Valencia

Route picked: V4 (Oct. 3, 2026). Booked: the Bilbao → València flight and the Jaime I Airbnb. In from San Sebastián via a Bilbao → València flight Thu. Nov. 12; three nights, then the 12:35 PM AVE to Madrid Sun. Nov. 15 for the fly-out night. Musts only, each inside its conservative hours (Oct. 3, 2026).

Valencia — continuation (route V4)
Type	Time	Place	Notes	Status
Thu. Nov. 12 San Sebastián → Valencia
	3:45 PM	Land at València airport (Vueling VY1716 from Bilbao)	Metro lines 3 and 5 run from the airport into the center, or take a taxi. Then check in.	booked
	~4:45 PM	Check in — Jaime I (Airbnb)	Check-in after 1:00 PM; host Julio. About 5 min on foot from Plaza del Ayuntamiento and the Mercat Central.	booked
	9:00 PM	Bar Ricardo12:00 PM–12:00 AM	Highlight: the patatas bravas (James Blick: maybe Spain's best); also the cod salad and tellinas (tiny clams). Reserve online at barricardo.com. Chasen's blog	not booked
Fri. Nov. 13 Valencia
	11:00 AM	My First Paella (seafood class)Classes Mon.–Sat., 11:00 AM and 5:00 PM (no 5:00 PM class Tue. Nov. 10)	Highlight: cooking a seafood paella yourselves (you did the traditional one last trip). Morning class with a Ruzafa market visit and tapas, about 3 hours; the paella is lunch. Meet at 11:00 AM at San Valero Church, Carrer del Pare Perera 6 (Ruzafa), not at the kitchen, per the workshop page. If it’s cancelled, take Saturday’s 11:00 AM class and move the market breakfast back to Friday. Chasen's blog	booked
	2:30 PM	Siesta	Rest at the flat after the paella class: a ~25-minute walk back, or a short taxi.	tentative
	8:30 PM	Bocatín del Carmen8:30 PM–12:00 AM	Highlight: the vermut list, 60+ with a free tapa each; the owners will steer you to a drier one. Reserve by WhatsApp only (625 478 955). James Blick Valencia food tour	not booked
Sat. Nov. 14 Valencia
	10:00 AM	Mercat Central7:30 AM–3:00 PM	Highlight: the Modernista hall itself and the stalls; breakfast is at Central Bar inside. Open Saturdays until 3:00 PM. Chasen's blog	fav
	10:30 AM	Central Bar9:00 AM–3:30 PM	Highlight: the esmorzaret: salt-cod buñuelo with alioli, and artichokes in romesco. No reservations. James Blick Valencia food tour	not booked
	1:30 PM	Casa Montaña12:30 PM–4:00 PM, 7:30 PM–11:30 PM	Highlight: vermouth and wine with classic tapas in a historic bodega. El Cabanyal, by the beach: tram or a ~15-minute taxi from the center. James Blick Valencia food tour	fav
	4:00 PM	Siesta	Back to the flat to rest before the evening: tram or a ~15-minute taxi from El Cabanyal.	tentative
	7:00 PM	Ostras Pedrín11:00 AM–12:00 AM	Highlight: the oysters. Phone reservations only (963 767 054). Chasen's blog	not booked
	9:00 PM	Pelayo Gastro Trinquet9:30 AM–12:00 AM	Highlight: dinner inside a working pilota court. Book online (CoverManager). Chasen's blog	not booked
Sun. Nov. 15 Valencia → Madrid
	By 11:00 AM	Check out — Jaime I (Airbnb)	Checkout by 11:00 AM, then the 12:35 PM train to Madrid.	booked
		Free morning	Mercat Central and Central Bar are closed Sundays.	tentative
	12:35 PM	AVE 05721, València Joaquín Sorolla → Madrid-Chamartín	Booked (Básico). Arrives Chamartín 2:37 PM. Hand luggage only on this fare: up to 3 pieces, 25 kg in total.	booked

