Free things to do in Valencia

Free things to do in Valencia

1. See

   Casa de Sant Vicent Ferrer

   Casa Natalicia de San Vicente Ferrer / Home of San Vicente Ferrer

   Sant Vicent Ferrer, the principal patron saint of Valencia, was born in this house in 1350. The house was renovated numerous times, and has a chapel, well, and 18th-century ceramic tile panels depicting the life of the saint.

   Mon-Fri 11:00-13:00, 17:00-20:00·Free

2. See

   Cementerio General de Valencia

   Valencia General Cemetery

   In use since 1807, the cemetery has some interesting mausoleums and funerary sculpture and is the final resting place for a number of notable Valencians, including members of the artistic Benlliure family, painter Joaquín Sorolla, and writer Vicente Blasco Ibáñez. For visitors with a smartphone there is a helpful app (iOS and Android; Spanish and Valencian only) which describes walking routes and gives grave locations.

   Mon-Sat 09:00-18:00, Sun and holidays 09:00-14:00; 23 Oct - 01 Nov: daily 09:00-18:00·Free

3. See

   Centre Cultural La Nau

   Centre Cultural de la Universitat de València

   Built in 1498, this was once the library and main building for the University of Valencia. Today it is used by the university primarily as a venue for photography and art exhibits, and for classical music concerts.

   Tue-Sat 10:00-14:00 16:00-20:00, Sun and holidays 10:00-14:00·Free

4. Do

   Festival Internacional del Viento

   International Kite Festival

   Held annually since 1997, the two-day event includes exhibits, kite-making demonstrations, and competitions.

   April·Free

5. See

   Institut Valencià d'Art Modern

   IVAM / Instituto Valenciano de Arte Moderno / Valencian Institute of Modern Art

   This museum focuses on Spanish and international modern art and photography, and hosts regular special exhibits, workshops, and lectures. A library, gift shop, and café are onsite. Photography permitted, no flash.

   Tue-Sun 11:00-19:00; closed on 25 Dec and 1 Jan·€5 adults; free admission on Sunday & Wednesday 16:00-19:00

6. See

   Jardí de Montfort

   Jardín de Monforte / Monforte Garden

   This formal Neoclassical garden was designed in the mid-19th century by Valencian architect Don Monleón for the aristocrat Marqués de San Juan. It was declared a 'National Artistic Garden' and is now maintained by the city of Valencia, which opened it to the public in 1973.

   Daily 21 Mar - 20 Sep: 10:30-20:00; 21 Sep - 20 Mar: 10:30-18:00·Free

7. See

   Jardín de Viveros

   Jardines del Real / Royal Gardens

   Established by the Moors in the 13th century as gardens for the royal palace (no longer standing), this pleasant and popular park is the second-largest park in Valencia, after the Turia gardens. The park includes a rose garden, sculpture garden, bicycle track, and aviary. During the summer various festivals are held here.

   Summer: daily 07:30-21:30; winter: Mon-Fri 07:30-20:30, Sat Sun 07:30-21:30·Free

8. See

   L’Umbracle

   A botanic garden landscaped with plants native to Valencia. The park also has the Jardí d'Astronomia (Jardín de la Astronomía / Astronomy Garden) and the Passeig de l'Art (Paseo del Arte / Art Promenade), which has permanent and temporary exhibits of large-scale contemporary art, mostly sculpture.

   Free

9. See

   Monestir de Sant Miquel dels Reis

   Biblioteca Valenciana Nicolau Primitiu / Monastery of San Miguel de los Reyes

   Founded in the 16th century, this massive Renaissance building is considered by some historians to be the early model for the more well-known El Escorial near Madrid. In 1835 the monastery was dissolved and came under control of the state; it was used for a time as a school, an asylum, and during the Franco period as a prison. It was fully restored in 1997-2000, and now houses the central library of the Valencian Community, the collection of which includes many of the original volumes kept here during the building's monastic period. Guided architectural tours of the building are offered on weekends (Spanish/Valencian only).

