Welcome to Valencia, a jewel of Spain and one of the most popular ports along the Mediterranean coast! If you’re visiting our beautiful city during a cruise excursion, we cannot recommend enough our Half Day Shore Tour with a private, local guide to ensure you have the most authentic Valencian experience with the time you have in port.

Your Half Day Shore Tour is completely customizable to your exact specifications, making sure you have the chance to visit Valencia’s must-sees as well as exploring some off-the-beaten-path destinations within our wonderful city.  You will be able to explore with a local, bilingual guide while leaving plenty of time for food, shopping, or simply getting lost in the winding streets of the Ciutat Vella – the Old City.

Your private, bilingual guide will pick you up directly from the port, first taking you on a scenic route to visit Malvarossa Beach, where you’ll see the vast expanse of sandy Mediterranean coastline. Take some time to walk along the boardwalk, learning the history of one of Ernest Hemmingway’s favorite places in the world, possibly even dipping your toes in the water.

From there, your guide will show you the secrets of the famous City of Arts and Sciences and take you past the original, medieval city gates all in a private, air conditioned vehicle before you enter the bustling, pedestrian historic city center where you’ll find ancient Roman ruins, Saint Mary’s Cathedral, the Central Market, and La Lonja Silk Exchange, our prized UNESCO World Heritage site.

We will take the time to to explore several of our historic town squares, or plazas, where locals come together to chat, have a coffee, and watch travelers poke around the shops and cafes. If you’re lucky, you might even spot a fallera, a local young woman dressed in a traditional 18^th century costume. Falleras are a common sighting during our annual Fallas festival, but occasionally they come out during other parts of the year to perform symbolic duties and, of course, take photos with our welcome visitors!

Our Half Day Shore Tour includes entrance into one museum or monument of your choice, allowing you to spend a bit more time exploring a historic part of our beloved city with you private guide. We love taking travelers into La Lonja Silk Exchange, as it is one of the world’s greatest examples of gothic architecture, but of course, the decision is yours! Our tours are completely customizable for all travelers, meaning we are happy to accommodate for any mobility or dietary restrictions to the best of our ability.

We love our four-hour Highlights Tour because we can introduce travelers to the best parts of our city while leaving you with plenty of time to explore on your own, but if you’re looking to spend some more time visiting Valencia, we would be delighted to take you to lunch with us during a longer Full Day Shore Tour or perhaps bring you outside of the city center on one of our City and Countryside Combination Shore Tours, perfectly customized to your interests and time restrictions.

Duration: 4 hours

Meeting Point: Train Station, Bus Station, Port, Hotel, or Destination of Your Choice

We are happy to arrange a meeting point that is most convenient for you. We will gladly collect you and drop you off free of charge anywhere in the vicinity of the city center, port, beach, or City of Arts and Sciences. We would also be delighted to pick you up or drop you off outside of the city center or at the airport for a small fee.   

***For Port Pick Ups Only: Your private guide will meet you at the ‘Acciona Transmediterranea terminal’ at the cruise ship port, where your ship might be docking anyway. If you dock elsewhere, you will be at a pier a bit further away with restricted access for vehicles and private pick-ups. In this case, the port authorities will provide a shuttle bus, free of charge, that takes about 5 minutes to get to the Acciona Transmediterranea Terminal, which is the only place private pick-ups are allowed. Your guide will be waiting for you at the terminal with a sign in your name.

Transportation: 

• 4 people or fewer – Mercedes Class B (similar to a small SUV).
• 4-6 people – Chrysler Grand Voyager with tinted windows, leather seats, and electric doors.
• 7+ people – Private coach with a driver, in addition to your guide.

IMPORTANT NOTE (for groups of 6): In my larger touring car, the middle two seats are spacious and comfortable, and the back seat is a three-person bench seat that might be a tight squeeze for some. Before I can confirm a booking for six people with this vehicle, I will need confirmation that you understand this arrangement before I accept the booking. If you prefer, I would be happy to arrange a private coach and driver in addition to your guide. Please let me know that this is your preference when you submit your pre-booking form. 

Inclusions:

• Private, fully bilingual and local guide 
• Private, air conditioned transportation, including all driving expenses (parking costs, fuel, etc.) 
• Entrance into one (1) museum or monument of your choice
• Small, local snack (when applicable)
• Energetic, passionate and involved descriptions to get you totally immersed in our history and culture.
• Commitment to total client satisfaction and American-style pre-tour, touring and post-tour service.

Exclusions:

• Additional museum or monument entrances 
• Food and beverages
• Souvenirs 
• Gratuity