Day-by-day eating plans for Valencia. weekend classics, family routes, vegan plans, on-a-budget editions.

Day-by-day plans

Valencia weekend: paella and the rice repertoire ★ 4.7

First-time visitor, two days2 days

A Valencia weekend built around the canonical paella, the rice repertoire of La Albufera, the Mercado Central modernist temple and a sundown agua-de-Valencia at the cocktail's 1959 birthplace.

  1. Day 1: Saturday: Mercado Central morning, beach paella lunch, Carmen tapas dinner

    Morning
    Start at Mercado Central from 09:00; coffee and a bocadillo de calamares at Central Bar by Ricard Camarena, then walk the modernist hall.
    Afternoon
    Tram to Malvarrosa for lunch at Casa Carmela: paella valenciana cooked over orange wood, with a glass of Utiel-Requena bobal.
    Evening
    Walk the Carmen quarter from 19:30; aperitif at Café Sant Jaume on Carrer dels Cavallers for an agua de Valencia, then dinner at La Pilareta with clochinas and a cana.

  2. Day 2: Sunday: Russafa brunch, fine-dining lunch, agua de Valencia dusk

    Morning
    Brunch at Federal Cafe Valencia from 09:30; smashed avo and a flat white, then walk Russafa's restaurant strip (ViveVino natural wine bar is closed Sunday but the neighbourhood is worth the stroll).
    Afternoon
    Sunday lunch at Lienzo (Maria Jose Martinez, 1 Michelin star) from 13:30; the honey-and-herbs tasting menu built around Valencian sustainability.
    Evening
    Sundown agua de Valencia by the carafe at Cafe Madrid, the 1959 birthplace of the cocktail; close with a late cocktail at Cafe de las Horas in the Carmen.

Valencia three days: the deep rice repertoire ★ 4.8

Rice-focused, three days3 days

Three days walking through Valencia's full rice repertoire: paella valenciana, arroz a banda, arroz negro, arroz al horno, fideua, plus a day trip to La Albufera at source.

  1. Day 1: Day 1: paella valenciana canon

    Morning
    Mercado Central walk from 10:00; horchata and fartons at Horchateria Daniel inside Mercado de Colon.
    Afternoon
    Lunch at Casa Roberto in the Eixample: the canonical paella valenciana with rabbit, chicken and ferraura beans.
    Evening
    Dinner at Casa Montana in the Cabanyal: esgarraet and a glass of barrel-bobal from the 1836 cellar.

  2. Day 2: Day 2: La Albufera day trip and seafood rice

    Morning
    Take Bus 25 from central Valencia to El Palmar in La Albufera (45 minutes); walk the rice-paddy fringe and the floating-boat dock.
    Afternoon
    Lunch at Casa Manolo south of Valencia in Daimus, the 1 Michelin star rice and seafood kitchen by the beach.
    Evening
    Dinner at La Riua in the old town: arroz a banda with the canonical Cabanyal-style fish stock, plus a glass of natural Bobal.

  3. Day 3: Day 3: oven-baked rice and fideua

    Morning
    Coffee at Bluebell Coffee in Russafa, then walk the Russafa daily market.
    Afternoon
    Lunch at Navarro in the old town: the arroz al horno with chickpeas, blood sausage and the whole-garlic head, baked in the wood oven.
    Evening
    Dinner at Llisa Negra (Quique Dacosta): fire-only kitchen, the arroz seco and the wood-grilled fish from the lonja.

Valencia three days: vegan and vegetarian ★ 4.6

Vegan or vegetarian, three days3 days

Three days walking Valencia's vegan and vegetarian scene, from the Russafa plant-based corridor to the city's vegetarian paella, with Mercado Central produce and natural wine in between.

  1. Day 1: Day 1: Russafa plant-based corridor

    Morning
    Brunch at Almalibre Acai House: an acai bowl with granola, plus a single-origin pour-over at Federal Cafe Valencia.
    Afternoon
    Lunch at Copenhagen in Russafa: full vegetarian tapas tasting with vegan options, a glass of natural orange wine.
    Evening
    Dinner at La Tastaolletes near the centre: vegan and vegetarian creative tapas sourced from Mercado Central.

  2. Day 2: Day 2: vegan paella and natural wine

    Morning
    Coffee at Blackbird Coffee in the Cabanyal, then walk the Mercado del Cabanyal for produce.
    Afternoon
    Vegetarian paella class at My First Paella in Russafa (vegan option available); cook a vegetable paella over orange wood.
    Evening
    Wine evening at ViveVino in Russafa: orange wine flight, plus a small vegetarian tapas board.

  3. Day 3: Day 3: vegan bao and a long lunch

    Morning
    Coffee at Retrogusto Coffeemates inside the Mercado Central; walk the produce stalls.
    Afternoon
    Lunch at La Lluna on Carrer de Sant Ramon in the Carmen, Valencia's oldest vegetarian dining room with a vegan-option carte and a daily menu del dia.
    Evening
    Dinner at Ricard Camarena Restaurant (vegan tasting menu available, two Michelin stars, Green Star).

Valencia paella day: Albufera lunch, El Carmen evening ★ 4.8

Paella pilgrimage1 day

A canonical Valencia paella day: the Albufera lake lunch at the source, evening tapas in El Carmen.

  1. Day 1: Day 1: Albufera to El Carmen

    Morning
    Coffee at Bluebell Coffee Co in El Carmen at 09:30, then taxi out to El Palmar at the edge of the Albufera lake.
    Afternoon
    Lunch from 14:00 at Restaurante Levante or another El Palmar paella house for the canonical paella valenciana over wood fire (rabbit, chicken, snails, white beans, bomba rice). Walk the Albufera reed beds after.
    Evening
    Back in Valencia, evening tapas in El Carmen from 21:00: Casa Montaña in Cabanyal for the canonical Spanish tapas list, finishing with a horchata at Horchatería de Santa Catalina.

Valencia Mercado Central day: market morning, Russafa evening ★ 4.6

Market lover, single day1 day

A Valencia day on the food markets: Mercado Central morning, Russafa evening with the new-wave Spanish small plates.

  1. Day 1: Day 1: Mercado Central to Russafa

    Morning
    Mercado Central from 09:00 for the morning produce, jamón, cheese; coffee at Central Bar (Ricard Camarena's market counter) for the morning bocadillo.
    Afternoon
    Lunch at La Pepica from 14:00 on the beach front for an arroz negro on the Cabanyal waterfront. Siesta or a walk on the Malvarrosa beach after.
    Evening
    Dinner in Russafa from 20:30: tapas at Tasca Angel and finishing wine at one of the Russafa bodegas.

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