Cathedral and the Miguelete1h15

  Start at the Gothic cathedral on the Plaça de la Reina, then climb the 207 steps of the Miguelete tower for the best rooftop view over the old town. Buy the tower ticket at the base and go before midday to beat the heat and the queue on the narrow stair.

  TipThe Gothic cathedral on the Plaça de la Reina claims to hold the Holy Chalice, said by some to be the Holy Grail, in a side chapel, and its octagonal bell tower, the Miguelete or Micalet, is 207 steps up to the best rooftop view over the old town. Buy the tower ticket at the base of the tower and climb before midday to beat the heat and the crowds on the narrow spiral stair. The cathedral itself has separate entry hours and a separate ticket, so check both before you go.

• La Lonja de la Seda (Silk Exchange)45 min

  Walk to the UNESCO-listed Lonja de la Seda, the late-15th-century silk exchange whose great hall has columns that fan out like palm trees. Entry is cheap and free on Sundays, and it takes only 30 to 40 minutes.

  TipThis UNESCO-listed late-15th-century Gothic silk exchange, opposite the Central Market, is famous for its main trading hall of tall twisted columns that fan out like palm trees. Entry is cheap and it is free on Sundays, and a visit takes only 30 to 40 minutes, so it pairs well with the market across the square. It closes earlier on some days, so go in the morning to be safe.

• Mercat Central1h

  Cross the square to the Modernista Central Market, a thousand stalls under stained glass and iron, and grab a stool-side almuerzo. It only opens mornings and closes on Sundays, so this is the moment to see it busy.

  TipThe vast Modernista Central Market gathers around a thousand stalls under stained glass and iron, one of the biggest fresh markets in Europe. It only opens in the mornings, Monday to Saturday, and is closed on Sundays, so go early for the produce, the jamón and a stool-side almuerzo at one of the bar counters. Avoid the last hour before it shuts, when many stalls are already packing up.

Afternoon

• 1h

  Have a relaxed lunch near the market, keeping it light before an afternoon on foot. The lanes just off the main plazas have better value than the tourist menus on the cathedral square.

• Barrio del Carmen1h30

  Wander the Barrio del Carmen, the medieval heart of the old town, taking in the street art, the small churches and the tangle of lanes. Look for the Quart towers at the west end that mark the edge of the old walls.

  TipThe Barrio del Carmen is the medieval heart of the old town, a tangle of narrow lanes, street art, small churches and, after dark, the city's densest run of bars. Walk it in the late afternoon before the bars fill, and look for the Serranos towers at the north end and the Quart towers at the west end that mark the edges of the old walls. It gets loud at weekends, so time a quiet visit for a weekday or the morning.

• Torres de Serranos30 min

  End at the twin-towered Torres de Serranos on the northern edge, climbing them late in the afternoon when the light falls warm over the Carmen rooftops. There is a small fee, and it is free on Sundays.

  TipThese twin-towered 14th-century Gothic gates on the northern edge of the old town are the grand stage for the opening call of Las Fallas each March. There is a small fee to climb them, and it is free on Sundays, so go up late in the afternoon when the light falls warm over the Carmen rooftops. The climb takes only about 15 minutes, so pair it with a walk along the top of the Turia park nearby.

Evening

• Russafa (Ruzafa)2h30

  Head south to Russafa for the evening, the fashionable neighbourhood of indie bars and modern tapas around Carrer de Sueca. It is a 15 to 20 minute walk from the cathedral and the liveliest place to eat after dark.

  TipRussafa is the fashionable neighbourhood just south of the centre, full of brunch spots, indie bars, small shops and the covered local market. Come in the evening for tapas and drinks around Carrer de Sueca, and browse the Mercat de Russafa in the morning while the stalls are busy. It is at its liveliest during Las Fallas, when the neighbourhood puts on some of the best-loved displays.

Morning

• City of Arts and Sciences1h30

  Spend the morning at the City of Arts and Sciences, Calatrava's white futuristic complex at the end of the riverbed. Walking the outside and the reflecting pools is free, and the morning light gives the best reflections; buy a combined ticket online if you want to go inside two or more buildings.

  TipSantiago Calatrava's white futuristic complex fills the far end of the Turia riverbed with the Hemisfèric IMAX, the Príncipe Felipe Science Museum, the Àgora, the Assut de l'Or bridge and the Palau de les Arts opera house. Walking the outside and the reflecting pools is free and open all day; the individual buildings are ticketed, so buy a combined ticket online if you plan to enter two or more. Come early morning or at sunset for the best light and the mirror reflections in the pools, and expect a good half-day if you go inside.

• Oceanogràfic3h

  Move on to the Oceanogràfic, the largest aquarium in Europe, with its walk-through shark tunnel and beluga whales. Book a timed slot online for a cheaper ticket and allow about three hours.

  TipThe Oceanogràfic is the largest aquarium in Europe, part of the City of Arts, with a walk-through shark tunnel and beluga whales. Book a timed slot online for a cheaper ticket than the gate price, and go right at opening or in the late afternoon to dodge the school groups and the biggest queues. Allow about three hours, and if you also want the Science Museum and the Hemisfèric, the combined ticket for all three saves money.

Afternoon

• Turia Gardens (Jardí del Túria)1h30

  Head back toward the centre through the Turia Gardens, the 9km green park laid in the drained riverbed after the 1957 flood. Rent a bike to ride its length in about 40 minutes, passing the giant Gulliver playground on the way.

  TipThe Turia Gardens are a 9km green park laid in the drained riverbed after the 1957 flood forced the river to be diverted around the city, curving from the old town all the way to the City of Arts, with the giant Gulliver playground for children along the way. It is free and open all day, and the easiest way to see its full length is to rent a bike and ride it in about 40 minutes. Go in the morning before the heat builds, especially in summer.

• 1h

  Take a break and cool off in the shade of the park or back at your hotel through the hottest part of the afternoon. Valencia summers are humid, so pace the day around the heat.

Evening

• Malvarrosa Beach45 min

  Take the tram out to the Malvarrosa city beach for the evening, where the promenade is lined with paella and seafood restaurants. It is about 25 minutes from the centre by tram line 6 or 8.

  TipThe Malvarrosa is Valencia's wide city beach, backed by a long promenade lined with paella and seafood restaurants looking out to sea. Take tram line 6 or 8, or a bus from the centre, and you are there in about 25 minutes, ready for a long lunch of paella by the sand. It is busiest in July and August, so come earlier in the day or outside high summer for space.

• Authentic Valencian Paella2h

  Settle in for an early paella dinner by the sand, though remember locals treat paella as a lunch dish, so a beachfront arrocería is the relaxed way to have it in the evening. It is cooked to order, so allow time and enjoy the sea air while you wait.

  TipValencia is the birthplace of paella, and the traditional Valencian version is made with chicken, rabbit and beans rather than seafood, and is eaten at lunch, not dinner. Book a lunch table at a proper arrocería, because real paella is cooked to order in the pan, so allow time and expect a 30 to 40 minute wait for it to arrive. The most authentic versions are out at El Palmar, the village by the Albufera lagoon where the dish was born.