Fancy escaping the daily grind and connecting with Valencia’s true ‘green lung’? Many tourist guides recommend a visit to La Albufera as just another stop on a city tour, but today we’re going to go much further. We’ve put together a complete one-day itinerary through the Dehesa del Saler, a magical part of the region characterised by its lush Mediterranean woodland, its natural dunes and that strip of pine forest separating the beach from the great lake of the Valencian Albufera. Camino asfaltado y sendero flanqueado por pinos mediterráneos en el Parque Natural de la Dehesa del Saler en Valencia.

In the morning: Connect with nature at the Dehesa del Saler

Depending on the time of year you visit, the park’s natural surroundings offer two completely different experiences:

 In winter: The Dehesa del Saler trail and the ‘Route of the Senses’

In the cooler months, the perfect thing to do is to let yourself be carried along by the seafront promenade and not be shy about venturing into the pine forest. Surrounded by nature, you’ll find the Dehesa del Saler trail, with the famous ‘Route of the 5 Senses’ being a particular highlight. This route invites you to smell, touch, see and hear more than 850 species of native vegetation, whilst spotting over 350 types of birds – all concentrated along a magical 300-metre stretch. If you prefer, you can also cycle the route, as the Dehesa has several flat, well-suited paths. Panel informativo del Itinerario de los Sentidos en el Parque Natural de la Dehesa del Saler en Valencia.

 In summer: Relax on Saler beach, amongst the dunes and at the Gola de Pujol

If you’re visiting in the summer, we recommend enjoying the Valencian heat in a way that’s unique to this region: by relaxing on Saler beach. Its vast coastal dunes protect a unique ecosystem where marine vegetation blends with a sanctuary for a multitude of birds. During your stroll along the shore, don’t forget to visit the Gola de Pujol, the waterway that connects La Albufera lake directly to the Mediterranean Sea.

At midday: Where to eat in the Dehesa del Saler, overlooking the sea

After a good walk along the shore or amongst the pine trees, it’s time to recharge your batteries with a delicious Mediterranean meal right in the heart of the nature reserve. Have you ever tried authentic Valencian paella cooked in the traditional way, some fresh clóchinas or freshly prepared tellinas? At La Dehesa, we’ve been experts in seafood cuisine and rice dishes for over 50 years. We look forward to welcoming you to our sea-facing terrace, where you can enjoy the sea breeze whilst savouring the very best our region has to offer. 💡 Tip from the restaurant: At weekends and during peak season, tables get snapped up quickly. You can browse our [Full Menu] or secure your table directly via our [Online Bookings] section.
Paella de langosta recién hecha servida en paellera tradicional en el restaurante La Dehesa en El Saler, Valencia.
Our freshly prepared lobster paella, one of our house specialities, to be enjoyed overlooking the sea.

 In the afternoon: The Albufera de Valencia and a boat trip

To round off a perfect day, there’s nothing better than winding down with a boat trip on La Albufera de Valencia. Having explored the area on foot, seeing it from the water will give you a completely different perspective. Watching the sun bathe the water in golden light whilst birds fly close to the boat is, without a doubt, one of the most beautiful sights you can experience in Valencia.

 Visit to the Racó de L’Olla Visitor Centre

Before setting off, head to the Racó de L’Olla Visitor Centre. From there, you can follow the signposted trail to the observation tower. Several park guides will reveal the secrets of the ecosystem and advise you on the best routes to take.

 The best sunset at Saler Beach and La Albufera

To round off the day, we’ll let you in on our favourite spot: follow the canal to the small traditional jetty near La Gola. From there, you can watch the sunset over La Albufera without the crowds, as the sky turns shades of red, reflected in the water.  

 Practical information: How to get to the Dehesa del Saler and a map

To make sure you have no doubts when organising your getaway, here are the main ways to get there: By car: From the centre of Valencia, take the V-15 motorway towards El Saler/CV-500. You’ll be there in just 15 minutes. Parking: You’ll find designated parking areas next to the Gola de Pujol and at the beach entrances. By public bus (EMT): EMT bus route 25 takes you directly to El Saler and La Albufera from the centre of Valencia for a very reasonable price.    

