Hotels near Turia Gardens

Turia Gardens (Jardí del Túria) is the green spine of Valencia and one of the longest urban parks in Europe - a 9 km landscaped river of cycle paths, sports pitches, fountains, and pine groves running through the heart of the city. The park exists because of catastrophe: after the 1957 flood killed 81 people, the city diverted the Turia River south to a new channel and turned the dry riverbed into parkland.

The park crosses 18 historic and modern bridges and links almost every major attraction on this guide. At the east end sits the City of Arts and Sciences; at the west end, the Bioparc and Cabecera Park lake. Halfway along, Gulliver Park turns the giant from Jonathan Swift's novel into a 70m climbing structure of slides, ropes, and hidden tunnels - the single best thing in Valencia for travelling kids and not-so-kids. The Valenbisi public bike-share scheme (around 14 EUR for a one-week pass) is the obvious way to do the full length in one go.

Pro Tip: Cycle east to west starting at the Palau de la Música and end at Cabecera Park lake for sunset and a drink at one of the lakeside kioskos. The west end is the quieter half - most locals walk the eastern stretch.