Go Slow in Valencia - Birds, History & Paella!

Tour Code: ESP71

A 7-day, gentle-paced tour of the wetlands, hills and steppe surrounding the Spanish city of Valencia, home to an exciting range of birds, a rich history and Spain’s most famous dish, paella.

£2,095

Flight Inclusive

£1,895

Land Only

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Highlights

Explore the historic city of Valencia and enjoy its excellent cuisine, including an authentic paella lunch!
Wetland birds include Slender-billed and Audouin’s Gulls, Purple Swamphens, Greater Flamingos and Marbled Ducks
Chough, Blue Rock Thrush and Rock Bunting amongst highlights in the hills
Visit the steppe for Great and Little Bustards, Bonelli's Eagle and Egyptian and Griffon Vultures
Based throughout in the Parador El Saler, a delightful spa hotel on the edge of the wetlands

Summary

Valencia is a historic city located on the banks of the River Turia, on the eastern (Mediterranean) coast of Spain. Founded as a Roman colony in 138 BCE, it has experienced Visigothic, Islamic and Aragonese rule and rose to become one of the largest cities in Europe in the late 15th century. Valencia became a major centre of silk production in the 18th century and remains an important regional commercial, trade and economic hub to this day. It is also the point of origin for one of Spain’s most famous culinary delights, paella, and this tour will make a special point of sampling the very best local examples of this classic Spanish dish.

Our base for this new 6-night holiday is the wonderful Parador de El Saler, which not only sits close to some of the region’s birding sites but is only a few miles from the city of Valencia itself. On the wildlife front, the Valencia region boasts some extraordinary wildlife havens including Albufera de Valencia, a huge lagoon just south of the city, surrounded by fields producing rice for the paella! Here, a wonderful variety of wetland birds can be enjoyed, including Slender-billed and Audouin’s Gulls, Purple Swamphens, Greater Flamingos and Marbled Ducks. We will also explore the montane habitats of the Serra Calderona (seeking, amongst others, Chough, Blue Rock Thrush, Rock Bunting and plenty of raptors including Bonelli’s Eagle and both Egyptian and Griffon Vultures). We will also visit steppe habitat further inland still, where we will search for Great and Little Bustards, Black-bellied Sandgrouse, Stone-curlew and much more besides.

Our holiday will also include a tour of the city of Valencia itself, including the cathedral, the famous Turia Garden and – what may or may not be – the Holy Grail! And, of course, we will have the opportunity to eat the fabled paella, in the very spot where it was born, at a traditional local restaurant away from the tourist-dominated (and inauthentic) eateries where mere pale imitations are served. This easy-paced week in Valencia promises a wonderful mix of wildlife, culture and history, fuelled by the region’s delicious local food and drink.

What's Included?

Food

All included in the price.

Accommodation

We stay at the wonderful Parador El Saler, set among sand dunes and woodland on the coast. All rooms have en suite facilities.

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Itineraries

Itinerary

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Dates & Prices

2026

Flight Inclusive

£2,095

Land Only

£1,895

Single Supplement

£430

Regional Departures

Would you rather depart from an airport closer to you? Give us a call at 1-844-433-9473 and we'll see what we can do.

Tour Leaders

Andy Smith

Andy lives on the edge of Dartmoor in South Devon. He’s been a keen birder and naturalist for as long as he can remember and has enjoyed a varied career divided between conservation work in Britain and Ireland, school teaching and wildlife tour leading.

Regional Departures

Would you rather depart from an airport closer to you? Give us a call at 1-844-433-9473 and we'll see what we can do.

Tour Leader

Yanina Maggiotto

Yanina was born in Argentina and has been passionate about wildlife since her childhood.

2027

Flight Inclusive

£2,495

Land Only

£1,895

Single Supplement

£495

Regional Departures

Would you rather depart from an airport closer to you? Give us a call at 1-844-433-9473 and we'll see what we can do.

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Prefer to Travel in a Private Group?

For any interested natural history club or society, we can arrange for a private departure of this tour.

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Why Naturetrek?

At Naturetrek we craft expertly-guided group and tailor-made wildlife holidays and cruises to all seven continents. On one of our holidays, you can be assured that our passionate team will enable you to experience and enjoy the best of the world's wildlife and natural spectacles in as comfortable and rewarding a manner as possible, caring as best we can for the environment in the process. We are proud to provide:

The widest choice of wildlife holidays worldwide
Tours managed and led by naturalists, for naturalists
Outstanding value and exceptional customer service

Furthermore, as a Naturetrek client, our office team are always to on hand to help you – so if you have any queries about your holiday, whether before or after you have booked, we will be delighted to answer them on the phone. Please just give our team a call!