Valencia Day Trip from Benidorm
Updated 15/10/2026 by the onbenidorm team · Fares and opening hours checked October 2026
Valencia is a realistic but long day trip from Benidorm. The direct Alsa bus takes about 1 hour 45 minutes, with fares from about €19 each way, and driving the 140 km takes about 1½ hours. In one day you can see the Central Market, the cathedral with its Holy Grail, the Silk Exchange and the City of Arts and Sciences, linked by the 9 km Turia gardens.
- Best way there
- Alsa bus, about 1h45 direct, from about €19 each way
- Driving
- About 140 km, mainly on the AP-7, about 1½ hours
- Train
- Only via Alicante; not practical for a day trip
- Top sights
- City of Arts and Sciences, Central Market, cathedral, Silk Exchange
- Day cost
- About €40 bus return plus €10–45 entry
- Best for
- Culture, architecture and food; a good rainy-day option
Is Valencia a realistic day trip from Benidorm?
Yes, if you start early: with about 3½ hours of travel in total, you get roughly seven or eight hours in the city. It is the longest trip in our day trips from Benidorm guide. Closer options such as Alicante, Villajoyosa and Calpe are easier half days.
Choose either the historic centre or the City of Arts and Sciences as your focus. The 9 km Turia gardens, laid out in the old riverbed after the river was diverted in the 1970s, link the two.
How to get from Benidorm to Valencia
The direct Alsa bus is the best option without a car: it takes about 1 hour 45 minutes from Benidorm bus station on C/ Francisco Llorca Antón 6. Alsa says more than 30 services run daily, though some make extra stops and take much longer, so pick a direct one. Booking sites show fares from about €19, typically about €20 each way.
Buses arrive at Valencia bus station (Av. Menéndez Pidal), Joaquín Sorolla station or the airport. There is no direct train: TRAM L1 to Alicante takes 72 minutes, then the fastest train to Valencia 1 hour 55 minutes.
- Drivers: the City of Arts and Sciences car park charges €2.30 an hour, or €6 a day with an entry ticket.
| Option | Journey time | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alsa bus | About 1h45 direct | From about €19 each way | Many daily departures; book ahead in summer |
| Car | About 1½ hours, 140 km | Fuel about €17 each way, plus parking | Mostly AP-7 motorway |
| TRAM and train via Alicante | About 3½ hours or more | TRAM up to €4 plus the train fare | Too slow for a day trip |
City of Arts and Sciences and the Oceanogràfic
The City of Arts and Sciences is Valencia's modern showpiece: a string of white futuristic buildings at the end of the Turia gardens.
The paid attractions are the Museu de les Ciències science museum, the Hemisfèric IMAX and planetarium, and the Oceanogràfic aquarium.
| Attraction | General | Reduced |
|---|---|---|
| Museu de les Ciències | €8.70 | €6.70 |
| Hemisfèric | €8.70 | €6.70 |
| Oceanogràfic | About €35–40 | About €25–29 |
| Combined ticket (all three) | From €44.20 | From €34.70 |
Is the Oceanogràfic worth it on a day trip?
Only if it is your main reason for going. The aquarium generally opens 10:00–18:00 on weekdays and Sundays, and until 20:00 on Saturdays and in high season. Families who want an aquarium closer to home can try Mundomar in Benidorm instead.
The old town: market, Silk Exchange and cathedral
The three big old town sights are close together.
Mercado Central
The Central Market on Plaza del Mercado has more than 250 stalls under a modernist iron-and-glass roof decorated with tiles. It is open Monday to Saturday, 07:30–15:00, and closed on Sundays. Go in the morning.
Lonja de la Seda (Silk Exchange)
The Gothic Silk Exchange, built in the 15th and 16th centuries, has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996. Entry is €2, or €1 reduced, and free on Sundays and public holidays. Hours are Monday to Saturday 10:00–19:00 and Sunday 10:00–14:00. It is next to the Central Market.
