Top Shore Excursions in Valencia | My Cruise Excursion

Our shore excursions in Valencia

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Do you want to book your shore excursion comfortably and without time-consuming organization? Then you will find exactly the right offer here! Choose from our exciting tours and enjoy your excursion in a complete package.

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Pick up directly at the harbor

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If you want to explore the city and surroundings on your own, then you are in the right place. For all those who prefer to organize their own cruise excursion itinerary, we have the right offers.

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Book your activities in advance

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Useful information for excursion in Valencia

Below you will find information on the most beautiful sights, a map of the cruise port in Valencia as well as many useful tips and information for your cruise excursion in Valencia.

The most beautiful sights in Valencia

Valencia is the third-largest city in Spain with almost 800,000 inhabitants and is located on the southeast coast of Spain. In this beautiful port city, some fascinating sights are waiting to be discovered by you during a Mediterranean cruise. Valencia consists of an exciting mix of very modern and historic neighbourhoods, so there is something for everyone when you visit the city.

The Old City

The centre of Valencia is located between the oldest quarter of the city, the Barrio del Carmen with many shops and cafés, and the railway station Estación del Norte. Right next to the beautiful Art Nouveau station building is the impressive bullring Plaza de Toros de Valencia, which is reminiscent of the Colosseum in Rome.

Starting one’s exploration in the Barrio del Carmen, one gets through the impressive Torres de Serranos into the historical city centre. The city gate was once part of the medieval city wall and dates from the 14th century.

The best way to explore the city is by walk. You will pass by the most important sights and can take a break in one of the many restaurants or cafés. Among the highlights of the old town are the many squares and historic buildings. The central squares are Plaza de la Reina and Plaza de la Virgen. In between are the Gothic cathedral and the baroque basilica “Basílica De La Virgen De Los Desamparados”. After a spiral staircase of more than 200 steps, you reach the 50-meter-high tower of the cathedral, from where you can enjoy a magnificent view of the city.

Another highlight is the silk exchange, La Lonja de la Seda, from the 15th century. Even though there is no trading here today, the building built in the gothic style with its tower, the inner courtyard with orange trees and its decorated wooden ceiling is worth visiting. Since 1996 it has even been a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Directly opposite to it is the Mercado Central, one of the largest market halls in Europe. In the hall, built in Art Nouveau style, countless traders offer their goods from Monday to Saturday until 2:30 p.m. on over 8000 square metres since 1928. These include foodstuffs such as fresh fruit, vegetables, spices, meat, fish and seafood.

The city of Arts and Sciences

The “Ciudad de las Artes y de las Ciencias” (City of Arts and Sciences) was designed by the local architect Santiago Calatrava and built in the 1990s. It runs along the old riverbed of the Turia and consists of futuristic buildings and parks. The complex thus contrasts with the old town and represent the modern side of the city. Among the five main elements are the entrance building with L’Umbracle park, L’hemisfèric, which houses a planetarium and a cinema, the Palau de Les Arts Reina Sofía opera house, the Museo de las Ciencias Príncipe Felipe science museum and L’Oceanogràfic. With an area of approximately 110,000 square metres, L’Oceanogràfic is the largest aquarium in Europe.

Garden: Jardines del Turia

If you want to get to know the green sides of the city, we recommend a walk through the old riverbed of the Turia. The Jardines del Turia parks were created here in the 1980s after the original river was diverted after a major flood. With a length of about nine kilometres, it is one of the largest urban nature parks in Spain and the city’s green oasis. 18 bridges from different eras lead through the park and along the way there are numerous areas for sports, games and rest areas. Since the riverbed runs right through the city, it is particularly recommended to combine a walk through the park with a visit to the old town and the city of science and the arts.

The Beaches of Valencia

If you have visited the historic old town in the morning and there is still time before the ship departs, you can round off your excursion day with a visit to the beach. About two kilometres from the port, the stretch of Valencia beach begins. The Paseo Marítimo promenade connects the two sandy beaches of Playa de las Arenas (El Cabayal) and Playa de la Malvarrosa. Stroll along the palm-lined promenade, take a refreshing dip or relax on the fine sandy beach. There are play areas for children, toilets, showers, rentable deckchairs and many excellent restaurants where you can try regional delicacies. You should plan about 30 minutes walking to the beach, but the southern part of the beach can also be reached by bus or of course by taxi.

Shore excursion in Valencia — State-of-the-art architecture in the City of Arts and Sciences

Map of the cruise port in Valencia

The cruise port of Valencia has several berths for large cruise ships. From the Poniente and Transversal berths, passenger bridges take you into the terminal building. At the North Extension Quay, there are two further berths from where you can take a shuttle bus to the terminal building. There you will find tourist information, duty-free shops, a restaurant and souvenir shops.

The harbour is about 6 km away from the beautiful old town. The famous Aquarium L’Oceanogràfic is about 2.5 km away from the cruise terminal, so you can admire it from afar while driving into the old town. If you want to explore Valencia on your own, you should take a taxi or other means of transport. There are also many paid shuttle services to the city centre.

If you book a guided shore excursion with us, you will, of course, be picked up in the immediate vicinity of the port. In addition, our cruise excursions will take place in English.

Worth knowing about shore excursions in Valencia

Shipping companies and Routes

The cruise port of Valencia is run on routes through the Western Mediterranean and Western Europe, mainly between March and November. The ships of the cruise lines AIDA Cruises, TUI Cruises, MSC Cruises and Costa Cruises as well as the international shipping lines Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises and Seabourn Cruise Line regularly visit the port. Depending on the shipping company and the route, Barcelona, Mallorca, Lisbon, Ibiza, Marseille, Civitavecchia (Rome) or La Spezia are also served as further ports on the routes.

Entry and Visa

Spain is a part of the EU, therefore, US and UK citizens do not require a visa to enter the Schengen Area of countries in Europe for tourism or business stays under ninety (90) days. Some shipping companies require a valid passport for cruises.

However, you will need to carry a valid passport with you. It is also advisable to obtain additional information from your cruise company about the valid entry requirements of your cruise.

Taxi and Public transport

If you have not booked a transfer or guided shore excursion, taxis are usually available at the terminal building or berth to take you to the city or to the destinations of your choice. For a trip to the city centre, you should expect costs of approx. 15-20 Euro. If your ship moors at one of the more distant jetties at the port, you can also take a taxi directly from there to the city if you decide to go on your own.

Alternatively, you can also use the cheaper public transport. There is a bus stop at the roundabout in front of the cruise terminal. The city can also be explored by subway or tram. However, you should plan to walk about 1.5 kilometres from the harbour to the next metro station. Information on the various bus routes and current timetables is available in the terminal building.

National Currency

In Spain, the Euro is used as currency, so a currency exchange is therefore required. (1 dollar = 0.89 euro and 1 pound = 1.08 euro)

Travel Time

Valencia is an attractive year-round destination whose dry climate is influenced by the Mediterranean Sea. If you want to avoid midsummer with average maximum daily temperatures of up to 29°C, the months of April to June and autumn are particularly suitable for visiting the city. In these months it is no longer too hot, but still pleasantly warm.

Some shipping companies now offer cruises in the western Mediterranean almost all year round. Thus, the winter is also a travel season for Valencia, although it is low season and the weather can be a little colder and it can rain. Generally, it rains only little in Valencia and even in winter some days with luck temperatures of up to 20°C are reached.