Food destinations within easy reach of Valencia, worth the early start.
Food destinations within easy reach of Valencia. worth the train, the rental car or the early start.
Famous for: Paella valenciana cooked in its birthplace, plus all i pebre eel stew
El Palmar is the fishing village in the middle of La Albufera, the freshwater lagoon where paella was born. Arroceria Maribel (Bib Gourmand, chef Maria Jose Estevens) cooks paella valenciana with rabbit, chicken, ferraura and bomba rice; Bon Aire and Nou Raco are the other El Palmar arroceria options.
Famous for: Cava (DO Cava Requena) and bobal red wines
Requena west of Valencia is the centre of the Utiel-Requena DO, the city's wine region, with cava cellars (DO Cava Requena) and bobal-led red wines tasted at Bodega Coviñas and Pago de Tharsys.
Famous for: Tomato culture, La Tomatina festival
Bunol west of Valencia is the home of La Tomatina, the world's largest tomato fight (last Wed of August). Outside Fallas season, the village's tomato-jam, tomato-bread tradition runs at Meson del Tomate.
Famous for: Arroz al horno and the Xativa castle
Xativa south of Valencia is the medieval birthplace of Pope Calixtus III and Pope Alexander VI, with an outstanding castle and a strong arroz al horno tradition at Casa La Abuela and Casa Carolo.
Famous for: Fideua, paella, beach restaurants
Gandia south of Valencia claims to be the birthplace of fideua (noodle paella), reputedly invented by Cabanyal fishermen who ran out of rice and substituted noodles in the 1930s.
Famous for: Mountain Valencian cuisine, gazpacho manchego, embutidos
Bocairent in the Sierra Mariola south of Valencia is a medieval hilltop village with mountain Valencian cuisine, gazpacho manchego (a savoury thick stew) and the embutido tradition.
Famous for: Levantine tapas, Roman ruins
Sagunto north of Valencia is the Roman Saguntum, with an outstanding Roman theatre, castle and Jewish quarter. The food scene runs to Levantine tapas and the Sagunto port's fish.