   Tours: Sat Sun and holidays 12:00, 13:00; no reservation required·Free

10. See

    Museo Histórico Militar de Valencia

    Built in 1898 for an infantry regiment, the building now houses a collection of over 3,000 objects, most of them from the 19th and 20th centuries.

    Mon-Sat 10:00-14:00 16:00-20:00, Sun and holidays 10:00-14:00·Free

11. See

    Museo de la Semana Santa Marinera

    Semana Santa Museum

    This small museum has exhibits explaining the Semana Santa Marinera traditions with costumes, documents, and photographs.

    Tue-Sat 10:00-14:00 16:30-20:30, Sun and holidays 10:00-15:00·Free

12. See

    Museu de Belles Arts de València

    Museo de Bellas Artes de Valencia / Museum of Fine Arts of Valencia

    This 17th-century former palace houses over 2,000 pieces of art, with a primary focus on art of the 14th to 17th centuries. Highlights include an excellent collection of medieval altarpieces, a collection of engravings by the Italian artist Piranesi, and a handful of minor works by Velázquez, El Greco, and Goya. Photography permitted, no flash.

    Tue-Sun 10:00-20:00; closed 1 Jan and 25 Dec·Free

13. See

    Museu de Ciències Naturals

    Museo de Ciencias Naturales / Museum of Natural Sciences

    The museum is divided into several segments, covering Valencian contributions to the sciences, the ecology of the Valencian region, and of course paleontology with the requisite dinosaur skeletons.

    Tue-Sun and holidays 09:30-19:00·€2 adults, €1 concessions; free admission on Su and holidays

14. See

    Palau Reial de València

    Palacio Real / Royal Palace

    Established by the Moors, then rebuilt by Christians, this building served as the royal Valencian residence until its demolition in 1810. It was forgotten and then rediscovered in 1986. The partially-excavated site is now surrounded by a fence with informative panels in Valencian, Spanish, and English.

    Free

15. See

    Parc Gulliver

    Parque Gulliver / Gulliver Park

    The centrepiece of this unusual playground is a 70-m-long sculpture of Gulliver (from the classic book Gulliver's Travels), who has been tied to the ground. Visitors can climb on and slide down the giant figure, much as Lilliputians might have. The sculpture was designed by Valencian artist and illustrator Sento Llobell.

    Sep-Jun: daily 10:00-20:00; Jul-Aug: daily 10:00-14:00, 17:00-21:00·Free

16. See

    Tribunal de les Aigües

    Tribunal de las Aguas / Water Tribunal

    The horta (Spanish: huerta), the fertile region surrounding Valencia, has relied on artificial irrigation since antiquity. The tribunal was developed to mediate disputes between farmers, and is believed to date back to Roman times; it has operated in its current form since the Moorish era. The court consists of nine representatives who meet in public and issue judgments on water rights and usage. Proceedings are conducted in Valencian and verdicts are issued orally. Although today the court is largely ceremonial, verdicts are considered legally binding by the highest court in Madrid and by the EU. In 2009 it was listed by UNESCO as an 'intangible cultural heritage'.

    Every Thu at noon; it is best to get here no later than 11:30 to secure a good spot·Free

