Valencia · Spain
Turia Garden
A practical guide to the Turia Garden in Valencia: the three-kilometer stretch from the City of Arts and Sciences to the center, what to see along the way, how long it takes, Gulliver and the river that became a park.
Yes, it's worth it, and it's free: it's the best way to get from the City of Arts and Sciences to the center. Think of it as a walk that links places, not as a monument.
The Turia Garden is the river Valencia turned into a park. It’s about 8.5 kilometers of gardens, paths and sports fields in the dry bed of the Turia, a few meters below the city, between the stone walls of the old riverbanks. It’s crossed by 18 bridges from almost every era, from a Gothic one built in 1407 to Calatrava’s from 2008, and Valencians use it every day to run, stroll and picnic.
Our experience
We walked it on Tuesday, May 26. At 8:45 we took a taxi to the City of Arts and Sciences and, after walking around the outside, at 10:15 we went down into the riverbed by the l’Assut de l’Or bridge. From there it was three kilometers west, with Gulliver along the way, until we came out at the Pont del Real and walked to the Central Market, which we entered at 11:15.
We planned it that way because it links two of the day’s stops for free, on foot, on flat ground and largely in the shade, and because we were saving the taxi for the trip to the paella. The night before, we had already been on the bank of the Turia by the Pont de Fusta to watch the sunset in front of the Torres de Serranos. The full day is in our big day in Valencia.
A bit of history
On October 14, 1957, the Turia burst its banks and swept into the city with a wall of water up to five meters high. The official death toll was 81; some historians believe it was closer to 300 and that Franco-era censorship hid the rest. The response was the Plan Sur: a new 12-kilometer channel south of the city, approved in 1961 and built between 1964 and 1973, which took the river away.
The empty riverbed was supposed to become a six-lane highway. Residents organized under a slogan, “el llit del riu és nostre i el volem verd,” the riverbed is ours and we want it green, and they won. In 1976 a decree by King Juan Carlos I began returning the riverbed, and in 1979 it passed to the city as green space. Ricardo Bofill led the master plan, approved in 1984, and the first sections opened in 1986. Gulliver arrived in 1990, and the City of Arts and Sciences gradually took over the eastern end starting in 1998.
How it fits into your day
If you go to the City of Arts and Sciences early, come back through the Turia: you end up next to the market, La Lonja and the cathedral. If you have ten minutes to spare, the Jardí de les Hespèrides is the best detour.
What to see, in order
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The l'Assut de l'Or bridge
Calatrava's white bridge from 2008, with a leaning mast and cables like a harp. Take the ramp down on the north side and turn to see it with the City of Arts and Sciences behind it.
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Gulliver Park
About 700 meters in. A 70-meter Gulliver lying down and tied up by the Lilliputians, with slides in his hair and stairs up his arm. It was designed by Rafael Rivera, Fallas artist Manolo Martín and illustrator Sento Llobell, and opened in 1990.
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The rose gardens and plane trees
Past the Pont d'Aragó the most photogenic stretch begins, with roses still blooming in May and an avenue of plane trees.
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The Palau de la Música
Up on the north bank, the 1987 concert hall. Almost everyone sees it from below and keeps walking.
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The Jardí de les Hespèrides
A 100-meter detour: 54 citrus varieties in 4,700 m², fountains between cypresses and statues of Hercules and the nymphs. It opened in 2000 and hardly anyone goes in.
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The Pont del Real
Renaissance, from 1599. Take the stairs up on the north side and you're at the Central Market in about 7 minutes.
Tips we wish we’d known
Tips
- Bring water: there are drinking fountains but few kiosks. The big free restrooms are at the City of Arts and Sciences.
- If you rent a bike, compare: the shops at the park entrances charge €15–25 a day, and Valenbisi, the public bike system, has a €13.30 weekly pass.
- At Gulliver there are photographers who snap the kids and then charge €10–15 for the print. You don't have to pay.
- Watch your pockets on the exit stairs into the center, like the one at the Pont del Real: that's where people stop to check their phones and pickpockets work.
Do
- Walk back from the City of Arts and Sciences instead of taking a taxi to the center.
- Climb the stairs up Gulliver's arm if your knees are up for it.
- Come back at sunset to the stretch by the Pont de Fusta to see the Torres de Serranos.
Don’t
- Don't expect a big monument: the payoff builds up bridge by bridge.
- Don't leave a bike on the grass unlocked, not even for five minutes.
- Don't sit at the terraces up on the banks that charge for the view; El Carmen is five minutes away.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Turia Garden?
A park about 8.5 kilometers long in the old bed of the Turia River, which was diverted south of the city after the 1957 flood. It covers about 110 hectares and is crossed by 18 bridges.
How long does it take to walk from the City of Arts and Sciences to the center through the Turia?
About 50 minutes for three kilometers, from the l'Assut de l'Or bridge to the Pont del Real. From there it's about 7 more minutes to the Central Market.
Is the Turia Garden safe?
During the day, yes: there are always people running, walking or cycling. At night, stick to the main paths, which are lit.
Is Gulliver Park free?
Yes. It's an open playground, and adults can climb it too.