Valencia off the beaten track: 15 ideas for when you have already seen the City of Arts

You have seen the City of Arts and Sciences, the Silk Exchange, the Central Market and the cathedral. You have had paella and walked through the Turia. Valencia has much more, and almost all of it is off the tour-group routes: neighbourhoods with a life of their own, local markets, the huerta, the Albufera seen from the water, contemporary art and terraces where locals stretch out the afternoon.

This guide gives you 15 ideas to see the city the way the people who live here do.

The essentials in 30 seconds

• Neighbourhoods: Russafa, El Cabanyal, Benimaclet and El Carmen beyond its main street.
• Local markets: Russafa, El Cabanyal or Colón.
• The huerta: horchata in Alboraia and a walk among the fields.
• Nature: the Albufera by boat and the dunes of El Saler.
• Culture: contemporary art, Civil War shelters and silk.
• At the end of the day: an afternoon session or a terrace with views.

Neighbourhoods with a life of their own

1. Russafa

The neighbourhood of speciality coffee, galleries, design shops and dinners from all over the world. Its municipal market is the heart of the area.

2. El Cabanyal

The old fishermen's quarter, with tiled façades, old-school bars and the sea one street away. Best on a Sunday morning.

3. Benimaclet

A former village absorbed by the city, with a church square, a student atmosphere and urban allotments a short walk away.

4. El Carmen, off the main route

The side streets of El Carmen hold some of the city's best street art. Get lost without a map.

Markets

5. Mercado de Colón

An early 20th-century modernist building turned into a food hall. Perfect for an aperitif or a horchata.

6. Neighbourhood markets

Russafa, El Cabanyal or Castilla: fewer tourists than the Central Market and the city's daily life.

The huerta and nature

7. Horchata in Alboraia

Tiger nut horchata was born in this huerta, north of the city. Drinking it there, with fartons, after a walk among the fields is a very Valencian plan.

8. The Albufera by boat

A boat trip on the lagoon at sunset, from El Palmar or the jetties along the road, is the best way to understand the Albufera.

9. The El Saler dunes

Boardwalks through dunes and pines, and a wild beach twenty minutes from the city.

Culture off the circuit

10. Civil War air-raid shelters

Valencia was capital of the Republic and keeps shelters you can visit, such as the one at the City Hall.

11. Colegio del Arte Mayor de la Seda

A museum devoted to the industry that made Valencia rich, with historic rooms and textiles.

12. Contemporary art

IVAM, in El Carmen, and centres such as Bombas Gens, in a former factory, have exhibitions that change through the year.

13. Fallas Museum

The ninots spared from the flames each year by popular vote. The best way to understand the Fallas outside March.

As the afternoon ends

14. An afternoon session

Music from mid-afternoon and home at a reasonable hour: the weekend plan for many Valencians. Here is what tardeo in Valencia is and what to wear to a tardeo.

15. A sunset from up high

The city looks different from above. On Paseo de la Alameda, beside the Turia, the Àtic terrace at Palau Alameda has city views for lunch, dinner or a drink; there is more about the rooftop in Valencia.

Eat and drink like a Valencian

• A mid-morning almuerzo, with a sandwich, peanuts and cremaet.
• Rice at lunchtime, and if you fancy it in the evening, here is where to have paella for dinner in Valencia.
• Typical tapas: esgarraet, clóchinas in season or titaina. Here are the typical Valencian tapas.
• An Agua de Valencia: here is its origin and recipe.

If you are out at night, here are things to do in Valencia at night, and for a walk, things to do near the Turia Gardens.

Frequently asked questions

What to do in Valencia if you have already seen the classics?

Explore neighbourhoods such as Russafa, El Cabanyal or Benimaclet, drink horchata in Alboraia, take a boat on the Albufera, visit a Civil War shelter or the Colegio del Arte Mayor de la Seda and end with an afternoon session or a sunset on a terrace.

Which are Valencia's liveliest neighbourhoods?

Russafa, for its cafés, shops and restaurants; El Carmen, for its street art and bars; El Cabanyal, for its seaside atmosphere; and Benimaclet, for its village and student life.

Where to drink horchata in Valencia?

In Alboraia, in the northern huerta where tiger nuts are grown, or in the historic horchaterías in the centre. It comes with fartons.

How do you visit the Albufera?

By boat, from El Palmar or the jetties along the road, ideally at sunset. You can get there by car or bus from the city.

What lesser-known museums are there in Valencia?

The Colegio del Arte Mayor de la Seda, the Fallas Museum, the Civil War air-raid shelters and the Bombas Gens art centre.

Where to watch the sunset in Valencia?

At the Albufera, in the El Saler dunes or from a rooftop terrace, such as Àtic on Paseo de la Alameda.