Valencia has a beach just a stone's throw from downtown, a natural park with rice paddies half an hour away, and the village where paella was born, located within that same park. To go swimming, Malvarrosa and its neighboring beaches are just a tram ride from downtown, and you don’t need to make any reservations. To get to the Albufera, there are two ways to get there via organized transportation: one is more flexible, and the other is a guided tour that stops at El Palmar, the village where paella is still cooked right by the lagoon.
- Where to Go Swimming Near Downtown
- How to Get to La Albufera and What You'll Find There
- Two Ways to Visit the Albufera: A Comparison
- El Palmar: The Birthplace of Paella
- Which one is right for you, depending on how much time you have?
Where to Go Swimming Near Downtown
La Malvarrosa is Valencia’s city beach: wide sandy shores, a boardwalk lined with restaurants, and direct access from downtown by tram or bus—no need for a day trip or an admission fee. On either side lie El Cabanyal, the revitalized fishing neighborhood, and La Patacona, which is somewhat less crowded. None of the three requires a reservation: it’s the perfect option for anyone who only has a free afternoon and wants to enjoy the water without leaving the city.
The beach area is just a short distance from the City of Arts and Sciences, so if you spend the morning at the Oceanogràfic, spending the afternoon at Malvarrosa is a plan that doesn't require you to travel from one end of the city to the other.
How to Get to La Albufera and What You'll Find There
La Albufera is a natural park south of Valencia, centered around a freshwater lagoon surrounded by rice paddies. It is the largest wetland in the Valencian Community, and its landscape explains why rice—and with it, paella—is part of the local cuisine and not just a dish for tourists.
With VenturPass, there are two ways to get there without your own car: a bus ride combined with a boat trip on your own, or a full-day guided tour that includes the El Saler dunes and the town of El Palmar.
Two Ways to Visit the Albufera: A Comparison
| Bus + Boat | Guided tour + boat ride | |
|---|---|---|
| Format | Round-trip bus ride on your own, without a guide | Round-trip transportation with a professional guide |
| Boat Ride | 45 minutes in El Palmar | Included, with a stop in El Palmar |
| What else is included? | Only bus and boat | El Saler Dunes and Sunset Over the Lagoon |
| Return Schedule | Flexible: You can stay longer and take a later bus | Fixed, as indicated on the guided itinerary |
| Cancellation | Free until 11:59 p.m. the day before | Free up to 24 hours in advance |
The real difference isn't the price—it's control over your time: the bus and boat let you decide how long you stay and which bus you take back, while the guided tour sets the pace but in return adds context—the El Saler dunes and watching the sunset over the lagoon—something you’d have to time yourself if you went on your own.
El Palmar: The Birthplace of Paella
El Palmar is a village located within the Albufera Natural Park, built alongside the lagoon and traditionally known for fishing and rice farming. It is the place that Valencian culinary tradition itself identifies as the birthplace of paella, and today it remains the area with the highest concentration of restaurants specializing in rice dishes in the region.
If you want to try it without having to make a restaurant reservation, VenturPass offers two options: a boat tour of Valencia that includes paella and a drink, and a cooking class where you prepare the paella yourself, along with tapas and sangria—with the option to add a visit to the Ruzafa Market before cooking.
These are two different activities, and you don't have to choose just one if your trip lasts several days: the boat tour takes care of lunch effortlessly on the day you visit the Albufera, and the cooking class works best as a separate activity on any other day of the trip, since it doesn't depend on having visited the lagoon beforehand.
Which one is right for you, depending on how much time you have?
Just one free afternoon: Malvarrosa or Patacona, without making any other plans. It's the only option in this guide that doesn't depend on public transportation schedules.
A full day dedicated to nature: The guided tour of La Albufera, because it combines the dunes of El Saler with the sunset over the lagoon and El Palmar, and you don't have to worry about figuring out the return bus.
You prefer to do things your own way: the bus and boat, because the return schedule is flexible and you can stay in El Palmar as long as you like.
You want to learn, not just eat: The paella, tapas, and sangria cooking class, with the option to include a visit to the Ruzafa Market if you're also interested in seeing where the ingredients come from.
You just want to try it without having to cook or make a reservation: The boat tour, which includes paella and drinks, takes care of both at once.
Keep watching
Day trips from Valencia, including the Albufera, are listed at Day Trips in Valencia, and water activities at Water Activities in Valencia.