Ask a local from Valencia where they exercise, relax, or meet friends, and chances are they’ll say the Turia Park. This almost 9-kilometre-long park winds like a green ribbon right through the city. Where a river once flowed, you’ll now find the perfect place for a bike ride in Valencia.
The Turia was once a river that literally split the city in two. After a devastating flood in 1957, Valencia decided to divert the river. Many ideas were proposed, from urban development to even building a highway, but in the end a surprising idea won: more green space in the city.
This is how the Jardín del Turia was born, today a park filled with palm trees, orange trees, historic bridges, sports areas, and kilometres of cycling paths. It is so vast that you can spend hours there without feeling like you are in a city of over 800,000 inhabitants. In fact, you can almost cross the entire city of Valencia without encountering a single car.
Turia Park is not just a park you casually cycle through. You’ll find sports fields, runners, cyclists, yoga groups, and people simply relaxing on a blanket in the sun. Children climb and slide through Gulliver Park, where a giant reclining Gulliver has been turned into a playground full of slides.
As you cycle further, the scenery gradually changes. The green surroundings give way to the futuristic white architecture of the City of Arts and Sciences, designed by the famous Valencian architect Santiago Calatrava. It is one of the most iconic and photographed places in the city.
In the middle of the park you’ll also find the Palau de la Música de Valencia, a concert hall almost hidden among the greenery, recognizable by its large fountains and palm trees. And very typical of Valencia: locals don’t just use the park for sports, but also for picnics, dates, and birthday celebrations—with cake, music, and groups of friends on blankets. You might just cycle past one without noticing.
For animal lovers, there are attractions at both ends of the park. On one side is Oceanogràfic, the largest aquarium in Europe, where you walk past sharks, dolphins, and colourful underwater worlds. On the other side is Bioparc Valencia, a zoo that takes a different approach: no visible cages, but open landscapes where animals seem to live within their natural environment.
Turia Park stretches from the west of Valencia all the way to the City of Arts and Sciences. It connects different neighbourhoods such as El Carmen (old town), Ruzafa, Campanar, and Mestalla, and reaches almost to the port. Along the way, you cycle under centuries-old bridges while city life continues above your head.
From Mascletá Bike Rental, you can reach the park in about five minutes. It’s the ideal starting point for your adventure. Want to explore the city at your own pace? Book your bike and enjoy the freedom of Turia Park.
Anyone who has ever been to Valencia naturally knows the famous Turia Park. This 9-kilometre-long urban park is the place where locals exercise, have picnics, and where tourists massively cycle through.
But honestly? Valencia has so many more green gems. Less touristy, but definitely not less special. And it’s exactly those spots that make the city extra enjoyable. These are our favourites.
Anyone who has ever cycled through Valencia will recognize it: that sweet, fragrant smell in the air and the cheerful orange-colored streets lined with orange trees. In Valencia, they grow everywhere—along streets, in parks, and even in residential neighborhoods. For many visitors, they are the perfect photo opportunity, but for locals they are simply part of everyday life. Yet behind these fruits lies much more than just a pretty picture.