The Valencian Community stretches for over 500 kilometres along the Mediterranean coast of eastern Spain, between Catalonia and Murcia. It is one of Europe's most fertile lands: the huerta of Valencia, irrigated by canals of Arab origin, produces fruit and vegetables all year, terraces are covered with orange groves and around the Albufera lagoon rice fields stretch as far as the eye can see. It has over five million inhabitants and two official languages, Castilian and Valencian, the local variety of Catalan.
Valencia
The capital, Valencia, is Spain's third city: it combines a fine old town, with a cathedral that by tradition holds the Holy Grail, the UNESCO-listed Silk Exchange and the Central Market, with the futuristic City of Arts and Sciences designed by Santiago Calatrava, in the bed of the old Turia river, now a huge park. In March it hosts the Fallas, one of the world's most spectacular festivals, inscribed by UNESCO. In October 2024 the province was struck by terrible floods that killed over 220 people in the towns south of the city.
The Costa Blanca
To the south, the province of Alicante is the Costa Blanca, with beaches, coves and one of Europe's sunniest climates. Alicante has the Santa Bárbara castle and a palm-lined promenade; Benidorm is the capital of mass tourism, with its skyscrapers; Altea is a white hilltop village with a blue-domed church; Jávea, Dénia and Calp, with the Peñón de Ifach rock, are smart resorts. Inland, Elche has Europe's largest palm grove, a UNESCO site, and the sacred drama of the Misteri, while Jijona is the home of turrón. Further south are Torrevieja, with its pink salt lakes, and Tabarca island.
The Costa del Azahar
To the north, the province of Castellón has the Costa del Azahar, the orange-blossom coast, with Benicàssim, famous for its music festival, Oropesa and Peñíscola, with Pope Luna's castle on a headland. Inland are the medieval town of Morella and the villages of the Maestrazgo.
Festivals and flavours
Besides the Fallas, the region has Alicante's St John bonfires (Hogueras), Buñol's tomato battle, the Tomatina, on the last Wednesday of August, and the Moors and Christians festivals of Alcoy and many other towns. It is the home of paella, born in the countryside around the Albufera, with rabbit, chicken, green beans and garrofón, and of other rice dishes such as arroz a banda and arroz negro; of tiger-nut horchata, turrón and citrus fruit (see Spanish food). Towns such as Alaquàs, Alfafar, Bétera, Massalfassar and Bocairent have their own pages.
Getting there
Valencia and Alicante have airports with direct flights from across Europe and high-speed links to Madrid; ferries sail to the Balearics from Valencia and Dénia. Below you will find a map of our guides and the municipalities by province.
Destinations on the map
Guides to the community
Alaquàs
A town in the Horta Sud, a few kilometres from Valencia, home to one of the region's finest Renaissance palaces.
Alfafar
A town on Valencia's doorstep that stretches to the rice fields and waters of the Albufera, the region's great coastal lagoon.
Alicante
A castle on a crag, a promenade of palms and mosaics, city beaches and over three hundred days of sun: Alicante is the gateway to the Costa…
Altea
White houses, cobbled lanes and a blue-domed church overlooking the sea: Altea is the prettiest village on the Costa Blanca.
Benicàssim
Long golden beaches, early 20th-century villas and mountains close by: Benicàssim is the most famous resort on the Costa del Azahar.
Benidorm
From fishing village to a city of skyscrapers by the sea: Benidorm is sun, endless beaches and fun all year round.
Bocairent
A medieval village clinging to a crag, with houses hanging over the ravine, mysterious caves and one of the oldest Moors and Christians…
Bétera
A town among orange groves and pine woods, with an Arab castle and a long tradition as a summer retreat for Valencian families.
Castellón de la Plana
A lively, little-touristed Mediterranean city, with a solitary bell tower, city beaches and one of the region's most colourful festivals.
Elche
Two hundred thousand palms in the city centre, a medieval sacred drama sung every August and the mysterious Iberian Lady: Elche is unique…
Massalfassar
A quiet village in Valencia's irrigated countryside, among tiger-nut fields and canals, with the coast minutes away.
Peñíscola
A white village on a rock surrounded by the sea, crowned by the castle where a schismatic pope lived: Peñíscola is the "city in the sea" of…
Torrevieja
A city born of salt, with two lagoons that turn pink, a festival of sailors' songs and one of Spain's largest international communities.
Valencia
A Gothic old town, a river turned into a park, Calatrava's futuristic architecture and beaches: Valencia is the city of paella and the…