Cycling from Valencia to the Albufera on the El Saler bike path

From the centre of Valencia to the lake, without a car

From the City of Arts and Sciences a 15 km bike path heads south to the Albufera Natural Park, reaching the Gola de Pujol viewpoint. Visit València estimates about 45 minutes. It is flat, easy to follow and comfortable on any bike, including a hired one. When you arrive you have the Devesa, its trails, the Gola jetty and the Racó de l'Olla.

The path reaches the Devesa, but not El Palmar. The last stretch to the village is on the road and is narrow, single-car in places, so Visit València advises getting to El Palmar by bus. If you are with family, stay in the Devesa and come back.

Routes from El Palmar

If you take your bike by car to El Palmar, there are routes along the tracks through the rice fields. From El Palmar to Portet de Sollana it is 16 km there and back, and the Mília viewpoint is 400 m from the Portet. The Na Molins route runs 25 km from El Palmar to the Muntanyeta dels Sants, with one of the best views in the park. To start with, the one from El Palmar to L'Estell is under 6 km there and back.

The full loop: 78 kilometres

The loop around the Albufera from Valencia is a 78 km circuit through rice fields, coastal woodland, fishing ports and villages. It is not waymarked and mostly follows farm tracks, which change with the rice cycle: download the track before setting out. There is no shade, so take a cap, water and sun cream and avoid the hottest hours.

If you would rather go with company, the Visit València shop sells a guided bike tour of the Albufera lasting 4 h 30 min, on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 9:30, from €35, with horchata and fartons; it does not say which company runs it.