The cathedral and the Holy Grail
Valencia Cathedral keeps a cup venerated as the Holy Grail, in the Capilla del Santo Cáliz. Visitor guides list entry at €10 with an audio guide and the museum, or €6 reduced. Hours are Monday to Friday 10:30–18:30, Saturday 10:30–17:30 and Sunday 14:00–17:30, with last entry 45 minutes before closing.
The Micalet bell tower has 207 steps, no lift and needs a separate ticket. On Thursdays at noon, the Water Tribunal meets at the cathedral's Apostles' Door.
Paella in its home town
Valencia is where paella comes from: the city's tourist board says the dish was invented around the Albufera lagoon, about 10 km south of the centre.
With a day trip, the easiest plan is a paella lunch in the centre. With more time, EMT city bus 24 runs to the village of El Palmar on the lagoon in under an hour, and boat trips with paella start from about €26. See also paella in Benidorm.
A one-day Valencia itinerary
A plan that fits both halves of the city into one bus day.
| Time | Plan |
|---|---|
| Early morning | Direct Alsa bus from Benidorm bus station (about 1h45) |
| About 10:00 | Central Market, then the Silk Exchange opposite |
| About 12:00 | Cathedral and Holy Grail chapel; Water Tribunal at noon on Thursdays |
| About 14:00 | Paella lunch in the centre |
| About 15:30 | Walk the Turia gardens towards the City of Arts and Sciences |
| About 16:30 | Science museum or the outside of the complex; Oceanogràfic only if you started early |
| Early evening | Bus back to Benidorm; check the last direct departure when booking |
Costs and tips
Budget about €40 for a return bus, then €2–10 for each old town sight, or €35–45 for the Oceanogràfic or the combined ticket. Add lunch on top.
- Book a direct service both ways; some buses take over four hours.
- The Central Market closes on Sundays, when the Silk Exchange is free.
- Keep it for a cloudy or rainy day (see the November weather).
- Miss the last bus and a Benidorm taxi back is a long, costly ride.
- Times are Spanish time, one hour ahead of the UK and Ireland.
More day trips and travel pages
| Name | Area | Known for |
|---|---|---|
| Day trips from Benidorm | Hub | All trips compared |
| Alicante from Benidorm | South on L1 | A closer city break |
| Paella in Benidorm | Benidorm | Where to eat paella locally |
| Rainy day in Benidorm | Benidorm | Indoor ideas |
| Getting around Benidorm | Benidorm | Buses, TRAM and taxis |
Valencia Day Trip from Benidorm — FAQs
How long does it take to get from Benidorm to Valencia?
About 1 hour 45 minutes on the direct Alsa bus from Benidorm bus station, or about 1½ hours driving the 140 km, mostly on the AP-7. Some Alsa services stop more and take longer, so check when booking.
How much is the bus from Benidorm to Valencia?
Booking sites show Alsa fares from about €19 each way, typically about €20, so allow about €40 return. Buses leave from Benidorm bus station on C/ Francisco Llorca Antón and arrive at Valencia bus station, Joaquín Sorolla station or the airport.
Can you do Valencia in a day from Benidorm?
Yes, but it is a long day with about 3½ hours of travel. Pick either the old town (Central Market, Silk Exchange, cathedral) or the City of Arts and Sciences as your main focus.
How much is the Oceanogràfic in Valencia?
Ticket agencies list adult entry at about €35–40 and reduced tickets at about €25–29 in 2026, depending on date and seller. A combined ticket with the science museum and Hemisfèric starts at €44.20. Check the official City of Arts and Sciences site for the price on your date.
Where is the Holy Grail in Valencia?
In the Capilla del Santo Cáliz inside Valencia Cathedral, in the old town. Visitor guides list cathedral entry at €10 with an audio guide, or €6 reduced. It opens Monday to Friday 10:30–18:30, Saturday 10:30–17:30 and Sunday 14:00–17:30.
Where did paella come from?
Paella comes from Valencia. The city's tourist board says it was invented around the Albufera lagoon, about 10 km south of the centre and the village of El Palmar is known for its rice restaurants. EMT bus 24 runs to the lagoon village of El Palmar in under an hour.
Related guides
Sources and how we checked
Last updated 15 October 2026 by the onbenidorm team.