Fancy escaping the daily grind and connecting with Valencia’s true ‘green lung’? Many tourist guides recommend a visit to La Albufera as just another stop on a city tour, but today we’re going to go much further.

We’ve put together a complete one-day itinerary through the Dehesa del Saler, a magical part of the region characterised by its lush Mediterranean woodland, its natural dunes and that strip of pine forest separating the beach from the great lake of the Valencian Albufera.

Camino asfaltado y sendero flanqueado por pinos mediterráneos en el Parque Natural de la Dehesa del Saler en Valencia.

In the morning: Connect with nature at the Dehesa del Saler

Depending on the time of year you visit, the park’s natural surroundings offer two completely different experiences:

 In winter: The Dehesa del Saler trail and the ‘Route of the Senses’

In the cooler months, the perfect thing to do is to let yourself be carried along by the seafront promenade and not be shy about venturing into the pine forest. Surrounded by nature, you’ll find the Dehesa del Saler trail, with the famous ‘Route of the 5 Senses’ being a particular highlight. This route invites you to smell, touch, see and hear more than 850 species of native vegetation, whilst spotting over 350 types of birds – all concentrated along a magical 300-metre stretch.

If you prefer, you can also cycle the route, as the Dehesa has several flat, well-suited paths.

Panel informativo del Itinerario de los Sentidos en el Parque Natural de la Dehesa del Saler en Valencia.

 In summer: Relax on Saler beach, amongst the dunes and at the Gola de Pujol

If you’re visiting in the summer, we recommend enjoying the Valencian heat in a way that’s unique to this region: by relaxing on Saler beach. Its vast coastal dunes protect a unique ecosystem where marine vegetation blends with a sanctuary for a multitude of birds.

During your stroll along the shore, don’t forget to visit the Gola de Pujol, the waterway that connects La Albufera lake directly to the Mediterranean Sea.

At midday: Where to eat in the Dehesa del Saler, overlooking the sea

After a good walk along the shore or amongst the pine trees, it’s time to recharge your batteries with a delicious Mediterranean meal right in the heart of the nature reserve.

Have you ever tried authentic Valencian paella cooked in the traditional way, some fresh clóchinas or freshly prepared tellinas? At La Dehesa, we’ve been experts in seafood cuisine and rice dishes for over 50 years. We look forward to welcoming you to our sea-facing terrace, where you can enjoy the sea breeze whilst savouring the very best our region has to offer.

💡 Tip from the restaurant: At weekends and during peak season, tables get snapped up quickly. You can browse our [Full Menu] or secure your table directly via our [Online Bookings] section.

Paella de langosta recién hecha servida en paellera tradicional en el restaurante La Dehesa en El Saler, Valencia.
Our freshly prepared lobster paella, one of our house specialities, to be enjoyed overlooking the sea.

 In the afternoon: The Albufera de Valencia and a boat trip

To round off a perfect day, there’s nothing better than winding down with a boat trip on La Albufera de Valencia. Having explored the area on foot, seeing it from the water will give you a completely different perspective. Watching the sun bathe the water in golden light whilst birds fly close to the boat is, without a doubt, one of the most beautiful sights you can experience in Valencia.

 Visit to the Racó de L’Olla Visitor Centre

Before setting off, head to the Racó de L’Olla Visitor Centre. From there, you can follow the signposted trail to the observation tower. Several park guides will reveal the secrets of the ecosystem and advise you on the best routes to take.

 The best sunset at Saler Beach and La Albufera

To round off the day, we’ll let you in on our favourite spot: follow the canal to the small traditional jetty near La Gola. From there, you can watch the sunset over La Albufera without the crowds, as the sky turns shades of red, reflected in the water.

 

 Practical information: How to get to the Dehesa del Saler and a map

To make sure you have no doubts when organising your getaway, here are the main ways to get there:

By car: From the centre of Valencia, take the V-15 motorway towards El Saler/CV-500. You’ll be there in just 15 minutes.
Parking: You’ll find designated parking areas next to the Gola de Pujol and at the beach entrances.
By public bus (EMT): EMT bus route 25 takes you directly to El Saler and La Albufera from the centre of Valencia for a very reasonable price.