City Europe
Valencia
Valencia is a big city in Spain, near the sea. Long ago a river ran through it; now a long park runs where the river used to be.
Valencia is Spain's third-biggest city, with 841,558 people at the start of 2025. The Romans founded it in 138 BC on a small river island. Farming and trade were long the base of its economy, and its port shipped oranges and rice. A park 7 km long now fills the old bed of the Turia river.
Valencia, founded as Valentia in 138 BC, is the capital of the Valencian Community and Spain's third city. Its port grew in the late 19th century with citrus exports; after the 1957 floods the Turia was diverted south of the city, and its old bed became a 7 km park.
Photo: Nicolas Vollmer from Munich [Allemagne], CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Discover Valencia
Valencia is a big city in Spain, in Europe. It is the third-biggest city in the country.
It is close to the sea, and it is very, very old.
Valencia is a city in eastern Spain and the capital of the Valencian Community. Spain's statistics office counted 841,558 people living there on 1 January 2025, the third-most of any Spanish city, after Madrid and Barcelona.
Universalis says the city lies on the banks of the Turia river, in the middle of the huerta, a stretch of irrigated farmland, and that for a long time farming and trade were the base of its economy.
City Population's table (INE census and municipal register) gives Valencia 744,748 people in the 1981 census, 738,441 in 2001, 792,054 in 2011, 788,842 in the 2021 census and 841,558 on 1 January 2025, third among Spain's cities. The Valencian Community had 5,425,182.
Universalis calls the huerta around the city the best known in the peninsula for its age and its own water institutions, the irrigation communities and the Tribunal de las Aguas (Water Court).
- Country
- Spain (capital of the Valencian Community)
- People in Valencia (register, 1 January 2025)
- 841,558
- People in the Valencian Community (same date)
- 5,425,182
- Founded
- 138 BC, as Valentia
Roofs from a tower
Look at all the roofs! Many are made of brown and orange tiles.
A tall old stone tower stands on the left, and far away you can see hills.
This view over Valencia was taken from the Micalet, the tower of Valencia Cathedral, on 4 September 2012. Narrow streets wind between old buildings with tiled roofs, a tall old stone tower rises on the left, and domes stand among the roofs. Rows of apartment blocks stretch away to low hills on the horizon.
The Lonja de la Seda, the old Silk Exchange, stands about 250 meters west-southwest of the Micalet, Wikidata's points show.
Commons: 'Vue sur la ville depuis la Tour du Miguelete' (view of the city from the Micalet tower), 4 September 2012, by Nicolas Vollmer (Flickr, CC BY 2.0, confirmed by FlickreviewR in 2014); filed under 'Views from the Micalet'.
UNESCO: the Lonja de la Seda was built between 1482 and 1533 for trading in silk and has always been a center for commerce; it is a masterpiece of late Gothic architecture, inscribed in 1996. Wikidata names Pere Compte as its architect.
- Photo
- the city seen from the Micalet tower, 4 September 2012
- El Micalet
- the tower of Valencia Cathedral, dated 1429 by Wikidata
- Lonja de la Seda (Silk Exchange)
- built 1482–1533; World Heritage Site since 1996
From a Roman island town
Long, long ago, Romans built a little town on an island in a river. That town grew into Valencia.
Later, people moved the river away from the city and made a long park where it used to flow.
Valencia's city council says Valentia was founded in 138 BC, according to the Roman historian Livy. Its first site was a small river island near the sea, crossed by a Roman road later called the Via Augusta. The first settlers were former soldiers who were given land around the town.
Universalis says the old city walls disappeared in 1864 as the city spread out. After big floods in 1957, the Turia was diverted to the south of the city.
The council's L'Almoina archaeological center: Valentia was founded in 138 BC under the consul Decimus Junius Brutus, according to Livy, on a small river island near the sea, crossed by the Via Heraclea (later Via Augusta); the first settlers were veteran soldiers given land around the city. Its baths, found at l'Almoina, are called the oldest Roman baths in Hispania.
Universalis (Roland Courtot): walls gone in 1864; a grid-plan expansion and the 'new town' of the Grao; the Plan Sur diverted the river south after the 1957 floods, and the old riverbed became a park 7 km long.
- First site
- a small river island near the sea, on a Roman road
- City walls taken down
- 1864
- Turia moved south of the city
- after the floods of 1957
Metro, port and airport
Valencia has a metro and trams to ride. Ships come to its port, and planes land at its airport.
Metrovalencia, the metro and tram system of Valencia and the towns around it, opened on 8 October 1988, Wikidata says. Valencia Airport, in the town of Manises, lies about 9 kilometers west of the Micalet and dates from 1933.
