Insider Itinerary & Tips for Visiting the Valencia Albufera Like a Local

Never have I so keenly felt the life-giving nature of water, as when I spent a day visiting the Valencia Albufera. You would think that living on the Mediterranean Sea, sailing on it even, would have impressed that upon me moreso. Yet, it was in the Albufera of Valencia, a natural reserve south of Valencia city, that I could see, smell, hear, and taste what can be created with the waters of this special area.

Being close to the city of Valencia, it is easy to visit yet most tours don’t provide the kind of visit we got to have our first time there. Thanks to our long-time, fellow expat friend Neil who has called Denia home for over 14 years, we got to experience the Valencia Albufera in a more local and in-depth way. So that you can enjoy it too, here’s our itinerary and tips for visiting the Valencia Albufera like a local.

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Map for Visiting the Valencia Albufera

Make sure to zoom out to see all locations on the map.

What is the Valencia Albufera?

Above Image – A view from the bird watching tower, Torre Mirador del Tancat de Mília.

Located about only 6 miles south of Valencia city, the Valencia Albufera Natural Park (Parque Natural de L’Albufera de Valencia), is a shallow coastal lagoon. It is separated from the Mediterranean Sea by only a sandbank of dunes which is also part of the park and its natural protected area. At the heart of the park is the lagoon, which is just over nine square miles that is surrounded by 86 square miles of rice fields.

What is the Valencia Albufera like?

Above Image – The somewhat abandoned Portet de Sollana.

Think vibrant shades of verdant green and liquidess blues. Soft grasses, vibrant flowers, whispy weeds. Carpets of the soft-green tendrils of rice spreading out in quilt-like patterned fields, crisscrossed by dusty, dirt roads.

Sometimes the water is visible, shallow and running lightly through earthen channels of irrigation ditches. Sometimes it only sparkles here and there, catching the light in small gaps of emerging rice. And other times, you come upon flowing canals, small and large, dotted with the traditional, handcrafted Latin Sail boats called an Albuferenc, each painted in their own distinct colors. Then there’s the main lake, spreading out like a “mirror of the sun”, as it was so aptly referred to in Arabic poems centuries ago.

Occasionally there is a classic, old world finca (Spanish farmhouse), standing solitary amidst the rice fields with its white stucco walls and clay-red Spanish tiled roof. And the birds. The Valencia Albufera is home to herons and egrets, even Flamingos, and many more amazing varieties of the feathery-kind.

How Much Time to Spend Visiting the Valencia Albufera

Above Image – A picturesque view of rice fields from the town of El Palmar.

We recommend putting aside a full day, or about six to seven hours, for visiting the Valencia Albufera, especially if you want to enjoy our route which includes more stops. It’s best to arrive at your first stop around 10am. This also depends on the time of year and the weather. If it’s hotter out, you may want to start a little earlier. Either way, this route is obviously customizable. Another idea is to time things so that you finish the visit by enjoying the sunset on the water.

READ MORE: The Ideal Valencia Old Town Guide, Part I – Where to Go, Eat, and Streets to Wander

When to Visit the Valencia Albufera

Anytime of year works, but we especially recommend late spring/early summer as the best time to visit the Valencia Albufera. This way, you can avoid the August crowds and the weather is not too hot or too cold. Of course, this is sunny Valencia so even winter does not get that cold and can be a nice time to visit.

Another factor to consider is when the rice is planted and harvested. Think of the Valencia Albufera as the rice basket of Spain. In April, the rice is sown, so from around late May through summer, it will be very green. Then in September, the rice is harvested which causes the land to be drained so the machinery can be used on the land. In winter, the rice fields are barren but flooded with water to provide sanctuary for the migratory birds.

We visited in the last part of June and were fortunate to have mild weather that was sunny with a pleasant breeze. The sun was hot but the air was cool and we enjoyed gorgeous weather. Best of all, the rice fields of the Valencia Albufera were so green.

How to Get Around the Valencia Albufera

Above Image – Strolling from the Portet de Sollana to the Torre Mirador del Tancat de Mília.

For the route we recommend, you’ll need a car to get around the Valencia Albufera. If you’re visiting from out of town, you can rent one yourself or hire a tour company to take you around. If you’re coming from the city of Valencia, there are also buses you can take to a number of the villages around and in the park, but particularly the more popular main town of El Palmar. This is where many of the paella restaurants are and most boat tour companies for enjoying a boat ride on the Albufera.

Another great way to explore the Valencia Albufera is by bike. There are nice cycling paths down the main road from the city to the Albufera. Most of the roads that we took on our route are small dirt roads that people cycle on as well.

Travel Advisor Insight: Be prepared that there are many small dirt roads to travel. They can be like a maze but traveling by them is the best way to see the rice fields and the best spots. Google maps should work (for the most part).

Itinerary for Visiting the Valencia Albufera

Start with a Light Breakfast in Sollana

Start on the south western part of the Albufera by visiting the small town of Sollana. Do as the Spanish do, and as we did, and take a little time to get a coffee and croissant at the simple Cafetería Bon Gust. It’s right across from the quaint central market and in a plaza that is pleasant to sit in and enjoy breakfast at the start of the tour.

Sollana is not only a town but also a municipality and is known as where rice was first grown in Spain over 1,200 years ago. Today, the agriculture of rice, oranges, and livestock make up its main economy.

Visit the Portet de Sollana

Above Images – Scroll through images of the Portet de Sollana.

