Top hikes in the Valencia region 🇪🇸

We love to hike and throughout our travels we always enjoy finding hikes to take the kids or go alone. It is always a good way to get exercise but also to explore places. In some countries it is less pleasant to go for hikes due to the lack of infrastructure or information. However, Spain is not one of them. We experienced that in Tenerife and were excited to see if the Valencia area also had similar hiking infrastructure to offer. And it sure did! We have gone for many hikes in the area and enjoyed them all. Hiking apps like Komoot and AllTrails make it easy to find the perfect hike and to assist with directions during the hike!

Below are some of our favorite hikes:

Chulilla: this is about an hour east from Valencia and is definitely worth the trip! We went twice and there is so much more to explore. This was our first hike when arriving in the area and we were so excited to see how well the path was indicated, how beautiful the landscape was and how friendly our fellow hikers were! The first time, with the kids we hiked to the damn and back, this route was about 5 miles and a great combination of hills, walking by the river (perfect for refreshing in the summer), and beautiful scenery. There are many rock climbers and it is fun to watch them. The second time Jason and I did the loop that starts the same way but goes around Los Calderones and back through the picturesque town of Chulilla. This was about 7.5 miles and you can find details on All Trails. A nice little side hike is to see 5000 year old hieroglyphs! We went in early April and the weather was perfect mid afternoon. In the summer it might get very hot and not many parts are shaded. The town of Chulila is worth a stop to explore it’s narrow hilly streets and to grab a drink.

Salto de la Novia: The city of Navajas is about 45 mins Northwest of Valencia and this is where you can find the beautiful Salto de la Novia. The waterfall is about 30meters and falls into the Palancia river, perfect for a refreshment in the hot summers! There is a small parking (Google Maps location: HERE) lot next to the information and only 0.5 mile to the waterfall. You can make this a short and refreshing hike in the hot summer months or you can extend it in many directions! Heading north you can do a 7mile loop towards the damn and back into the city or heading south you go towards Penalba and Segorbe (also worth a stop to see the Castillo de La Estrella) and can do a nice easy 5 mile hike. The paths are very well kept and with the app All trails it is easy to navigate which paths to follow. The city of Navajas offers many restaurants and cafes to have lunch or refresh after your hike.

Castillo de Serra: The town of Serra is about 45 mins northwest of central Valencia. The area attracts many bikers (both road and mountain) as it is hilly and with many green areas around to explore. We went on a weekend it was busy! We parked our car in town (plenty of free parking HERE) and did a 4 mile moderate hike. (1000ft elevation gain). Hiking up to the castel was perfect with the kids. They were able to explore the ruins and enjoy the beautiful views from Valencia and the ocean. The path is well indicated and there are many other hiking paths around with many levels of difficulty and length.

Puntal dels Llopes: this is a quick 1.5 mile hike but it’s very informative and can be extended if you have more time. It is a perfect hike with kids as it has fun signs along the way that besides interesting are historical and informative about local fauna and flora. The hike leads up to a 2000 year old castle/settlement that was used as a viewing point for detecting approaching enemies, by sea or land. You can turn back and return the way up or extend it to the nearby town of Olocau. We did this longer 3mile route. It was a well maintained path and less trafficked.

L’Albufera: this is the rice producing area 30mins SouthEast from Valencia (and can be reached by public transportation). Besides the interesting rice fields, it is a natural park so you will find many animal species (including great bird viewing). There is so much to do! From hikes, to enjoying the lagoon (there are also fun boat rides), bike rides and even nice beaches nearby to enjoy. As this is the rice region, there are many restaurants offering the typical Valencian Paella. We headed to the town of El Palmar and had a delicious meal at Arroceria El Rek. As it was cold and rainy, we sat inside, but on a warm day there is a great outdoor area to sit by the river and enjoy a fun afternoon. We are eager to go back and explore further on a sunny day!

River Turia Natural Parc: The river Turia runs nearby the home we are staying and I found the path along the river a great spot to go running and biking. When I looked further into it, I discovered that the path runs all the way from Valenica to Vilamarxant, totaling 35kms of a well defined path! Furthermore, along the way there are villages to stop for a drink and plenty of shade from trees.

These are just some of the many interesting and beautiful hikes in the Valencian area. We still have 2 months to explore and are excited to see what else the area has to offer!