Is The Valencia Tourist Card Worth It? (Guide To Pros And Cons)

Wondering whether to buy a Valencia Tourist Card for your city break? Find out what’s included and whether it’s worth it in this informative guide.

If you’ve been following my blog recently, you’ll have seen I fell head over heels in love with the city of Valencia in Spain. It’s a beautiful city, filled with history, great restaurants and quirky architecture. It’s perfect for a sunshine-filled getaway, particularly with its huge beach just a short bus ride from the city centre.

Before visiting, I ordered a Valencia Tourist Card. There are options of cards for 24, 48 or 72 hours, as well as another for 7 days.

The card includes free public transport within the city centre, complimentary entry or discounts at the key attractions, museums and restaurants, plus a few other freebies too – including tapas and drinks.

I’ll admit that part of my reason for wanting it was the ease of getting around. It covers journeys to and from Valencia Airport, as well as journeys within the city and down to the beach.

READ MORE: 29+ AWESOME things to do in Valencia 

So time to give an honest account of what I thought of it, how it works, whether I’d recommend it and how to order one if you’re visiting the city soon.

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What is the Valencia Tourist Card?

This special card includes all public transport within the city, as well as to the beach and airport. There’s a mammoth list of attractions it’s valid at, offering free entry or discounted tickets. You can buy cards for different durations, depending on how long you’ll be visiting for. There are cards for 24, 48 or 72 hours, as well as another for 7 days.

If you’re flying to Valencia I’d recommend ordering a card online in advance, then collecting at the airport. You just need your order number and email address to pick it up.

Alternatively, you can collect it from the tourist office within City Hall, or have it delivered to your hotel. Kids aged 6-12, over-65s and students can get a 15% discount off, but you’ll have to go to the tourist office to buy the card.

How much is a Valencia Tourist Card?

As mentioned, there are cards for 24, 48 or 72 hours, as well as another for 7 days. The prices are as follows:

24-hour Valencia Tourist Card: 15 EUR

48-hour Valencia Tourist Card: 20 EUR

72-hour Valencia Tourist Card: 25 EUR

7 day Valencia Tourist Card (without transport): 12 EUR

I usually buy things like this using Get Your Guide – a tour booking website I’ve used lots on my travels, and wholeheartedly trust. I took a few tours with them during my trip to Valencia, including a historical walking tour and a food tour, and they were fab. They occasionally offer discounts if you book via them too!

READ MORE: Food Tour Of Valencia – REVIEW

What attractions are included for free with the Valencia Tourist Card?

There are quite a few that are free with the card, including…

Lonja de la Seda – Valencia’s ancient silk exchange

Museo de Historia – Valencia’s history museum

Museo Fallero – Museum dedicated to Valencia’s famous Fallas Festival

Torres de Serranos and Torres de Quart – Old city gates (great views!)

Museo de Ciencias Naturales – Museum of natural sciences

Museo de la Ciudad – City museum

Museo del Arroz – Rice museum

L’Almoina – Archaeology museum

Without the card, most have an entry fee of around 2 EUR. It’s not much, but if you’re thinking of visiting quite a few during your visit, the tourist card will be more economic way to see the icity. You can see the full list of Valencia tourist card attractions here.

Which attractions can I get discounts at with the Valencia Tourist Card?  

While there are plenty that are included complimentary, if the attraction isn’t on that list, it’s still likely to be offered at a discounted price with the card. I’ve picked out a few highlights but there are absolutely loads more!

15% off Museu de les Ciències (Valencia Science Museum)

15% off Oceanogràfic (Valencia Aquarium)

15% off Hemisfèric (Valencia IMAX Cinema)

15% off Bioparc (Valencia Zoo)

10% off Valencia Cathedral

10% off Jardín Botánico (Valencia Botanical Gardens)

It’s also worth checking out some of the discounts on rentals in the city too. For example, you can use the card to get 20% off renting a bike in the city, or 10% off jet-ski rental on Malvarrosa Beach.

Can I use my Valencia Tourist Card on any tours?

