Valencia: by plane, car or ferry
The home of paella, the futuristic City of Arts and wide urban beaches, a cheaper and calmer alternative to Barcelona. The seaside season runs from May to October.
What does a trip to Valencia cost this year?
The calculator compares flights from several airports, driving with real ferry prices, and shows the weather for every date.
You'll see these everywhere
The cradle of paella
Paella comes from the rice paddies by the Albufera lagoon, and the true Valencian carries chicken, rabbit and garrofó beans; no seafood, no chorizo. Since 2021 it is officially declared cultural heritage as the art of joining and sharing.
The City of Arts and Sciences
Native son Santiago Calatrava's futurist complex in the old riverbed: planetarium, science museum, opera house and the Oceanogràfic aquarium. The city's most photographed build, and walking the grounds is free.
The riverbed park
After the 1957 flood the Turia river was diverted, and the dry bed became a nine kilometre park, the city's green spine full of runners and cyclists. It links the old centre with the City of Arts and Sciences.
Fallas
In March hundreds of giant papier mâché sculptures rise across town, burning on the night of the 19th; every day at two the mascletà firecracker concert thunders on the town hall square. UNESCO listed since 2016.
Horchata and fartons
The iced drink of tiger nut tubers grown with protected origin at Alboraia, with sweet fartons fingers dunked in. The legendary Daniel has poured it since 1949.
The Albufera
Spain's largest freshwater lagoon ringed by rice paddies, source of the paella rice. People come for rides in the traditional boats and for the famous sunsets.
The silk exchange
The late 15th century Lonja de la Seda with its hall of twisted columns crowns secular Gothic and has been UNESCO listed since 1996. It recalls the days when Valencia ranked among the Mediterranean's richest ports.
Manises azulejos
Neighbouring Manises has glazed tiles since the Middle Ages, and they dress facades all over the city. The ceramics museum in a baroque palace with its famous alabaster portal tells the story.
Local prices
Guide prices for a typical tourist area in high season (as of 2026-07). Accommodation and rentals are sampled automatically, the basket is a curated estimate.
When to go
Valencia has one of Spain's longest seasons: the sea holds above 22 °C from June to late October and the sun shows up even in winter. August is humid and heavy, so June plus September and October are the picks. In March the Fallas festival takes over the city, a spectacle worth seeing, but accommodation prices jump and quiet is nowhere to be found.
| Month | Daily high | Sea | Rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|
| May | 24 °C | 20 °C | ~5 |
| June | 28 °C | 25 °C | ~4 |
| July | 30 °C | 28 °C | ~2 |
| August | 31 °C | 29 °C | ~3 |
| September | 28 °C | 26 °C | ~6 |
Averages from the last 8 years (Open-Meteo). The calculator shows your exact week in more detail.
What to taste
Paella valenciana
Chicken, rabbit and garrofó, cooked to order for two or more and eaten strictly at lunch. From 16 € a head in El Palmar, 18 to 25 € downtown.
Horchata with fartons
A glass of iced horchata at 3 to 4 € with a farton to dunk. Best in Alboraia, where the chufa grows.
Agua de Valencia
The cocktail of fresh orange juice, cava, gin and vodka, invented at Café Madrid in 1959. Sold by the jug, 20 to 30 € for four.
Esgarraet
A cold starter of roasted pepper strips and shredded salt cod in garlicky olive oil. 4 to 7 € as a tapa.
All i pebre
Albufera eel stewed with garlic, paprika and potato, the El Palmar speciality at 10 to 15 €.
The oranges
The region's symbol: in season from November to April a kilo costs about 2 € at the market, and fresh juice flows everywhere.
Return flights from Prague or Vienna
looking up prices…
Cheapest fares found per person (Aviasales, last ~48 h). Click a month to open the calculator with those dates.
Three trips worth taking
The Albufera and El Palmar
A traditional boat ride on the lagoon costs 5 €, the sunset run about 7 €, and lunch afterwards is paella in El Palmar, where it was born. City bus 24 or 25 gets there for 1.50 €.
