A Walk Along the Túria: Valencia’s Wild Side

I’ve decided to start exploring more of the walking routes I find on Wikiloc, especially the ones around Valencia. Nothing too ambitious for now, just an excuse to get outside, walk and discover places that are actually much closer than I sometimes realise.

This time I had Arctic with me, which made the choice of route quite easy. I wanted somewhere simple, with some shade and where I could turn back if the September heat became too much. So we headed towards the Parc Fluvial del Túria.

The route soon takes you through a very different side of Valencia. You leave the urban landscape behind and start walking between small paths, fields, old houses and the vegetation of the huerta.

I’ve lived in Valencia for years, but I still find it strange how quickly the city can disappear. A few kilometres away from busy streets, you can suddenly be walking along a quiet path surrounded by trees and farmland.

Arctic was obviously more interested in smelling absolutely everything than following the route 😅, so our pace wasn’t exactly impressive.

But that was also the point. I’m trying to make these little routes less about reaching somewhere as fast as possible and more about actually paying attention to where I am. I spend too much time thinking about the next thing I have to do, so walking like this is a good way of slowing things down a bit.

As we kept walking, the landscape slowly changed. The city was still there, always visible in the distance, but nature had started to take over the space around us.

We passed under bridges, alongside old concrete structures covered in graffiti, and through areas that felt strangely forgotten despite being so close to Valencia.

There was something I really liked about that contrast: highways and apartment buildings on one side, reeds, water and open land on the other. It wasn't the kind of beautiful landscape you would normally find in a travel guide, but that was exactly what made it interesting.

And Arctic, of course, was completely in his element. Every path was somewhere new to explore.

As the sun started to go down, the whole place changed again. The light became warmer, the city turned into a silhouette in the distance, and what had started as a simple walk became one of those small moments that make you glad you decided to leave the house.

Nothing spectacular. No big destination. Just walking, exploring and watching the day come to an end.

Sometimes that's enough.

By this point, the sun was beginning to disappear behind the trees and everything started to feel much calmer. The paths were almost empty, the temperature had finally dropped, and Arctic was still happily leading the way as if we had only just started.

We stopped for a while to eat something and rest. Nothing fancy — just the food I had brought with me, sitting outside while Arctic kept an eye on absolutely everything around us. These simple stops are probably one of my favourite parts of these little adventures.

From there, we continued following the river back towards the city. Ducks appeared along the water, the light slowly faded, and eventually the landscape became more urban again.

By the time we reached the end, it was already getting dark. After spending hours walking through paths, vegetation and quiet stretches of the Túria, suddenly seeing lights, people and the city again felt almost strange.

It wasn't a huge adventure and we hadn't travelled far from home. But that's exactly the point of these microadventures. You don't always need a plane, a hotel or a big plan to discover somewhere new.

Sometimes you just need a free afternoon, a path you've never followed before, some food in your backpack… and a very enthusiastic dog to show you the way.

🌏 I hope you enjoyed this little journey along the Parc Fluvial del Túria, discovering a different side of Valencia with Arctic.
💬 Leave a comment — I’d love to know what you think!