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Valencia & the Costa Blanca: Route Guide

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City of Arts Sciences Valencia — Valencia & the Costa Blanca
Photo: Diliff · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Paella at its source, a City of Arts and Sciences from the future, and a coast of honey-coloured calas beneath limestone crags. Dénia ferries out to the Balearics, Benidorm's towers rise like a Manhattan that took a beach holiday, and Alicante's castle watches it all. Unpretentious, sun-certain Spain.

Valencia & the Costa Blanca is a 190 km one-way journey (self-drive). It works best as 3–5 days; the plan below is the 4-day version for May, built from 385 verified places, with real road-routed transit times, opening hours and daylight checked.

3–5
days
190km
distance
4
Stops
385
curated stops

Plan your own version → 3-day plan · 4-day plan · 5-day plan · best time to go

The route

Valencia→ 100 kmDénia→ 45 kmBenidorm & the Sierra Helada→ 45 kmAlicante

What you'll see

Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia
Experience opera and concerts in a grand 37,000m² arts center.
Valencia
Castell de Dénia
Explore the well-preserved walls of this 12th-century castle.
Dénia
Platja de Ponent
Enjoy a tranquil Blue Flag beach perfect for families and relaxation.
Benidorm & the Sierra Helada
Museu d'Art Contemporani d'Alacant
Encounter modernist masterpieces by Picasso, Miró, and other influential 20th-century artists.
Alicante
Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències
Explore stunning modern architecture spanning a former riverbed.
Valencia
Museu Etnològic
Learn about Dénia's raisin export and toy industry history.
Dénia
Platja de Llevant
Relax on a wide, pristine Blue Flag beach stretching two kilometers.
Benidorm & the Sierra Helada
Museu Arqueològic Provincial d'Alacant
Discover prehistoric to medieval artifacts in a sleek museum within a former hospital.
Alicante

Choose your length

3-day plan17 stops · 4.5 h transit5.7 stops/day · 1.5 h transit/daySee the full plan →4-day plan24 stops · 5.0 h transit6 stops/day · 1.2 h transit/daySee the full plan →5-day plan30 stops · 6.0 h transit6 stops/day · 1.2 h transit/daySee the full plan →

When to go

Best months: April, May, June, July, August, September, October

Beach weather without the August density, rice at the source in the Albufera, and the Fallas' March fires or June's Hogueras if you time the festivals.

See the month-by-month breakdown →

Similar journeys

Plan your own version →