From the town of Sollana, head out into the maze of dirt roads that plunge you into the rice fields of the Valencia Albufera. After about 11 minutes of your first views of green grasses and an old finca or two, you’ll arrive at the Portet de Sollana. From here on out, you want to make sure and look for the diverse birdlife. For those of you birdwatchers, the birding in Valencia Albufera is amazing.

This old port is now abandoned but has a small area to park and a wooden bike rack. Under a gathering of leafy Plane trees and Willow trees is a tiny white building with a picnic table and a small canal extending in either direction. The light-brown, earthy waters are filled with grasses taller than most, especially my short self.

There is a lone Albuferenc that looks like it’s sprouting from among the reeds. At the back of the building, the canal widens and is lined on two sides with a simple, wooden dock from which you might see a couple more Albuferenc boats and a view of another small casita.

Enjoy Views & Bird Watching from the Torre Mirador del Tancat de Mília

Above Images – Scroll through our gallery of images from the bird watching tower.

From the Portet de Sollana, it’s time for a short walk (only about 10 minutes) and some wonderful views. Head to the right of the port building to cross over the smaller canal and head down the dirt road. You’ll see another road taking off to the right but it is gated and you keep walking past that. Enjoy the peaceful surroundings of rice fields to your left lined with bushes of light pink flowers.

At the end of the road, you’ll find the Torre Mirador del Tancat de Mília, a wooden two story tower for bird watching. Climb up to the top for views that will help you really get an idea of what the Valencia Albufera is all about. From here, you can see over the tall, natural hedges of the right side of the road you walked, to discover smaller lagoons. It’s the perfect place for sighting the Great Flamingos that are growing in population here, which we saw ourselves. They were a beautiful sight standing in the water and taking flight into the air.

Admire the Traditional Boats at the Port de Silla

Above Images – Scroll through the old world boats docked at the Port de Silla.

Jump back in the car, or on a bike, and continue to wind your way down the maze of dirt roads surrounded by the lush rice fields. The Port de Silla is a slightly wider, tree-lined canal where you can see the first large grouping of the old-world Albuferenc boats. They vary in all sizes and made from wood they truly maintain the charm and look of their bygone era. Take note of the names on each boat and imagine the stories behind them.

Walk the Boardwalk of Boats at the Port de Catarroja

Above Images – Some images of the ‘albuferenc’ boats at the Port de Catarroja.

The next stop of Catarroja is an even wider canal lined on one side by Albufera’s traditional boats. There is plenty of parking here and on the other side of the flowering hedges is the wooden boardwalk. Look carefully at the water’s surface for turtles poking their heads up. Make sure to stroll down to admire the charming stone house that serves as the port club building. It’s adorned with trellising grape vines along with hand painted tiles on its corners and in the tiny, gated courtyard.

READ MORE: Visit Valencia with the Valencia Tourist Card, for First-Time and Returning Visitors

Stop for Views & Photos at the Mirador del Pujol

To reach this next stop the quickest in a car, jump onto the nearby highway for just a bit before getting off in the direction of El Palmar. At the Mirador del Pujol, the parking area is small and right alongside a mainroad. If there is room, pull in for a quick stop to admire the expansive view of the heart of the Valencia Albufera, its main, large body of water. Here, you can also get a boat tour, but I recommend getting that in El Palmar instead.

As you look out at the body of water bordered by tall green grasses, it’s amazing to realize that the Albufera’s lagoon waters are an average of only one meter deep; that’s just over three feet in depth.

Have Lunch in El Palmar

Above Images – Scroll through our image gallery of El Palmar.

No excursion in Spain is complete without stopping for a meal. This is definitely the case for visiting the Valencia Albufera, the origin of paella. In El Palmar, you’ll find dozens of restaurants specializing in the beloved, local rice dish. We enjoyed a delicious lunch of Paella Valenciana and other starters at Arrocería Maribel. We were seated outside right next to a small canal dotted with occasional small boats.

Enjoy a Lagoon Boat Ride from El Palmar

Above Images – Scroll through our images of our Albufera boat tour from El Palmar.

For a boat tour of the Valencia Albufera, we recommend departing from El Palmar. You can stop at the Albumar – Passeigs en barca where there is usually a representative selling tickets, which when we went were €5 a person. They will then guide you, or give you instructions on where to find the boat in the nearby marina, Embarcadero Municipal de El Palmar, which is only steps away. The tour is about 50 minutes and we highly recommend it.

These tours are in the large traditional wooden boats and while they do have a motor, they are still wonderful to experience. You get to ride between the tall grasses, seeing the traditional barracas (also called chabolas), which are a typical small hut that is rectangular with a triangle roof. They are constructed with local resources, such as mud, reeds, rushes or canes, along with adobe bricks, and straw and reeds for the roof. As you cross the main part of the lagoon, you’ll see even more flocks of birds, the humble structures of nets used for catching eels, and may even spot some fish.

Bonus: Enjoy Sunset at the Lagoon or with a Swim in the Sea

On our visit to the Valencia Albufera, we did not have time to visit the nearby sand dunes and natural beaches. But if you do, it is not far and a wonderful way to end your visit with a sunset swim.

Here are several wonderful beaches near Valencia Albufera that you can visit:

• Playa del Saler
• Platja de la Devesa del Saler – Keep in mind that this is also a nudist beach.
• Platja de la Devesa
• Playa de El Perellonet – This beach can be very popular for kitesurfing and windsurfing.