Valencia with kids – how to enjoy a family-friendly holiday in Valencia
A city may not be your first thought when you start to plan a family holiday, but a city break often offers opportunities for all ages to enjoy. Thanks to the extensive public transport options, it is easy to explore Valencia with kids. Following my recent trip there with my husband, parents and 1 year old daughter; here are my suggestions on how to enjoy a family-friendly holiday in this sunshine city.
Where to stay in Valencia
If you want to be close to all the main attractions then I'd suggest staying somewhere in the old town. If travelling to Valencia with kids, you can’t go wrong with an apartment. This gives you a separate living area so that you’re not spending your evening sitting quietly in the same room as a sleeping child - speaking from experience, a separate room is essential!
Mon Suites are a family-friendly accommodation option, with a few locations in Valencia to choose from. I stayed in Mon Suites Catedral and a 2 bedroom apartment cost around £600 for 4 nights. There was a friendly receptionist, and luggage storage which saves you hanging around for an evening flight with your suitcase all day.
In the apartment was a brand-new travel cot and highchair (surcharge applicable) as well as modern kitchen area. It was located close to Valencia Cathedral, the Central Market and lots of restaurants, bars and shops. Much of the old town is unsuitable for taxis, so it is easier to use the taxi rank by the town hall when you want to return to the airport.
Things to do in Valencia with kids
Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias - this iconic area is home to the Science Museum, aquarium and projection hall, and its impressive modern architecture is worth the trip in itself.
Science Museum - a range of interactive exhibitions where kids can play with musical instruments, see dinosaur skeletons and discover what they would weigh on Mars.
Oceanografic - the largest aquarium in Europe features over 500 species, including a young beluga whale
Hemisferic - the largest projection hall in Spain, which has 3 different projection systems showing a range of awe-inspiring visuals
On the water outside the museums, you can hire pedalos, rowing boats and paddleboards as well as zorbing.
TIP: If you plan on visiting a combination of attractions then you’ll save money by purchasing them at the same time
Bioparc Valencia - more than just a city zoo, this 10-hectare site is home to more than 4000 animals and birds. Don’t miss the bird show, or lemur feeding.
The Central Market - People of all ages will enjoy wandering the aisles of this historic indoor market. There are plenty of unusual things for children to see, and lots of food to buy such as fruit pots or empanadas. You must try the speciality of fartons and horchata - similar to iced buns with a milky drink.
Jardi del Turia - this long strip of park is a good place to let off some steam. Head to Gullivers Park for a quirky play area. It was closed on our visit in May 2022 so check online before you go.
Jardins del Real - a beautiful park with toilets and café. I enjoyed watching the birds in the aviary, and some very noisy peacocks. There are a couple of play areas too where we made friends with the local grandparents and toddlers. You can also visit the museum of Natural History here
The beach is a must when in Valencia with kids!
No family holiday is complete without a beach trip right? Fortunately you can access gorgeous sandy beaches just a 20 minute bus or tram ride from central Valencia. We caught a bus at Colón and went along the beachfront to Malvarrosa, the bus was just 1.50 Euro each.
You can then walk back towards the Las Arenas side and there are plenty of restaurants and play areas along the way. The beach was clean and sandy and the sea was warm enough for me to get in!
What to eat and drink in Valencia
The number one must have is paella because it was created here. Many places sell it, and the traditional Valencia recipe is chicken and butterbeans - seafood free. It can also come traditionally with rabbit and snails so do check before ordering if that would concern you.
Locals tip: Avoid ordering paella in the evening. It is usually cooked in large pans ready for lunch, and then sits around in the sun all day.
Valencia is famous for its oranges so whilst the kids sip a freshly squeezed juice, the adults must try Agua de Valencia - a concoction of orange juice, cava, gin and whatever liqueur the bar feels like throwing in! Delicious but drink responsibly of course…
The Good Burger - we found this chain restaurant was handy for a light bite. The menu has a range of burgers, hot dogs, salads and sides so everybody was kept happy. And a large beer or sangria was under 3 Euro so the adults were extra happy!
San Tommaso - a beautiful Italian restaurant adorned with hydrangea. The pizzas are huge so you could share and they had a couple of highchairs which wasn’t that common.
There are hundreds of restaurants and cafés though so you really are spoilt for choice!
We had a lovely family holiday, and hopefully you might be inspired to try visiting Valencia with kids. It’s easily accessible from the UK and has glorious weather for most of the year!
THE DETAILS
Getting there
We flew from Gatwick with Easyjet but there are a number of routes to Valencia from the UK. We had no trouble with queues at Gatwick but did ensure we were at the airport 2.5 hours before our flight time.
Parking was made easy with Airport Parking and Hotels (APH.com) - we dropped the car off at their secure site and check in was hassle free. There was a bus waiting, and they run very regularly to the terminals. Service was excellent throughout and the bus driver helped with the luggage. The parking was provided to us free of charge by Airport Parking and Hotels (APH.com) and I would definitely use them again for future travel.
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