Valencia — sights and food
Place	Notes	Status
Lodging · booked
Jaime I (Airbnb)Ciutat Vella · host Julio	Our stay: an entire 1-bedroom flat (double bedroom plus a sofa bed), rated 4.93 from 30 reviews. About 5 min on foot to Plaza del Ayuntamiento and the Mercat Central. Check-in after 1:00 PM, checkout by 11:00 AM.	booked
Sights · faves
Mercat CentralMon–Sat 7:30 AM–3:00 PM	One of Europe's largest covered markets; Modernista building. Central Bar inside is a great meal. Chasen's blog	fav
Sights · ideas
La Lonja de la SedaMon–Sat 10:00 AM–7:00 PM · Sun 10:00 AM–2:00 PM	UNESCO Gothic silk exchange (15th c.) — one of Spain's finest secular Gothic buildings.	idea
Turia riverbed parkDaily 12:00 AM–12:00 AM	9 km linear park in the old riverbed — Chasen's run route, bikeable end to end.	idea
Catedral de València + MigueleteMon–Fri 10:30 AM–6:30 PM · Sat 10:30 AM–5:30 PM · Sun 2:00 PM–5:30 PM · Oct.–Dec. hours; last entry 1 h before close	Cathedral and Miguelete tower climb; Plaza de la Virgen alongside.	idea
Centre Arqueològic de l'AlmoinaClosed for waterproofing works until late 2027 (reopening no earlier than autumn 2027)	Archaeological site under the square beside the cathedral, with Roman, Visigothic (baptistery) and Islamic (alcázar remains, a noria) layers. Shut for works in Nov. 2026; the Archaeological Crypt of the Prison of San Vicente is a nearby Roman-era alternative to check.	idea
Malvarrosa beach	Long Mediterranean sand beach; best seafood paella at the historic beachfront restaurants.	idea
AlbuferaDaily 12:00 AM–12:00 AM	Lagoon where paella originated, ~20 min south. Sunset boat rides; lunch in El Palmar.	idea
Food · faves
Bar RicardoTue–Sat 12:00 PM–12:00 AM · Opens 12:00 PM (Google); the 2023 review's 8:00 AM opening ignored.	"Maybe the best restaurant in València" — their first meal last trip; returning. Tue.–Sat. only; reserve online. Chasen's blog	fav
Pelayo Gastro TrinquetMon–Thu 9:30 AM–5:00 PM & 8:00 PM–12:00 AM · Fri–Sat 9:30 AM–12:00 AM · Sun 9:30 AM–5:00 PM & 8:00 PM–12:00 AM · Closes 12:00 AM (OSM) rather than 12:30 AM (official site, Google).	Second favorite last trip — set inside the Trinquet de Pelayo pilota court. Book direct. Chasen's blog	fav
Central BarMon–Thu 9:00 AM–3:00 PM · Fri–Sat 9:00 AM–3:30 PM	Ricard Camarena's counter inside the Mercat Central — another great meal. James Blick Valencia food tour	fav
Ostras PedrínMon–Sat 11:00 AM–12:00 AM · Sun 11:00 AM–4:00 PM	Maybe their third favorite in València — oysters and seafood. Chasen's blog	fav
Bocatín del CarmenFri 8:30 PM–12:00 AM · Sat–Sun 12:30 PM–4:00 PM & 8:30 PM–12:00 AM · Nova Luache's page says closed Mon.–Thu. (Google, TripAdvisor say nightly), so weekdays are treated as closed; Fri. dinner and weekend lunch + dinner agree.	El Carmen vermutería since 1998; 60+ vermuts, each with a free tapa. C/ de Calatrava 21. James Blick Valencia food tour	fav
Casa MontañaMon–Fri 1:00 PM–4:00 PM & 7:30 PM–11:30 PM · Sat 12:30 PM–4:00 PM & 7:30 PM–11:30 PM · Sun 12:30 PM–4:00 PM	Historic El Cabanyal bodega — vermouth, wine, classic tapas. Missed it last trip; want to go. Open Mon.; closed Sun. dinner. James Blick Valencia food tour	fav
My First PaellaMon–Sat 11:00 AM–9:00 PM	The fun paella-making class they took; this trip they want the seafood version. Book ahead. Chasen's blog	fav
Food · ideas
Mercat de ColónDaily 10:00 AM–12:00 AM · conflicts with OSM on mon, tue, wed, thu, fri, sat, sun	Restored Modernista market hall, now cafés and horchaterías. Try horchata + fartons.	idea

Legend

Legend

Torres de Serranos and the Jardí del Túria out-and-back to the Pont de l'Exposició

Highlights

Safety

Torres de Serranos and the Pont de la Trinitat loop

Highlights

Safety