For those of you who think the only option for a refreshing bathe in Valencia is the beach, we've got excellent news.
This area is fortunate enough to have many other options to beat the high temperatures just a stone’s throw from the city: nearly wild natural spots where you can dive right in.
With leave from our fantastic beaches, we have put together this guide to alternative locations besides the sea where you can spend some your prized holiday time.
A selection of rivers, pools, springs and waterfalls only a few kilometres from the capital. Places where time seems to have stopped and you’ll emerge feeling like new.
To make things easy for you, we've ordered them from closest to furthest from the city, so nobody will miss out on a nice dip this summer.
However, before we share where you can go for a bathe in the area around Valencia, we’d like to ask that wherever you go, you take good care of our environmental heritage.
Preserving our surroundings is always all of our responsibility, so please don't give your good habits a holiday too.
OK then, let's take a look at those one-of-a-kind dips we promised earlier.
Get out your GPS because we’re off.
El Turche Cave and Buñol River pools (Buñol, Valencia)
30 minutes from Valencia
You can get to El Turche Cave and its pools in less than half an hour by car from the capital.
You’ll find a lake plunging down from the top of a rock wall in a 60-metre waterfall!
This spectacular spot offers swimming, but you can also spend the day because there’s a well-maintained picnic area perfect for refuelling.
Take a short break and then head over to any of the other spots in the area for another swim.
The thing is, above El Turche Cave there is more: the natural pools of the Buñol River.
These pools are located in an area known as La Jarra, close to the Parque Fluvial (River Park), where you can also take a dip.
And then on to San Luis Park, San Luis Bertrán Chapel, the Manantial (Spring) and Municipal Auditorium.
Access
- Entry is free of charge.
- There is a private car park with a €5 fee for the entire day. Please note that parking is prohibited outside this area because it is a county road.
El Gorgo de la Escalera (Anna, Valencia)
45 minutes from Valencia
We're still in the province of Valencia, but this time we'll be visiting an inland beach.
Yes, there are also beaches away from the sea where you can spend a refreshing day outdoors.
As the Spanish name indicates, the spot is accessed via a staircase (escalera).
Just 136 steps separate you from the cool, crystalline water, the kind that leaves you refreshed for the entire day, highly appreciated in the summer, that's for sure!
El Gorgo de la Escalera de Anna is a canyon carved out by the river water plunging over El Salto, a waterfall previously utilized to provide hydroelectric energy for paper, textile and power plants.
Nearby is the famous lagoon commonly known as Anna Lake. However, there is no swimming there, so we have not included it in our list of one-of-a-kind dips.
Access
- Parking is very easy because there is an area set up for free
- An admission and swimming ticket is €2, and if you're also going to the lagoon, you can get a combined ticket for €3.
Salto de la Novia (Navajas, Castellón)
45 minutes from Valencia
We now head to another province, travelling 60 kilometres north of Valencia to Salto de la Novia, in the town of Navajas.
The Palancia River flows through this Castellón town, leaving us with the spectacular El Brazal Waterfall, with a drop of no less than 50 metres.
In addition to the waterfall, this bathing getaway offers the Bajada de las Fuentes (Descent of the Springs), a path that will take you to several river sources, including the Peña, Luz, Hierro, Mosén Miguel and Curso springs, to which it owes its name.
Access
- Salto de la Novia is a 500-metre walk from the entrance at the Salto de la Novia Interpretation Centre.
- There is no car park. You will need to find street parking in the area near the entrance.
- The fee for entry is €2 for 11 and over; children 10 and under are free.
Sellent River (Bolbaite, Valencia)
1 hour from the city of Valencia
Our next destination in the Sellent River at Bolbaite.
This spot is one of the treasures of the Canal de Navarrés district, especially in summer, when it is the perfect oasis to spend the day. There is a picnic area, or as the locals call it, a merendero (outdoor café).
In other words, you can give yourself a one-day mini-holiday to disconnect without having to leave.
At this point, the Sellent River become a lake with a swimming area set up for bathers. The water is clear … and somewhat cold, that’s for sure.
Besides this large natural swimming pool, upriver there are several spots known as gorgos that are highly recommended for bathing. The best known is the Gorgo Cadena, with an underwater cave of considerable speleological interest.