Yes! I think this is a really great perk of the card. From a discount on the tourist bus (yay for hop on, hop off life!), to bike tours, a nosey around Valencia Football Club and even a paella cooking class, there are lots of little extras that are included with the card. You’ll need to check timings as many of them only run on certain days of the week, and then book your spot in advance.

Here are a few tours that caught my eye…

20% off 4-hour Valencia Family Tour

15% off bike tours

10% off Guided tour of Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía

10% off Mestalla Forever Tour (Valencia Football Club)

10% off paella workshops

2 EUR off València Bus Turístic (hop on, hop off)

10% off Albufera Experience (jeep and boat trip)

10% off sunset sailing trip from Malvarrosa Beach

What about food and drink?

Eating out on holiday can really add up, so it’s worth making use of the discounts on offer at the city’s restaurants and bars. Some of the discounts are 15-20% so it can make a big difference to your bill.

You can use the card at Café de las Horas, Terraza L’Umbracle, El Camarote & the Roof, Casa Isabel, Ocho y Medio, Restaurante Océanos, Ubik Café, La Cigrona and the Hard Rock Café amongst others.

Did someone mention FREE food?

Not yet but I’m about to!! When you get your Valencia Tourist Card you’ll see a few ads for restaurants in the city where you get complimentary food and drink!

Head to El Corte Ingles for a complimentary tapa and a glass of wine, and then there’s one more voucher valid at a few restaurants around the city.

Anywhere else I can use the Valencia Tourist Card?

I didn’t have the chance to visit (partly because I was busy enjoying the sunshine outside) but the card is also valid at several spas in Valencia including Balneario La Alameda, Olympia Hotel and Spa Las Arenas.

How do I use the Valencia Tourist Card on public transport?

I used my card on several bus, tram and metro journeys. I’d describe Valencia as a walkable city, but if like me, you like to cram a lot in to your trips, you might want to save time by using public transport.

I navigated my way around using Google Maps. You can pop in your destination and select public transport. The app will then show you the best way to get there, including bus numbers and stop names.

In terms of where you can get to using the card, it covers the Metro in Zones A – D (including to and from Valencia Airport) plus buses and trams in Zone A. As a tourist visiting, it’s very unlikely you’d need to go outside of these areas. When you pick up your card you can check the maps. It also includes bus Line 25 which goes to Albufera.

In terms of using the card, you tap it on the machine by the driver when you board a bus, at the tram stop platform and at the gates to the metro. It’s worth mentioning that if you get the Valencia 7-day tourist card, it doesn’t include public transport (or it didn’t when I visited).

Also, if you don’t opt for a tourist card, I think that the system in the city is similar to others, where you have to pay a cost for a Valencia transport card and top it up with journeys as you go along.

So, the big question – is the Valencia Tourist Card worth it?

For me it was definitely worth it. If you’re planning a lot of sightseeing, and want the convenience of using public transport whenever you want, to get wherever you want, then it’s worth it.

I liked that I didn’t have to worry about figuring out metro tickets when I got to the airport, and could hop on public transport around the city whenever my legs got tired! 

I also used several of the free entry tickets and a few of the discounts. Free food was a bonus too! I didn’t get the chance to try out any of the tours as I’d already booked a few through Get Your Guide before my trip, but I’d bear it in mind for next time.

However, if you’re visiting Valencia for a relaxing break, with plans to hang out in the historical city centre, hop from tapas bar to tapas bar and explore on foot, you’ll probably find it cheaper to buy single or return tickets on public transport and pay full price at any attractions. Single tickets on Valencia’s buses start at just 1.50 EUR. Metro lines 3 and 5 go from the airport to the city centre, with a single costing 3.90 EUR.

Sometimes it’s worth paying for the peace of mind, and a card like this definitely brings that! It really depends on how much you want to do during your trip!

I hope this post helps you make a decision. If you have any questions, let me know! Don’t forget to read my other guides to Valencia to make the most of your time in the city.

29+ AWESOME things to do in Valencia 
Valencia Cathedral bell tower vs Torres de Serranos – which has the best view of Valencia?
Where to stay in Valencia – from budget to luxury 
Valencia food tour – is this the most fun tour of the city?