Travelling to Valencia with kids is fairly straightforward when you organise your stay by area. The city has large outdoor spaces, beaches, interactive museums and two attractions that can each take up a substantial part of a day: the Oceanogràfic and BIOPARC.
Where you stay can also make a considerable difference to the experience. Staying near the City of Arts and Sciences makes it easier to visit the Turia Gardens and the Oceanogràfic; staying in the city centre reduces travel during historic sightseeing; and accommodation near the sea makes more sense when the beach will be an important part of your holiday.
Before filling your trip with activities, it is therefore worth deciding what kind of stay you want to enjoy with your children.
Where to stay in Valencia with kids
There is no single area that is best for every family. The children’s ages, the length of your stay and your planned activities matter more than being a few minutes closer to the centre.
| Area | Particularly suitable if… | Main advantage | Things to consider |
| City of Arts and Sciences / Alameda | The Oceanogràfic, Museu de les Ciències and Turia are priorities | Many family attractions are close by | You will use public transport more when visiting the centre |
| Valencia city centre | It is your first visit and you also want to explore the historic side of the city | Much of Ciutat Vella can be explored on foot | Check the exact street and potential late-night activity carefully |
| Ruzafa | You are looking for a location between the main areas | Good access to the centre, Ensanche and the Turia Gardens | Some streets have a lively bar and restaurant scene |
| Cabanyal and Marítim | You want to combine the city and the beach | The marina and coast are within easy reach | You will have further to travel on days devoted to the city centre |
City of Arts and Sciences: very practical for a family trip
For a first city break with kids, the area around the City of Arts and Sciences has an advantage that is difficult to ignore: you can fit in several of the most important family attractions without constantly crossing the city.
The Oceanogràfic, Museu de les Ciències and Hemisfèric are all part of the same complex. The Turia Gardens and Gulliver Park are also nearby, so a morning at a museum can be followed by some time in the park without another long journey.
This area is particularly convenient when travelling with young children and you appreciate being able to return to your accommodation during the day.
The city centre, if you also want to explore historic Valencia
Staying in Valencia city centre is particularly well suited to families who want to divide their trip between the major child-friendly attractions and the historic city.
Plaza del Ayuntamiento, the Central Market, the Silk Exchange, Plaza de la Reina and Plaza de la Virgen are all within a fairly compact area. You can devote a morning to them without turning the day into an endless succession of monuments.
If you would like to plan this part of your visit in more detail, see our guide to what to see in Valencia city centre.
For families, a central location offers another important benefit: it is much easier to return to your accommodation for a rest and head out again later in the afternoon.
Cabanyal and Marítim for a holiday with more beach time
If you are travelling in spring or summer and want the beach to play a major part in your holiday, Cabanyal and Marítim offer a different experience.
The marina, Las Arenas and the seafront promenade are all nearby, so you can fit in an impromptu afternoon at the beach without necessarily setting aside a full day. This option works well for stays of four or five nights, when you want to alternate sightseeing with less structured days.
You will spend more time travelling on a very short break focused on monuments, so the decision here depends particularly on how important it is for your family to be close to the Mediterranean.
Ruzafa, a well-balanced location
Ruzafa offers a middle ground. It is close to the centre and Ensanche, while also providing convenient access to the Turia Gardens and the City of Arts and Sciences without turning every outing into a long journey.
It can be a good choice with older children or teenagers, particularly if you also want a wide selection of restaurants, cafés and shops around your accommodation.
Whichever area you choose, when travelling with kids it is worth checking the apartment’s actual layout before booking: the number of beds, separate bedrooms, a lift if you have a pushchair, a kitchen if you intend to use it and air conditioning when travelling during the hottest months.
What to see in Valencia with kids
The easiest mistake is to organise the trip as an adult itinerary and add a playground between monuments. In Valencia, you can do the opposite: choose one or two major family activities and build the rest of the day around them.
Oceanogràfic: set aside a substantial part of the day
The Oceanogràfic de València is Europe’s largest aquarium and is often one of the main priorities for families visiting the city.
The route takes you through a range of marine ecosystems and includes both indoor and outdoor areas, so it is best treated as a long visit rather than something to squeeze in between several attractions.
If it is one of the main reasons for your trip, set aside at least a substantial part of the morning or afternoon. Trying to fit in an extensive visit to the Museu de les Ciències afterwards is usually too much with young children.
Tickets can be bought online and opening times vary depending on the date. During busier periods, it is worth booking before you arrive.
Another useful detail when travelling with babies is that pushchairs are allowed throughout the site and there is a breastfeeding room and baby-changing facilities.
Museu de les Ciències: best when children can take part
The Museu de les Ciències is particularly suitable for children because much of the visit is built around experimentation and interaction.
For families with young children, it also has L’Espai dels Xiquets, an area currently intended for ages 4 to 8 where they can play and experiment with the senses, water, animals and collaborative activities.
If your children are already at school, you can spend more time in the general exhibitions. Teenagers may also enjoy the museum if they are interested in science, technology or space.
The Oceanogràfic and museum are next to each other, but that does not mean you have to explore both in full on the same day. If you have three or four days in Valencia, splitting them between different days can make the trip much more enjoyable.
