After living in Valencia for nearly three years, I often find myself looking for new places to explore on weekends. While the city itself is wonderful, sometimes you need a change of scenery. Over the past few months, I’ve visited several nearby towns that truly impressed me, and I’d like to share my experiences.
Coastal Altea
First up is Altea, about an hour’s drive from Valencia. This town in Alicante province sits along the Mediterranean coast and is famous for its white-washed houses. The old town is perched on a hillside—the climb is a bit tiring, but the views are absolutely worth it. At the top, there’s a church with a distinctive blue dome that’s perfect for photos. The town has plenty of restaurants serving decent paella at prices lower than Valencia city center.
Mountain Village Guadalest
This town is located in the inland mountains, about an hour and a half drive away. Built on a mountaintop, you enter through a tunnel carved through rock—quite unique. There’s a castle ruin you can visit for around 4 or 5 euros. From the castle, you can see the reservoir below, and the views are truly breathtaking. The town has many shops selling honey and handicrafts at reasonable prices. I recommend avoiding weekend peak times for easier parking.
Historic Xàtiva
This one is even closer to Valencia, just a forty-minute drive. Xàtiva is steeped in history—reportedly the birthplace of Pope Alexander VI. The hilltop castle offers panoramic views of the entire town and surrounding orange groves. The castle is quite large and takes two to three hours to explore properly. There’s a museum in town with an upside-down portrait of a king—the guide explained that locals deliberately hung it this way because the king once burned down the town, as noted in this towns around Valencia guide.
Here’s a summary of these three towns:
| Town Name | Distance from Valencia | Highlights | Recommended Duration |
|---|
| Altea | About 60km | Coastal white village | Half day to full day |
| Guadalest | About 90km | Mountaintop castle and reservoir | Half day |
| Xàtiva | About 50km | Historic city | Full day |
Practical Tips
These towns are all quite small and can be explored in half a day to a full day. Public transport is available but driving is much more convenient, especially for mountain villages like Guadalest. Parking in Altea’s old town can be challenging, but the other two are manageable. Dining is affordable everywhere—typically 15 to 20 euros per person for a good meal.
If you can only choose one from the Valencia towns list, I personally recommend Altea—the combination of seaside and old town is wonderfully relaxing. Guadalest offers the most spectacular scenery but requires a longer drive. Xàtiva is ideal for history enthusiasts.
If you’ve visited other great towns around Valencia, please share your recommendations—I’m eager to continue exploring this region.