The Oceanogràfic
Europe's largest aquarium with 45,000 animals, a dolphinarium and a shark tunnel. Entry runs 36 to 43 € by season, from 44 € combined with the planetarium and science museum; the Turia park walks you there.
Sagunto
A castle stretching a kilometre along the ridge above town, a Roman theatre and the Jewish quarter below; entry is free. The commuter train from València Nord makes it in half an hour for a few euros.
Beaches and the sea
The city beaches Malvarrosa and Cabanyal are broad, fine sanded, with a long promenade and lifeguards; tram and bus reach them from the centre for 1.50 €. Chiringuitos and traditional rice restaurants line the promenade, just remember paella is lunch. A sunbed and parasol set runs about 20 € in season. The south is calmer and wilder: Pinedo and above all El Saler with dunes and pines by the Albufera park, where free sand survives even August. The sea peaks at 26 to 27 °C from late July into September, and full beach season runs June to mid September.
How to get there
Direct flights to Valencia from Prague and Vienna are mostly seasonal; off season you usually connect, often via Barcelona. The metro reaches the centre from the airport in twenty minutes, and the city itself belongs to bikes rather than cars. Driving from Central Europe is about 2,100 km. Ferries from the port serve Mallorca and Ibiza, which makes Valencia a handy mainland stop before an island.
Airports
- VLC · Valencia Airport (Valencia)
Car ferries
No ferry needed when driving here.
Distance
1,655 km from Prague as the crow flies. The calculator computes the real route, tolls and fuel.
Tip
Direct flights serve Valencia mainly from Vienna, so compare Alicante too, it is 170 km up the motorway. Ferries to Mallorca and Ibiza run from the port.
Good to know
- Valencia runs noticeably cheaper than Barcelona or Madrid: menú del día from 11 €, coffee and beer under 3 €. And unlike Catalonia it charges no tourist tax.
- The metro reaches the centre from the airport in 25 minutes for 4.80 €. A taxi runs about 30 €.
- The Turia park begs for a bike: Valenbisi shared bikes run a 13.30 € weekly pass with the first half hour of every ride free, and the city holds over 160 km of lanes.
- Paella is lunch only, roughly 2 to 4 pm. Any place offering fresh paella at dinner is almost surely a tourist trap serving defrosted stock.
- Fallas from 1 to 19 March is glorious but means full, pricey lodging, closed streets and a deafening mascletà at two daily. Seekers of quiet should come another time.
- Smaller shops keep siesta from about 2 to 5 pm and Sundays close nearly everything. Tap water is safe, just chlorine tinged.
- The blue zone costs 0.80 € an hour with a two hour cap, downtown garages 2 to 3 €. Take the tram to the beach, Malvarrosa parking is a fight in season.
Frequently asked questions
When is the sea warmest?
The sea is typically warmest in August, around 29 °C. Daytime air averages 31 °C.
What is the place known for?
Local signatures include The cradle of paella, The City of Arts and Sciences, The riverbed park, Fallas, Horchata and fartons, The Albufera, The silk exchange, Manises azulejos.
How much are food and drinks locally?
As a guide: espresso at the bar ~2 €, main dish at a casual place ~13 €, beer (0.5 l) out ~3 €, scoop of ice cream ~3 €, sunbed and parasol per day ~20 €, an hour of parking ~0.8 €, litre of petrol ~1.6 €. High-season prices as of 2026-07.
Which airports serve it?
Nearest airports: Valencia Airport (Valencia) (VLC). The calculator compares fares to all of them at once, from Prague and Vienna alike.
Car or plane, which pays off?
Flying leads here too, just mind how seasonal the direct routes are: off season the gap between Prague and Vienna can run into thousands of crowns. Driving pays off only combined with a Balearic ferry or on a round trip along the Spanish coast.
What does a trip to Valencia cost this year?
The calculator compares flights from several airports, driving with real ferry prices, and shows the weather for every date.