Valencia, Spain Sets Its Sights on North American Tourists

The third largest city in Spain, and the country’s fourth most populous region with more than five million residents, Valencia has become a go-to tourist destination for domestic travelers inside Spain but has yet to garner the international attention that Barcelona or Madrid has.

But that could change soon, thanks to a new focus on driving tourism to the region, and the possibility of a new direct flight from North America.

According to the Valencia Tourist Board, the region, which is located on the east coast of the country, bordering the Mediterranean Sea on its east side and Aragon and Castilla–La Mancha on its west, sports an extensive coastline and more than 300 days of sunshine per year, making it an ideal vacation spot for a lot of domestic and European travelers, two groups that have traditionally made up a majority of inbound tourists to the region.

It is also host to the city of Valencia, an 800,000-plus population city, the third most populous in Spain, that has roots that go back to 138 B.C. 

A spokesperson for the Valencia Tourist Board told TMR recently that the goal is for Valencia to make itself more known, and more accessible, to the North American tourist who largely thinks about Barcelona or Madrid when considering vacations to Spain.

What is Valencia known for?
Aside from sun and sand, the region is known as one of the standout culinary regions in Spain, a country that, itself, is known for high culinary standards. Most notably, the region is where paella, the country’s national dish, originates from.

Maybe its most famous site sits inside the Valencia Cathedral, a 13^th-century building that is believed to be the home of the true Holy Grail, a relic that visitors can see inside one of the Cathedral’s chapels. 

Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía, which translates to Queen Sofia Palace of the Arts, is also one of the well-known urban landmarks in the city of Valencia. An opera house and performing arts center, the building was open in 2005 as the last major addition to Valencia’s City of Arts of Science complex, which is considered the most modern tourist destination in the city, and one of the 12 Treasures of Spain.

The city is also home to Oceanogràfic, Europe’s largest aquarium, Hemisfèric, a digital 3D cinema, and the Science Museum.

What is the transport like?
One of the reasons that Valencia hasn’t gotten the same attention that other Spanish regions have from North American travelers is due to the lack of direct flights to the region’s main airport, Valencia Airport. That airport, while welcoming direct flights from some European hubs including Dublin and London Heathrow, is currently without a direct flight from New York, Toronto, or any other North American city.

The team at the Valencia Tourist Board told TMR this week that there are efforts underway to establish a direct flight from North America. However, for right now, travelers can fly into one of Spain’s other major airports and either drive or take the train into the city—one of Valencia city’s main railway stations, Joaquín Sorolla, offers high-speed rail services from Madrid, Cuenca, Seville and Córdoba.

For travel inside the city, Valencia is very walkable and has a well-connected public transportation system that includes 60 bus lines, 5 metro lines and 4 tram?lines, as well as?180 metropolitan bus routes and 6 commuter trains?to take you wherever you want. The connections include routes between the airport, city center, beach, l’Albufera, local towns, and most other points of interest.?

The city offers a tourist card, simply called the Valencia Tourist Card, Valencia Tourist Card, which offers unlimited trips for 24, 48 or 72 hours. The card includes free admission to city museums and monuments and some more perks.   

What is the hotel situation?
Valencia is full of interesting choices for lodging, from boutique hotels in its old town to large resorts with some of the country’s most well-known spas.

There are also some bigger names that a lot of North American consumers will be familiar with, including The Westin Valencia, Palacio Santa Clara (a Marriott Autograph Collection property), Hyatt Valencia, the Ayre Hotel Astoria Palace, and more.

What is on the schedule?
Valencia serves hosts to a number of festivals and events that are popular with both locals and tourists. They include:

• Las Fallas, which takes place every March and where huge sculptures made of paper-mâché are displayed throughout the city and then burned on the final day of the festival.
• La Tomatina, a tomato-throwing festival that takes place in Buñol, near Valencia, every August.
• The Valencia Marathon, which takes place the first week of December annually.
• Gay Games 2026, which will be hosted by Valencia.
• The Valencia Jazz Festival, which takes place every July.