17. Do Not mapped

    Festa del Corpus Christi

    Fiesta de Corpus Christi

    The city has been celebrating Corpus Christi since the late 13th century, and holding feast day processions since 1355. The main procession, known as the Cavalcada del Convit (Spanish: Cabalgata del Convite) begins at 12:00 and follows an itinerary established in the 18th century, which begins at Carrer de la Batlia, heads south along the western side of the cathedral to the Plaça de la Reina, and then up Carrer d'Avellanes and finally terminates at Plaça de l'Almoina. The parade features several medieval dances and rituals unique to Valencia, the most famous of which is La Moma i els Momos, in which a man in white dress and white-veiled face is surrounded by seven men clothed and veiled in black; the dance represents the fight of virtue against the seven deadly sins. Also noteworthy are the dances of the Nanos (dwarves) and Gegants (giants), in which dancers wear oversized heads and costumes respectively, and La Poalà, in which participants at the end of the route are doused with buckets of water. 16:30 marks the start of a second procession, the Pas de les Roques (Spanish: Paso de las Rocas, or Parade of Carriages), the highlight of which are the antique horse-drawn carriages. This parade follows a more circuitous route along Carrer dels Cavallers, Carrer de la Bosseria, Plaça del Mercat, Carrer de Sant Vicent Màrtir, Plaça de la Reina, and Carrer de les Avellanes before finally returning to the cathedral at Plaça de l'Almoina. A third procession begins at 17:30, with the same dancers featured in the 12:00 parade, and following the route of the carriage parade. The final procession, the Solemne Processó (Spanish: Solemne Procesión) begins at 19:00, with participants from parishes and guilds followed by biblical characters and finally by the monstrance.

    60 days after Easter, usually late May or early June·Free

18. See Not mapped

    Jardí del Túria

    Jardines del Turia / Turia Gardens

    After catastrophic flooding in 1957, the Turia River was diverted to the south of the city, and the former river bed was converted into a 7-km-long elongated park which spans many neighborhoods, ending at the City of Arts and Sciences. The park encompasses soccer and rugby fields, an artificial boating lake, athletics track, playgrounds, fountains, and cafés. Abundant bicycle paths make it an ideal place to get in a little exercise and sun.

    Daylight hours·Free

19. See Not mapped

    Museu Valencià d'Etnologia

    Museo Valenciano de Etnología / Valencian Museum of Ethnology

    The focus of this museum is on cultural traditions in the Valencian Autonomous Community, with three permanent exhibits focusing on life in the country, in the mountains, and in urban areas. Rotating temporary exhibits examine historic and sociological issues.

    Tue-Sun 10:00-20:00·free

20. See Not mapped

    Museu de Prehistòria de València

    Museo de Prehistoria de Valencia / Prehistory Museum of Valencia

    This museum is devoted early regional history, with collections from the Paleolithic to the Visigothic periods. A special highlight is the Guerrer de Moixent (Warrior of Moixent), an early Iberian bronze sculpture from the 5th or 4th century BCE.

    Tue-Sun 10:00-20:00·free

21. Do Not mapped

    Nou d’Octubre

    Diada Nacional del País Valencià / Valencian Community National Day

    This annual public holiday has been celebrated since 1338 and commemorates the date in 1238 when King James I of Aragón entered the city, freeing it from Moorish rule. In the week leading up to the 9th there are free concerts and parades around town, including a correfoc ('fire-running') which takes place on the preceding Saturday evening in the El Carme district. During this same weekend nine governmental palaces which are ordinarily closed to the public are opened for general visitation (Sa and Su 10:00-20:00, free admission). Of these the 15th-century Gothic (Palacio de la Generalidad / Palace of the General Assembly) is the most remarkable, and is well worth the long queue to see the well-preserved interior. Formal festivities commence at midnight on 8 October with a fireworks display from the Túria River park by the Pont de l'Exposició (by Alameda metro station). At noon on the following day a formal procession carries the Valencian flag from the Ayuntamiento (City Hall) to the (Parque del Parterre / Parterre Park), where a wreath is laid before the equestrian statue of King James. The highlight of the 9th itself is the parade of Moros i Cristians (Spanish: Moros y Cristianos), which commences at and proceeds down Carrer de la Pau and Carrer de Sant Vicent, finally terminating at Plaça de l’Ajuntament. The parade starts at 18:30 but it is best to find a spot about a half-hour before the parade begins. The 9th of October is also the day of St. Dionysius, which for Valencians is similar to Valentine's Day. In a tradition dating to the 18th century, it is customary for men to give their sweethearts a mocadorà – a small bundle of marzipan treats shaped like fruits and wrapped in a handkerchief. Beginning a week before the 9th, these can be purchased at pastry shops and even some supermarkets.

    1-9 October

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Valencia (CC BY-SA 4.0).