Valencia: Bike Tour City of Arts & Turia Gardens

Nine kilometers of green park where a river used to run, then the white buildings that made Valencia famous

You cycle from Valencia's medieval heart (markets, cathedrals, Gothic silk exchanges) through a 9-kilometer park that was once a river, and end at the futuristic City of Arts and Sciences. The bike is included, as is water and a marked city map. Small groups mean your guide actually knows your name and pace.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Valencia Central Market10m
2. Silk Exchange10m
3. Plaza de la Reina5m
4. Valencia Cathedral10m
5. Turia Riverbed Gardens10m
6. City of Arts and Sciences15m
7. Hemisfèric Valencia5m
8. Valencia Oceanografic10m

Explore Valencia's historic and modern sites

• Visit Valencia Central Market
• Discover La Lonja de la Seda
• Arrive at Plaza de la Reina
• Explore Valencia Cathedral and Miguelete Tower
• See L’Almoina Archaeological Center
• Visit Basilica of Our Lady of the Forsaken
• Stop at Plaza de la Virgen and Turia Fountain
• View Torres de Serranos medieval gates
• Cycle through Turia Garden park
• Pass Palau de la Música
• See Gulliver Park playground
• Explore City of Arts and Sciences complex
• Visit Hemisfèric building
• Tour Science Museum
• Walk through Umbracle garden
• Visit Oceanogràfic aquarium
• See Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía
• Explore Ágora event space
• View Plaza de Toros bullring
• Arrive at Plaza del Ayuntamiento

The experience

The Turia Garden stretches 9 kilometers through the middle of Valencia in what was once the riverbed of the Turia River. After a devastating flood in 1957, the city diverted the water and paved over the old channel with grass, trees, and bike paths instead. You ride through it on this Valencia bike tour, which means you're cycling through the thing that actually changed the city's shape. It's not a metaphor. The park is the reason Valencia looks the way it does now.

The tour starts in the historic center, where your guide walks you through the Central Market and then La Lonja de la Seda, a 15th-century Gothic building where silk merchants once negotiated deals inside a hall surrounded by twisted stone pillars. From there you move through Plaza de la Reina and past the Cathedral, built between the 13th and 15th centuries in layers of Gothic, Romanesque, and Baroque. The guide explains how Roman Valencia, founded in 138 BC, sits literally beneath your feet. You can see it through glass floors at L'Almoina Archaeological Center. Then you get on the bikes and ride into the park itself, passing the Basilica of Our Lady of the Forsaken with its blue dome, the medieval Torres de Serranos gates, and Gulliver Park, where a giant sculpture of Gulliver doubles as a playground for kids.

The second half of the ride takes you down the Turia Garden toward the City of Arts and Sciences, which is where Valencia's modern identity lives. The complex opened between 1998 and 2009 and looks like nothing else: white organic structures designed by Santiago Calatrava that resemble a giant eye, a whale skeleton, floating water lilies, and a spacecraft helmet. You stop to see the Hemisfèric, the Science Museum, the Oceanogràfic (Europe's largest aquarium), and the Palau de les Arts opera house. The contrast between the medieval stones you cycled past an hour earlier and these futuristic buildings is the whole point of the tour. Small groups keep the pace manageable and the attention personal, so your guide can actually answer questions instead of herding people through checkpoints.

You get a bike (or e-bike if you prefer), bottled water for the ride, and a city map with tips marked on it. The route is flat because you're following the old riverbed, and the tour is described as suitable for all fitness levels. If you're traveling with an infant, specialized seats are available. Public transportation stops are nearby if you need to bail out early, though most people don't.

What’s included

• Your day includes bike rental (regular or e-bike), bottled water for the ride, and a city map marked with tips and recommendations.
• The route takes you through Valencia's historic center, the full length of Turia Garden, and the City of Arts and Sciences complex, with stops at the Central Market, La Lonja de la Seda, the Cathedral, L'Almoina Archaeological Center, the Basilica of Our Lady of the Forsaken, Torres de Serranos, Palau de la Música, Gulliver Park, and the major buildings of the City of Arts and Sciences including the Hemisfèric, Science Museum, Oceanogràfic, and Palau de les Arts.
• Specialized infant seats are available if needed.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 10:00, 13:30 and 16:30

Book up to1h before

AgesAdult (15 and older) · Child (6 to 14 years) · Infant (under 6)

GroupUp to 15

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, German, Italian and Dutch

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

ConfirmationConfirmation within 48 h

Prices and times updated 5 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortInfant seats availablePublic transport nearby

Operated by Bike Me Around

Is this one for you?Choose this tour if you want to see both Valencia's medieval history and its modern architecture without arranging separate transport or navigating the city on your own: the bike route connects them in a single ride, and the small-group format means you actually learn why each place matters.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, German, Italian and Dutch.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (6 to 14 years); Infant (under 6).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

Can I use an e-bike instead of a regular bike?

Yes, e-bikes are available as an option on this tour.

Is the route flat?

Yes. The Turia Garden follows the former riverbed, so the terrain is flat throughout the ride.

Are there stops to rest or eat?

The tour includes multiple stops at landmarks and attractions throughout the route. Specific meal breaks are not detailed, but you pass through the Central Market and have time at various plazas and parks.

What if I'm not a confident cyclist?

The route is flat and follows dedicated bike paths through parks and along the former riverbed. The small-group format means your guide can adjust the pace. E-bikes are also available if you want extra assistance.

Do I need to book accommodation near the tour start?

The tour operates in Valencia's city center with public transportation nearby, so you can stay anywhere in the city and reach the starting point easily.