There are many playgrounds for children and sports throughout the city: on the streets, in parks, in courtyards and on beaches. The city is permeated with bicycle paths on which you can ride scooters and bicycles, decorated with green squares, fountains and interesting sculptures.
City of Arts and Sciences (Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències)
This one-of-a-kind architectural and cultural complex is famous throughout Spain. We were transported to the future. The buildings of unusual shapes are surrounded by a green park with playgrounds and swimming pools where children and adults can ride on boats and zorbs (water balloons). The complex consists of six buildings, three of which will be of particular interest to children: the Oceanographic, the Prince Philip Science Museum and the Emispheric.
- It is more profitable to buy complex tickets for visiting several objects at once
- City of Arts and Sciences website
- You can get to the complex by metro to Alameda station and from there walk, or by buses number 1, 13, 14, 15, 19, 35, 40 and 95.
L’Oceanogràfic Park (L’Oceanogràfic)
Okeanografik is Europe’s largest aquarium. The park has outdoor pools with seals, seals and waterfowl, a dolphinarium, many aquariums and a separate pavilion with colorful birds and turtles. Birds move freely around and over the heads of visitors, and it is easy to touch the turtles with your hand (although it is strictly forbidden). Sharks and rays swim majestically above the heads of visitors in a transparent tunnel.
Our kids were fascinated by the animals from the Arctic and Antarctic: beluga whales and penguins, which can be observed both from above and underwater.
- The park’s website
- Admission: 30,7 € per adult and 22,9 € for a child from 4 to 12 years old. For children under 4 years old admission is free of charge
El Museu de les Ciències Príncipe Felipe (Prince Philip Science Museum)
The Prince Philip Science Museum is a great interactive museum that visually explains the laws of physics, life and evolution. It’s best to set aside a few hours, or even a whole day, to see the museum.
Children are impressed by the incubator with eggs, from which chicks hatch right before their eyes. Schoolchildren can’t get out of there.
- Museum website
- Admission: for adult 8 €, for child under 16 years old — 6,2 €
Discover the Hemisfèric Cinema (Discover the Hemisfèric)
The Emispherique Cinema and Planetarium is the largest movie theater in Spain. Under its dome is a 900 square meter hemispherical screen and a large 3D screen. The cinema shows astronomical programs, science films and laser shows. There are also children’s movies. The anatomical armchairs offer a reclining position. Films are in Valencian, but you can take headphones with simultaneous translation into Spanish and English.
We watched an astronomy show about stars and a fascinating movie about the evolution of man and the universe. The kids didn’t understand the language, but they were completely immersed in what was going on: the movies fill all the space above and around their heads. The spectacle is incredible, they were delighted.
- View the schedule and purchase a ticket for the session here
- Admission: for an adult 8 €, for a child under 16 — 6,2 €.
Bioparc (Valencia Bioparc)
One of the largest zoos in Spain, where 116 species of animals live in conditions that are as close to natural as possible: realistic natural landscapes with plenty of rocks, water and vegetation. Visitors and animals are not separated by cages or glass, but by natural barriers in the form of water moats, huge rocks and green areas.
It’s really a biopark: animals live in groups of different species, able to live peacefully together. It is fun to watch them interact with each other.
The territory of the biopark is quite compact, even children do not get tired after walking through the whole park. Each corner has something to entertain you: there are animal shows in a special zone, a playground at the exit of the park, and a restaurant on the territory.
It is not allowed to bring food into the biopark, only drinking water is allowed. It is better to visit the park in the morning or evening, especially in the hot season: the animals are more active and you can get to the feeding.
- An adult ticket costs 23,8 €, children and after 65 years of age 18 € and 17,5 €.
- The park’s website
- The biopark can be reached on foot in 10 minutes from the Nou de Octubre metro station or by buses nos. 17, 7, 29, 81 and 95.
Gulliver Park (Parque Gulliver)
An unusual playground in the form of a huge sleeping Gulliver is located near the City of Sciences and Arts, in the Turia Gardens, near the Royal Bridge (Pont del Regne). Entrance is free. Here not only children but also adults can feel like Lilliputians, climbing ladders and moving off the giant’s arms, legs, head and articles of clothing.
A huge Gulliver’s hat is lying separately. Look through the transparent windows on it: inside is a small model of Gulliver’s figure, which is the only way to really appreciate its scale and examine all the details.
There are restrooms and water and ice cream machines around the playground. We went back there several times because each time the children did not want to leave.
I recommend wearing sports clothes and shoes, and in summer it is better to go in the morning or evening, when it is not so hot and the surface of the sculpture is not heated by the sun. In the rain, the slides become very slippery and the park is closed.
You can get there by metro (Alameda station) or by buses #18, 19, 20, 40 and 15.
Beaches of Valencia
It seems that excellent spacious beaches with white sand and clean gentle sea are specially created for children’s vacation. The entrance to the sea is quite gentle, suitable even for the smallest children.
Sand sculpture contests are often held on the beaches: it is interesting for children to build their sand castles after looking at these works of art. The infrastructure is excellent: toilets, showers, cafes, souvenir stores and even drinking water fountains.