Universalis says Valencia built its port on a low, sandy coast that was not well suited to one, because export crops boomed in the second half of the 19th century.
Wikidata: Metrovalencia, metro and tram system of the city and its metropolitan area, opened 1988-10-08; Valencia Airport (Manises), opened 19 March 1933, 9.25 km W of the Micalet.
Universalis lists the port's main imports as raw materials for farming (fertilizers, phosphates) and industry (wood, petroleum products), and its smaller exports as farm products such as rice, oranges, lemons and onions, and manufactured goods such as furniture, ceramics, glazed tiles and textiles.
- Metrovalencia (metro and tram)
- opened 8 October 1988
- Valencia Airport
- in Manises, about 9 km west of the Micalet; opened 1933
- The port
- grew in the second half of the 19th century
Mild winters, hot summers
Valencia has mild winters and hot summers.
Summer is the driest time. Autumn is the wettest.
The World Meteorological Organization's averages for Valencia (1981–2010) give August days an average high of about 30 °C. Even in January, nights average about 7 °C.
About 475 millimeters of rain and other precipitation fall in a year. July is the driest month, with less than 8 millimeters, and October the wettest, with 77.
WMO World Weather Information Service, Valencia (1981–2010): average highs from 16.4 °C in January to 30.2 °C in August; average lows from 7.1 °C in January to 21.9 °C in August. Precipitation totals 475.0 mm; July 7.8 mm is the driest month, and September (69.6 mm) and October (77.0 mm) the wettest.
In this table the average low stays at 7.1 °C or above in every month.
- August, average high (WMO, 1981–2010)
- 30.2 °C
- January, average low (same table)
- 7.1 °C
- Precipitation in a year
- 475.0 mm
Oranges, silk and science
Long ago, farms near Valencia grew more oranges and lemons than anywhere else by the Mediterranean. People traded silk in a grand old building.
In the old riverbed there is a long park, with a big science and arts center.
Universalis says that in the second half of the 19th century the Valencia region became the leading citrus orchard of the Mediterranean, and its port shipped oranges, lemons and rice.
In the city, the old bed of the Turia has become a park stretching for 7 kilometers, loved by people from Valencia and by visitors. The City of Arts and Sciences, designed by the architect Santiago Calatrava, opened there in 1998 and has become a symbol of Valencia.
Universalis: the region became the Mediterranean's leading citrus orchard in the second half of the 19th century; the region's industry has diversified. The Turia's old bed is now a 7 km park, and the City of Arts and Sciences (Calatrava, inaugurated 1998) is a symbol of the city.
Wikidata: the Turia Garden was designed by Ricardo Bofill; the City of Arts and Sciences lies 3.13 km SE of the Micalet.
- City of Arts and Sciences
- by Santiago Calatrava, opened 1998
- Old riverbed park
- about 7 km long
- Region's farms
- the Mediterranean's leading citrus orchard in the late 19th century
Valencia on the map
Find Spain on the globe, in the southwest of Europe. Valencia is on its east side, near the Mediterranean Sea.
Valencia lies at about 39.5° north, on the Turia river and on the great route along Spain's Mediterranean coast, Universalis says. Measured from the Micalet, the Lonja de la Seda is about 250 meters west-southwest and the City of Arts and Sciences about 3.1 kilometers southeast.
Valencia Airport is about 9 kilometers to the west.
Valencia lies at about 39.47° N and 0.38° W. From the Micalet (Wikidata points): Lonja de la Seda 0.25 km WSW, Turia Garden's point 1.07 km WNW, City of Arts and Sciences 3.13 km SE, Valencia Airport 9.25 km W.
Universalis places the city on the great communication route along the Mediterranean coast, in the middle of its huerta.
- Latitude
- about 39.5° north
- Longitude
- about 0.4° west
- Setting
- on the Turia, on the Mediterranean coast route
Amazing facts
-
Valencia has a 7-kilometer park where a river used to flow!
Universalis says the old bed of the Turia, which was moved south after the 1957 floods, is now a park stretching for 7 kilometers.
Universalis: the Plan Sur diverted the Turia south of the city after the 1957 floods; the old riverbed became a 7 km park.
-
The farmland around Valencia has its own Water Court!
Universalis says the huerta around Valencia is known for its age and its own water institutions, including the Tribunal de las Aguas, the Water Court.
Universalis: the huerta is the best known in the peninsula for its age and its jurisdiction (irrigation communities and the Tribunal de las Aguas).
