8 Amazing day trips from Valencia

1. Port Saplaya

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Just outside of Valencia you’ll find a town called Port Saplaya, but due to its similarity to Venice, Italy, it has earned the nickname little Venice. And that’s a pretty accurate description of what it is. Little colourful houses lined up around a canal, as well as a beautiful sandy beach just across the road. Around the canal you’ll find a variety of bars and restaurants, where you can sit down and take in the views. The walk through the whole canal can take anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour or two, depending on how much you stop. We stopped for photos approximately every 5 minutes, so it took us a while to get through haha. I loved that it isn’t the typical touristy place, with souvenir stores and aggressive sales people on every corner.

I wasn’t really expecting it to look a whole lot like Venice, but you can definitely see why it’s called little Venice. It sure managed to make me feel like I was in Italy for a day. One of my top picks for day trips from Valencia!

How to get there: By car/taxi or take a local bus to Patacona and from there it’s about 10-15 minutes walk to Port Saplaya. You can also take a metrobus (line 112) that will take you all the way to Port Saplaya in approximately 40 minutes.

2. Montanejos

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Montanejos is a mountainous village, located inland just over an hour drive from Valencia. Known for both its hot springs and beautiful landscapes, it makes for an ideal destination whether you’re looking to have an active day and do some hiking or just want to sit back and relax. I must admit, out of these 8 amazing day trips from Valencia, this might be my favourite!

You can choose from plenty of hiking trails that will take you through all sorts of beautiful scenery and viewpoints. The trails are clearly marked at the beginning, however we found ourselves a bit lost after starting the trail, as it wasn’t clearly marked after the starting point. Maybe we just weren’t paying enough attention, but we just ended up just taking our own way back. I would suggest that when you arrive, you mark the car park location on your google maps app, so that you’ll easily find your way back.

The main attraction in Montanejos is probably Fuente de los Baños, natural pools where you can swim in crystal clear water. Even though there are plenty of signs stating the temperature stays at 25 degress throughout the year, it felt colder but was warm enough to get in. This was around 5pm so I could believe that the temperature does reach those 25 degress in the middle of the day. A part from swimming, there is plenty of space to lay down and chill. It makes for a fun alternative to relaxing on the beach, with different types of views

Food options are limited so I’d recommend bringing some snacks.

You can visit Montanejos all year round, however it does get incredibly crowded during July and August, especially on weekends. The best time to visit is during the spring months or in September.

How to get there: Montanejos can only be reached by car, no regular public transport is available. You’ll need to have a car or you can go for a day trip. Click here to compare rental car prices of all the major car rental agencies!

3. Peñíscola

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Peñíscola has been named the most beautiful village in Spain, and it’s not hard to see why. A seaside historic town and a beautiful sandy beach. During the summer it’s a popular tourist destination, but remains pretty quiet throughout the rest of the year. The beach is lined with hotels and resorts, as well as restaurants, which for the most part were closed when we visited in October.Walking through the cobble stone streets of the old town will make you feel like you’re wandering through a Greece village. While wandering through the old town, make sure to visit the Peñíscola Castle (Castillo de Peñíscola), which is located on a large cliff overlooking the coast.

How to get there: By an Alsa bus or a train to Benicarló, from there it’s about a 10 minute taxi ride to Peñíscola.

4. Benicassim

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Benicassim is a beach town located about an hour north of Valencia. It’s best known for its long stretches of sandy beaches and the Festival Internacional de Benicassim, an indie music festival that takes place every summer. But being a sucker for water parks, I would say my favourite activity in Benicassim is the Aquarama water park. Pretty much a guaranteed way to have a fun day. They have tons of rides, some kinda scary, some not at all scary, and everything in between. A part from going on the slides, you must try the waffles there! Thank me later 🙂 Try to visit during the week if you possibly can, as it can get very crowded during weekends and as such you can find yourself waiting in a line for up to 30 minutes for some of the slides. It’s possible to purchase an afternoon pass, which will allow you to visit from 3pm until close, and I’d say that’s enough time, especially on weekdays. With that said, you could absolutely spend a whole day there 🙂

How to get there: There is a direct train from Valencia to Benicassim.

5. Calpe

Once a fishing village, Calpe is now one of the most popular tourist destinations on Costa Blanca. Calpe is home to the famous landmark Peñon de Ifach, or rock of Ifach, a massive rock which has become an icon of the Costa Blanca. Climbing the 332m high rock is possible, and it’s in fact a very popular hike. Reaching the summit is pretty challenging and will take about an hour and a half, but will reward you with an incredible view of the Mediterranean and the beaches on both sides. A part from the rock and the beautiful sandy beaches, interesting things to do in Calpe include visiting the old town, taking a walk down Calle Puchalt (Puchalt Street), eating at one of the many restaurants next to the beach and visiting Las Salinas de Calpe, where you can spot pink flamingos, among other things.

How to get there: You can take an Alsa bus, the journey takes about 3 hours

6. Altea

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Altea is an incredibly charming town situated on the Costa Blanca, not far from Calpe. The picturesque old town is the heart of the town and features white houses and narrow streets. If that’s not enough to convince you – being located on a hill, you will also have gorgeous panoramic views of the coastline from the many viewpoints throughout the old town. You will find plenty of shops and restaurants, which in the summer months can become pretty packed with tourists, especially during late July and August. Altea also has a beautiful beach as well as a beach promenade which is lined with cafés, restaurants and some shops.

How to get there: Alsa has a direct bus between Valencia and Altea, the journey takes around 4 hours

7. Denia

Denia is a large coastal town with a Spanish feel to it, located at the Northern end of Costa Blanca. The main sight is the Denia castle, which was originally an Arab fortress. My favourite thing about Denia is the marina, which offers beautiful view of the mountains, the town and the Mediterranean. The restaurant Mala Vita is located on the marina, and offers incredible views of both the sea and the mountains. It’s worth mentioning that Denia is a thriving ferry port and ferries to Ibiza, Mallorca and Menorca depart from there.

How to get there: Denia is easily reachable by Alsa bus, the journey takes just under two hours.

8. Pinedo

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Pinedo, a laid-back beach town only a short ride from Valencia, is a great choice if you want to get away from the hustle of the city for a day. Being only a 10 minute car ride away from Valencia, it’s perfect for when you want to have a beach day away from the city without having to spend a lot of time commuting. In Pinedo you will find plenty of restaurants along the beach, two small supermarkets as well as some cafés. The main beach, Playa de Pinedo, can feel pretty touristy, so walk a little further to Playa Autocine, which is gorgeous and a lot less touristy! It’s actually one of the best beach I’ve been to in Spain.

How to get there: Take the local bus (line 24 or 25) to Pinedo which take about 30 minutes, from there it’s about 10 minute walk to Playa Autocine.

Why not finish off one of your days in Valencia with a sunset boat tour & some wine?

I hope this post was helpful and that you will get to experience some of these 8 amazing day trips you can do from Valencia! If you want to get notified when I publish new blog posts, simply click the red bell in the lower right corner or follow me on Instagram where I usually announce new posts 🙂