Access
- You will need to park in the surrounding area and then walk down a 100-metre path.
- The fee to use the bathrooms, showers, picnic area and cleaning is €3 on weekends and holidays and €2 Monday to Friday.
La Fuente de los Baños (Montanejos, Castellón)
1 hour from the city of Valencia
Our list of places to swim continues with one just a short hour from Valencia, and there is something special about the water here.
La Fuente de los Baños is the source of the thermal waters of Montanejos, thermal town.
It boasts a group of natural pools surrounded by dense vegetation with a constant temperature of 25° year-round. This wonderful temperature gives them hypo-thermal effects.
But the fine qualities of the water do not end there. Its hydro-geochemical and biological properties also have health benefits, that’s all!
At La Fuente de los Baños, in addition to an invigorating swim, you can spend the entire day. There is a picnic area, children’s play area and snack bar to get a bite to eat.
Access
- La Fuente de los Baños has a car park, but you can also leave your car in town and walk over.
- Purchase your tickets online or at the ticket booth:
Online price, €3
Ticket office price, €3.5
Children ages 4–10 and adults 65 and over, €2
Residents, family members, homeowners, renters and persons with more than 25% functional diversity, free.
- In summer, capacity is limited. We recommend checking conditions and restrictions on the Montanejos Tourism
Los Charcos de Quesa (Quesa, Valencia)
1 hour, 7 minutes from the city of Valencia
Another excellent option in Valencia for cooling down without going to the beach is Los Charcos de Quesa.
This spot offers four pools of different sizes and depths set in a mountain landscape, and you can swim in all of them.
The area was created by the Grande River.
To enjoy its rock formations, waterfalls and clear water, you can go from pool to pool following a very simple route from Quesa, crossing the river ravine and following its course.
Access
- The easiest option is to park at Los Charcos Recreation Area, where there are spaces with shade, a fountain, tables and bathrooms.
Los Chopos de Jalance (Jalance, Valencia)
1 hour, 18 minutes from the city of Valencia
As the Spanish name suggests, our next dip is in an area filled with poplars (chopos), which provide welcome shade, particularly in the middle of summer.
An abundance of flora protects the natural pool at Chopos de Jalance, some three kilometres from town.
This is a typical authentic river area without any human intervention. A wild spot that is delightfully reminiscent of another era.
If you truly want to disconnect, you can enjoy a relaxing swim at this haven on the Júcar River, which has a smaller flow at this point on its course, preventing the current from being overpowering.
Access
- Park beside the road because, as we said, no work has been done and there is no car park. However, the rural track is paved and there is no problem leaving your car there.
- Because the area is almost wild, there is no entry charge or fee for bathing.
Fonts de l’Algar (Callosa d’En Sarrià, Alicante)
Less than 2 hours from the city of Valencia
To round off our selection of refreshing spots near Valencia, we head a little further afield, to the province of Alicante.
Almost two hours by car but well worth every minute because Les Fonts de l’Algar is the closest thing to a natural water park you can imagine.
In fact, the visit includes a 1.5-kilometre circuit along the course of the Algar River.
Leaping from the top of a waterfall, soaking in one of the many source springs that emerge from the rock, and swimming in one of the tolls (pools of water) are a few of the activities you can do at this almost water theme park.
Of course, the water is quite a bit colder.
The most surprising thing is that despite being in a very touristy area (just 15 kilometres from Benidorm), it is extremely well preserved and has been a protected wetland since 2002.
Access
- There is free parking in the area around the office for the springs.
- You can also leave your car at other privately run car parks in the same area.
- A ticket is required to enter, and the price varies by season.
In high season (15 June–15 October), it is €5 per person over 10 and €2 for children aged 4 to 10.
For special discounts and low season prices, it is best to check the website: Les Fonts de L’Algar.
And with this refreshing paradise, we conclude our list of one-of-a-kind dips in Valencia, where you can enjoy a nice swim and immerse yourself in these delightful natural environments.
Take advantage of these getaways to breathe, get some fresh air and disconnect, but don’t forget to keep it sustainable.
So, which one do you think you’ll start with?
