Valencia by the Sea, Valencia, Spain

When you are surrounded by history in the Ciutat Vella (old city), it’s easy to forget that Valencia is a city on the sea. Valencia has a spectacular marina and 19 km of beaches that are reachable by public transportation. The urban beaches of Las Arenas, El Cabanyal and Malvarossa are only about five kilometers from the city center.

It would be a shame to visit Valencia without making to the waterfront. The beach is wide and the sand is soft on your feet. The mild water temperatures mean that you can easily swim from April to November. Don’t forget the sunshine. Lots and lots of sunshine.

We would be there bright and early, because there really is nothing like a walk along the beach as the sun rises (the sunrise was at 8:15 AM on this day in mid-October). The Maritime Promenade is a walkway and bike path that stretches for about 1.5 miles along the three urban beaches from Las Arenas all the way up Malvarossa beach.

Las Arenas beach is the closest from the metro/tram stops. Here, the restaurant at El Coso Restaurante – Hotel is open all day from 8:00 AM until 11:45 PM. That’s about as early as anything opens around here. You can order individual (a la carte) cafe, juice, pastry, tostada, etc. for a small breakfast, or go all the way up to a full English breakfast with eggs, bacon, and sausage. There is also a self-service breakfast buffet for €10, so they pretty much have all the options covered. You can’t beat the view looking over the beach at that beautiful sunrise. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).