A Day In Valencia: Private Tour With The City Of Arts & Sciences

Valencia offers a captivating mix of old and new. This radiant coastal city boasts over 2000 years of history while also showcasing a modern, dynamic and resilient spirit underpinned by innovative architecture and urban regeneration projects that have transformed the area in recent years. Our full-day private tour allows for an in-depth exploration of Valencia in the company of a local guide well-versed in the city’s history and culture. From the winding streets of the Old Town to the striking design of the City of Arts and Sciences, you will peel back the layers of the city, delve into its contrasts and uncover its energy, creativity, and Mediterranean warmth.

On this full-day private tour, you will:

• Spend an enriching day exploring Valencia with a private local guide;
• Embark on a walking tour of the key sights of the Old Town, from the City Hall to the Torres de Serranos;
• Stroll through the Mercado Central and discover the hallmarks of Valencian gastronomy as you explore one of Europe’s oldest and most vibrant produce markets;
• Learn all about Valencia’s long history, from the founding of the city in the 2nd Century BC to the emergence of the modern metropolis;
• Admire the intricate Gothic facade of La Lonja de la Seda and find out about how the city prospered as a Medieval trading hub;
• Visit Valencia Cathedral and discover the intriguing mix of architectural styles;
• Walk through Plaza de la Virgen and admire the grand Turia Fountain and the iconic pink-hued Basilica de la Virgen de los Desamparados;
• Make your way to the City of Arts and Sciences and find out about the world-renowned Valencian architect behind it;
• Explore the complex in detail while your guide shares insights into the most iconic structures, from the Hemisfèric to the floating arches of the Umbracle.

Make the most of your time in Valencia and embark on a journey of discovery with a knowledgeable local guide who brings the city vividly to life. Your experience begins in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento, the civic heart of Valencia, where elegant facades and lively street scenes set the stage for a journey through more than two millennia of urban evolution. From here, you embark on a leisurely walking tour through the Old Town, navigating a route that reveals the city’s layered identity, from its Roman origins to its flourishing medieval period to its current position as one of Spain’s most important cities. You’ll stroll into the Mercado Central, one of Europe’s great food halls, where the hum of vendors and the scent of seasonal produce offer a glimpse into everyday Valencian life. Just steps away, you pause before the striking Gothic exterior of La Lonja de la Seda, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that once symbolised the city’s prosperity as a powerhouse of Mediterranean trade.

Continuing through the winding streets, your guide leads you into Plaza de la Reina, a bright, bustling square framed by historic façades and overlooked by the ornate tower of Valencia Cathedral. Inside the cathedral, you’ll encounter an intriguing blend of Romanesque, Gothic, Baroque and Neoclassical elements, each telling a chapter of the city’s story. A short walk brings you to Plaza de la Virgen, one of Valencia’s most beloved gathering places, to check out the grand Turia Fountain and the beloved Basilica de la Virgen de los Desamparados before you make your way to the imposing Torres de Serranos, the medieval gateway that once protected the city and still stands as one of its most recognisable landmarks.

After a well-earned pause for lunch at a restaurant of your choosing (lunch not included), the tour shifts from the historic to the avant-garde. A short bus ride takes you to the City of Arts and Sciences, Valencia’s world-famous cultural complex and a triumph of modern design. As you explore its expansive grounds, your guide introduces you to the visionary mind of Santiago Calatrava and the symbolism behind each space-age structure: the soaring Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía, the eye-shaped Hemisfèric, the skeletal form of the Museu de les Ciències Príncipe Felipe, the dynamic curves of the Àgora, the reflective pools surrounding the Oceanogràfic, and the graceful arches of the Umbracle. Seen up close, it is both monumental and otherworldly, a striking counterpoint to the historic streets you explored earlier in the day.

Your guided tour concludes at the complex, but your exploration doesn’t have to end. Your guide will happily assist with museum entry if you’d like to continue independently, or offer tailored recommendations for dinner, drinks, or further activities around the city. By the end of the day, you’ll not only have seen Valencia’s essential landmarks, you’ll have felt its energy, creativity, and warmth through the eyes of someone who knows it best.