Valencia Day Trips/General Itinerary Guidance

I love Valencia, but 10 days there is a lot. Day trip potential is limited, I can think of Peñíscola, the Albufeira, Cuenca (better as an overnight though)...and then I am out of ideas. Teruel+Albarracín if you have a car, maybe.

You could perhaps cut your time there and spend 2 nights in Cuenca on the way back to Madrid, or, if you drive, spend 2-3 nights in the Teruel area + 2 nights in Cuenca?

I like Balso's ideas.

Teruel is manageable by train, but it will be a slow trip--2:30 to 3:00 each way. Albarracin has just one bus a day from Teruel (and I don't know that it runs 7 days a week), which arrives late in the day and departs early, so you really need to spend 2 nights there in order to have much time at all. I wouldn't normally recommend that on a 10-day trip. Teruel would be possible if you especially like picturesque architecture in towns with very few foreign tourists and can put up with the slow train.

Cuenca is much easier since it's right on the high-speed rail line between Valencia and Madrid (those tickets being considerably cheaper if bought early). Cuenca has a couple of good, but not large, modern-art museums.

Right outside Madrid and accessible via cheap, frequent commuter trains is the historic town of Alcala de Henares. You could head back to Madrid a day early and spend the day there.

You didn't mention having been to Segovia. It's northwest of Madrid but a viable day trip if you don't want to spend a night or two there.

I was just in the area about a month ago on a roadtrip, here's my trip report - https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/undiscovered-spain-mediterranean-roadtrip-2023

Valencia is my new favorite city in Spain, clean, welcoming, safe, and undertouristed. There are several good day trips already mentioned, I'll add the ruins of the ancient city of Saguntum, just north of Valencia. In 219 BC, Hannibal, the famed Carthaginian general, besieged and captured Saguntum, which at the time was an ally of Rome. This act served as the direct provocation leading to the outbreak of the Second Punic War. Hannibal's subsequent journey across the Alps to invade Italy became one of the most legendary military campaigns in history.

If you have a car at your disposal, even for a few days, I can strongly recommend a multi day side trip to the nearby Matarraña region. I was just there for 6 days and it was wonderful. Rolling hills, olive groves, medieval villages, and crystal clear wild rivers you can swim in. The best part it is totally undiscovered by foreign tourists!

Here are some of my pictures from our roadtrip - https://photos.app.goo.gl/sMsd6Wz2fydGKYtr5

Thanks to all for the input. On last year's trip, we relied almost exclusively on trains. It sounds like a rental car will be the way to go this trip, as least for some of it.

I like the idea of returning early to Madrid to see Segovia. It was on the itinerary last year, but on a day where everthing went wrong (including the train being evacuated mid-route), we didn't make it.

acraven-- I always associate you with Girona. I included it in last year's itinerary based on your recommendation, and I want to thank you for that. We spent three nights there and it was a highlight of the trip. That's why I value this forum so very much; I'm sure I wouldn't have included it had I relied on guidebooks alone.

Carlos--Thank you for sharing your trip report and recommendations. Your photos are great! I'm glad to hear Valencia ranks so highly with you; it's reassuring to hear since it isn't mentioned as much here.

I'm glad to hear Valencia ranks so highly with you; it's reassuring to hear since it isn't mentioned as much here.

Well sometimes being off the RS guide book is a blessing in disguise 😉