Valencia. All the questions

With paella, be wary of the cafeterias that have photos of 10 different types that are served in 15 minutes. I call it rice-a-roni paella. A good paella takes a while to make.

I’m sure there are flights to Valencia since it’s 360km from Madrid. Train is also an option.

I stayed at Hotel Ayre Astoria Palace in 2016. Great location, beautiful hotel, helpful staff. I walked everywhere in Valencia from there, including the train station when I left. I took a TI walking tour that was very good. It depends on your luck with a guide.

I am taking the IRYO train from Madrid upon landing, to Cuenca, for two nights, and then on to Valencia, for 7 nights.

Just take taxi from airport to Atocha to get the train; book tix in advance. Taxi is a flat fare of, as I remember, 30 euro. IRYO has a nice waiting area at the hotel across the street from Atocha.

Of course there are flights from Madrid to Valencia but wifi you have already booked your tix to Madrid and not to Valencia with change in Madrid you have the hassle of leaving security zone, getting luggage and checking in again. Big mistake to not have bought one ticket to Valencia via MAD.

Valencia is lovely; we are going late November when weather should be great....I've not been back in about 10 years but its just a remarkable city, ignored by many tourists...

Then renting car to go to Denia for food....already booked El Baret for two nights out of our 5 in Denia.

Good restaurants usually serve paella for lunch and for two persons. All are made in large pans, the best cooked over vines/wood.
I would not both going to eat paella in the rice fields..was not wowed by my lat visit there..

I've already booked Llisa Negra in Valencia but there are other places..many. Lisa Negra is owned by Quique Dacosta, among Spain's most respected chefs. (Michelin three-star in Denia which we will skip) Many of "the best" paella places are not in central Valencia...but you can take a taxi. Depends on how much a fanatic you are........

https://www.llisanegra.com/en

I love Valencia...will return there for 6 nights as part of my Spain itinerary October 25-november 14.
I'm doing Cuenca as a day trip from Valencia. About an hour by train. Anytime I can use a base for day trips saves a lot of time checking in/checking out in another accommodation and not moving my baggage..even though I'm a light packer.

Wow! you are going to Valencia this weekend and you have many basic questions. As for walk tours, simply sign up for one and go. You know nothing now, so anything will be a revelation. Then, on the tour, ask the guide about paella.

YUSO in El Carmen area (oldest part of the city) has a nice menu del dia paella lunch for a reasonable price during the week. If you sit outside the tables are in a very cool historic plaza with great atmosphere and an old church. Everyone has to order the same variety of paella, they cook it to order and bring out the pan to your table. Remember that paella is a lunch dish. Only restaurants that cater to tourists make them at night. No self respecting Valencian would eat paella at night. https://www.restaurantesyuso.com/

You can fly, but it is super easy to take the train from Madrid to Valencia. Takes 1 hour 50 minutes from Chamartin station. Chamartin is a 15 minute train ride from the Airport Terminal 4 station. All trains leaving the airport go through Charmartin. (suburban trains called cercanias). Lots of competition now on the MAD-VLC high speed train route so you can go as cheaply as EUR 9 one way. Iryo is the best company IMHO. https://iryo.eu/en/home Make sure you pay attention to the luggage policy.

For accommodations, check out the Hotel Venicia Centro Plaza.

For paella, check out Navarro. If you want to eat authentic paella Valenciana, you must pre-order it 24 hours before. Many of the better restaurants require this, probably because they need to cook it over wood or to create some cachet. The other paellas can be ordered on arrival.

Good luck.