Where to stay in Valencia

Ciutat Vella is the old town, with the cathedral, the Silk Exchange, the Central Market and the old Turia gardens on foot. Russafa, just south, is the food and nightlife district around its covered market. Benimaclet, to the north near the universities, is a former village with a student and remote-work crowd.

Towards the sea, Ciutat de les Arts sits halfway between the old town and the port, around the City of Arts and Sciences and the Oceanogràfic. Cabanyal and Malva-rosa, the old fishermen's quarter of tiled houses, put the city beach and its promenade at the door. Patacona, in neighbouring Alboraya, is the quieter beach just to the north.

The northern part of the old town, Ciutat Vella Nord, is a residential priority area. Cameras read every plate at its entrances, only authorised vehicles may enter, and an entry not justified within 5 days is fined EUR 60. Hotels inside the zone receive permits for guests, and car parks with plate reading register the cars they take in, so a guest can drive to a hotel or car park inside if the plate is registered first.

Street parking runs on ORA colours. Blue zones cost EUR 1.00 an hour in Ciutat Vella, L'Eixample and Extramurs, with EUR 1.70 for the 2 hour maximum, and EUR 0.80 elsewhere. Orange zones, in Ciutat Vella, Russafa, El Botànic, La Roqueta and La Petxina, cost visitors EUR 2.10 an hour, and visitors may not park there outside paid hours. Green zones are for residents around the clock. Parking is free on public holidays.

There is no citywide low-emission zone in force; the ordinance never received final approval. GetCar's guide Driving in Valencia: the Old Town Cameras, Parking Zones and the Low-Emission Zone covers the roads side in full. For a base, Cabanyal and Ciutat de les Arts avoid both the camera zone and the orange-zone districts.

No tourist tax was found in force. The Valencian tax on tourist stays was created by Ley 7/2022 and repealed by Decreto-ley 12/2023 in November 2023, before it ever applied. No official statement that no tax applies in 2026 was found, and no newer tax was found either.

Holiday flats are regulated by the region. Under article 65 of the Valencian tourism law, Ley 15/2018, as amended by Decreto-ley 9/2024, a tourist dwelling is a whole property let for tourist purposes for 10 days or less to the same tenant, with a favourable municipal planning report, and rooms may not be let separately. Every advert must show the exact location and the number in the Registro de Turismo de la Comunitat Valenciana; leaving it out is a serious infringement. A listing without that number deserves a question before paying.

At national level, the national registration procedure was largely annulled in May 2026, regional registers still apply (Catalan NIRTC, Valencian tourism register, Andalusian RTA), and whether a national number must still appear on a listing is unsettled as of September 2026. The appeal that led to the ruling was brought by the Generalitat Valenciana. At check-in, expect to give passport or ID details under Real Decreto 933/2021.

The rule to plan around is the 10 day limit. Up to 10 nights, a registered tourist flat is a normal booking. Beyond 10 days with the same tenant, the let is no longer a tourist dwelling, and a longer stay needs a seasonal lease; the monthly guide below covers it.

Press reported in May 2026 that the city has approved planning rules capping tourist lodging per neighbourhood, with Ciutat Vella keeping its own special plan. The official text was not read for this guide.

A first visit on foot: Ciutat Vella, with the plate registered by the hotel or a car park.

Food, bars and a longer stay: Russafa.

The beach every day: Cabanyal and Malva-rosa, or Patacona for quiet.

Families and museums: Ciutat de les Arts.

A budget month near the universities: Benimaclet.