-
People once traded silk in Valencia's Lonja de la Seda.
UNESCO says the Lonja de la Seda, built between 1482 and 1533, was first used for trading silk, which is why it is called the Silk Exchange.
UNESCO: built 1482–1533, originally for the silk trade; a masterpiece of late Gothic architecture; inscribed 1996, criteria (i)(iv).
-
Valencia's first Roman settlers were old soldiers who were given land.
Valencia's city council says the first people of Valentia were former soldiers who received land around the new town.
Ajuntament de València (L'Almoina): the first settlers were veteran soldiers given land around the city; its Roman baths are called the oldest in Hispania.
Words to know
- huerta
- irrigated farmland around Valencia, watered by channels
- irrigation
- bringing water to fields through channels or pipes
- citrus
- fruits such as oranges and lemons
- exchange
- a building where merchants meet to buy and sell goods
- riverbed
- the ground a river flows over
- Gothic
- a style of building from the Middle Ages with pointed arches and tall, slender columns
Discovery challenge
-
Valencia is a city in which country?
Valencia is the third-biggest city in which country?
Valencia is the capital of the Valencian Community in which country?
- Italy
- Spain
- Portugal
Show the answer
Spain
Spain!
Spain, after Madrid and Barcelona.
Spain.
-
What is in Valencia where a river used to flow?
What did Valencia make in the old bed of the Turia river?
After the Turia was diverted following the 1957 floods, what did its old bed become?
- A long park
- An airport
- A desert
Show the answer
A long park
A long park!
A park 7 kilometers long.
A 7 km park.
-
Long ago, the Valencia region grew more of which fruits than anywhere else by the Mediterranean?
In the 19th century, the Valencia region became the Mediterranean's leading orchard for which fruits?
According to Universalis, which crops made the Valencia region the Mediterranean's leading orchard in the late 19th century?
- Apples
- Citrus fruits like oranges
- Bananas
Show the answer
Citrus fruits like oranges
Oranges!
Citrus fruits such as oranges and lemons.
Citrus (agrumes).
-
Who built the first town of Valencia?
Who founded Valentia in 138 BC?
Under which people's rule was Valentia founded in 138 BC, according to Livy?
- The Romans
- The Vikings
- The Aztecs
Show the answer
The Romans
The Romans!
The Romans.
The Romans, under the consul Decimus Junius Brutus.
-
What did people trade in the Lonja de la Seda?
The Lonja de la Seda was first used for trading what?
UNESCO says the Lonja (1482–1533) gets its name from trade in what?
- Silk
- Gold
- Horses
Show the answer
Silk
Silk!
Silk: it is the Silk Exchange.
Silk (seda).
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For parents & teachers
What children will learn
- Locate Valencia on Spain's Mediterranean coast, on the Turia river.
- Explain how a flood led a city to move a river and turn the old bed into a park.
- Read a climate table and find the driest and wettest months.
- Compare a city's population across more than 40 years.
Recommended ages: 3 to 17 · About 15 minutes
Talk about it
- Valencia moved its river after big floods. What are the good and hard sides of moving a river?
- Valencia's farmers have their own Water Court. Why might people who share water need rules?
- The Lonja was built for trading silk. What is traded in markets near you?
Try at home or in class
- Climate chart: plot Valencia's monthly precipitation and find the driest month.
- River park plan: draw a river through a city, then redraw it as a park with paths and playgrounds.
- Citrus count: cut an orange and a lemon in half and count their segments and seeds.
Key vocabulary: huerta, irrigation, citrus, exchange, riverbed, Gothic
Where these facts come from
- Wikidata , Wikimedia Foundation (CC0 1.0)
- Natural Earth vector data , Natural Earth (NACIS) (Public domain)
- Spain: Autonomous Communities and Major Cities , City Population (Thomas Brinkhoff), from the Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE)
- Valence (Espagne) , Encyclopaedia Universalis (Roland Courtot)
- La fundación (Centre Arqueològic de l'Almoina) , Ajuntament de València
- La Lonja de la Seda de Valencia , UNESCO World Heritage Centre
- Valencia: climatological information , World Meteorological Organization, World Weather Information Service (Agencia Estatal de Meteorología)
- File:Vue sur la ville depuis la Tour du Miguelete (8277318710).jpg (Nicolas Vollmer, 4 September 2012) , Wikimedia Commons
- Wikimedia Commons , Wikimedia Foundation (Per file (public domain, CC0, CC BY or CC BY-SA); see each media record)
Checked, not yet human-reviewed. Last updated November 1, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.