Gulliver Park and the Turia Gardens: a break that can become the main activity
Gulliver Park is one of those places worth knowing about before travelling to Valencia with kids. The giant figure of Gulliver, which is around 70 metres long, is covered with ramps, steps and slides and occupies part of the Turia Gardens.
Admission is free.
It has seasonal opening hours and currently closes for maintenance on the first Tuesday of each month—or on Wednesday when Tuesday is a public holiday. It may also close if the surface is wet or a weather warning is in place, so it is worth checking its status if it has rained.
The park fits very well before or after the City of Arts and Sciences. If the children still have energy, you can spend a little longer in the Turia Gardens; if they have already spent several hours sightseeing, the park alone is enough to round off the afternoon.
BIOPARC Valencia: animals and a day at a different pace
BIOPARC Valencia is located at the western end of the Turia Gardens and recreates a variety of African habitats.
It is another of the city’s major family attractions and requires time. If you only have a few days, the practical choice is often between devoting one day to the Oceanogràfic and another to BIOPARC, or choosing one of the two according to your children’s interests.
BIOPARC opens every day of the year, although closing times vary according to the season and daylight hours. Before planning your day, check the calendar for your exact date.
Combining BIOPARC and the Oceanogràfic in one day offers little benefit: they are at opposite ends of Valencia and both deserve to be visited at a relaxed pace.
The historic centre, in a child-friendly version
Valencia with kids can also include the cathedral, Central Market, Silk Exchange and Serranos Towers. It simply pays to be more selective.
One morning is usually enough to explore the Central Market, Plaza de la Reina and Plaza de la Virgen, with one or two indoor visits depending on the children’s ages and interests.
The streets and squares themselves help make the route feel less rigid. You can also finish near the Serranos Towers and head down into the Turia Gardens from there, instead of continuing from one monument to the next.
If your family is particularly interested in history, architecture and the old town, you can extend the route with our guide to the must-see places in Valencia city centre.
Las Arenas and Malvarrosa beaches
The coast allows you to add a much more flexible day to your trip.
Las Arenas beach is particularly convenient to combine with the marina. From there, you can follow the seafront promenade towards Malvarrosa and decide how long to spend at the beach according to the weather and everyone’s energy levels.
In summer, outdoor activities are more enjoyable early in the morning or towards the end of the afternoon. During July and August, planning an indoor visit around the middle of the day also helps prevent your entire itinerary from depending on the heat.
If you are visiting during the height of summer, you can find more ideas in our guide to things to do in Valencia in summer.
Which activities to choose for different ages
Age is a useful guide, although every child has different interests.
| Age | Activities that usually work best |
| Babies and very young children | Turia Gardens, short walks through the centre, the Oceanogràfic with a pushchair and the beach |
| Ages 4 to 8 | Gulliver Park, the Oceanogràfic and L’Espai dels Xiquets at the Museu de les Ciències |
| Ages 9 to 12 | The Oceanogràfic, Museu de les Ciències, BIOPARC and cycling through the Turia Gardens |
| Teenagers | Museu de les Ciències, cycling, the beach, Cabanyal and a more complete route through the centre |
If you are travelling with siblings of very different ages, the Oceanogràfic, the Turia Gardens and the beach are probably the easiest activities to enjoy together. You can then set aside a more age-specific activity for each child.
How to organise your plans over two, three or four days
With two days, I would devote one to the City of Arts and Sciences—carefully choosing how much time to spend inside the Oceanogràfic or the museum—and the other to the historic centre, the Turia Gardens and Gulliver Park.
With three days, you can add BIOPARC or a more relaxed day by the sea, depending on the season. To see how the city’s main areas can be divided between your days, read our itinerary for visiting Valencia in 3 days and then adapt the pace to your children.
With four days or more, you can include both BIOPARC and the beach, as well as consider a trip to l’Albufera without constantly having to cut short your city visits.
Practical tips for travelling to Valencia as a family
Buy tickets for the major attractions in advance when travelling during school holidays, busy weekends or high season. It is also worth checking the exact opening times for the Oceanogràfic, Museu de les Ciències and BIOPARC on the date of your visit, as they may change throughout the year.
In summer, plan the day around the heat: parks, the city centre and the beach are best enjoyed early or towards the end of the afternoon, while the middle of the day can be used for museums, a long lunch or a rest at your accommodation.
You can reach the city’s main attractions on foot and by public transport. Having a car throughout your stay adds little if your aim is to visit the centre, the Turia Gardens, the City of Arts and Sciences and the coast. If you are arriving by car and want to leave it parked, see our guide to where to park for free in Valencia.
And leave some flexibility in each day. With children, having a free hour near the Turia Gardens, returning to the apartment or extending an afternoon at the beach is usually more useful than having a fourth attraction booked.
Accommodation for visiting Valencia with kids
Travel Habitat offers accommodation in several of the areas best suited to a family trip: Valencia city centre, the City of Arts and Sciences, Ruzafa and Cabanyal-Marítim.
Before booking, decide what the main focus of your trip will be. If the Oceanogràfic and the Turia Gardens will take up much of your stay, reducing travel to those areas will be useful. If it is your first visit and you also want to explore the old town, staying in the centre makes sense for different reasons. And if you are coming for several days in summer, accommodation by the sea can completely change the pace of your holiday.
Browse Travel Habitat’s accommodation in Valencia and choose the location and layout that best suit your family.
