Orange Country: Valencia's Ruta de la Naranja

Strolling along the streets of Valencia, you can’t miss the orange trees; after all, there are around 14,000 of them in the city, each drooping under the weight of some 500 oranges come autumn. However, the sweet fruit—at its best from November until well into spring—can also be spotted on hundreds of market stalls, in brightly colored cocktails and even spa treatments around town. 

Spain is Europe’s biggest orange producer, and approximately two-thirds of these citrus bombs come from orchards in the coastal region around Valencia, lovingly referred to as the Costa del Azahar (Orange Blossom Coast). Unlike the Costa Brava, the Costa del Sol and the Costa Blanca, this stretch of shimmering sand and stunning springtime blossoms remains relatively untouched by mass tourism. 

The secret to the region’s citrus success is its specific climatic conditions. Cold snaps help to produce the deep color of the oranges—like the pigments in autumn leaves—and the long hours of sunshine tempered by low winter temperatures give the fruit a perfect balance of sweet and sour.

Regardless of how juicy the oranges look nestled amongst the evergreen leaves of the trees lining the city streets, they’re just for show. The tastiest oranges can instead be picked from one of almost 1,000 market stalls at the Mercat Central in the Ciutat Vella neighborhood. This imposing showpiece of cast iron, stained glass and ceramic embellishments is one of the largest indoor markets in Europe.

The extent to which Valencia’s economy has, for centuries, relied on oranges is evident at the stunning Estació del Nord. A prime example of Valencian Art Nouveau, the azulejos (tiles) and decoration on its facade and in the station hall tell the story of the Valencian orange.

While the Valencian harvest is divvied up between exports, domestic consumption and processing—in fact, 90 percent of the oranges from the ‘Blanca’ group (one of three main varieties of oranges grown in the region) is intended for juice production—the antioxidant properties of oranges are also exploited by spas in Valencia to offer beauty treatments with a twist.

At the stylish five-star hotel Hospes Palau de la Mar, a subtle, tart perfume of orange blossom wafts through the lobby. Follow your nose to the hotel’s Bodyna Spa, which offers a luxurious orange massage (50 minutes for €98). This exclusive massage proves that oranges are not only healthy for your insides, but also hydrate the skin, stimulate blood circulation to combat cellulitis and revitalize the whole body. The intense citrus aromas that accompany this one-of-a-kind treatment also help digestion and can act as an antidepressant.

Similarly, the Caroli Health Club at The Westin Valencia offers a rejuvenating body peeling scrub (25 minutes for €39) and illuminating facial (80 minutes for €119) based on natural sources of vitamin C. To add a touch of decadence to your spa day, splurge on the two-hour Royal Citric Experience (€176), guaranteed to nourish your skin and leave you feeling invigorated, body and soul.

La Ruta de la Naranja

An hour’s drive north along the coast is Burriana, the beating heart of orange country. A small town of 34,000 people, everyone here is involved in the orange trade. While the town has survived for centuries from the export of oranges, growers happily keep the smallest, and sweetest, for themselves. 

With vibrant orchards stretching as far as the eye can see, it’s not just the fruit that is highly regarded. This region puts the entire orange tree to good use. The orange blossom is used for perfumes, honey and salads, and no Valencian bride would dare to marry without a sprig in her bouquet—a symbol of eternal love and purity. Agua de azahar, a liquid made from the distilled petals, can be found in cake recipes, such as the roscón de Reyes, traditionally eaten to commemorate the Epiphany. And a number of local chefs swear that a paella cooked over an open fire using wood from an orange tree has extra flavor.

Burriana is the ideal base for an orange excursion. The local tourist office conducts guided tours throughout harvest season, from when the first clementines appear in late October to the last navel harvests in mid-May. The tour includes a visit to an orange factory, where you’ll learn how the fruit is sorted, according to ripeness, color and shape. Then it’s off to a sunlit grove for a crash course in orange picking. The day’s activities conclude with a zesty tasting and boost to your immune system. 

Thirty minutes outside of Valencia, Horta Viva also gives orange tours for groups of 15 people or more, and occasionally for individuals. The tour meanders along three and a half kilometers of quiet farm roads and explains the history of the crop, the cultivation of the land and the properties of the orange and orange blossom. A subsequent visit to a citrus cooperative provides a sweet feast: in harvest season, you can collect your own oranges out in the groves, and out of season, you can enjoy a relaxed tasting of derivative products, such as orange liqueur, orange juice and beer with orange peel.

Agua de Valencia

While Valencians typically start the day with a breakfast of coffee, toast and freshly squeezed orange juice, and many of the city’s restaurants offer orange slices as dessert on their menú del día, the most popular way of enjoying local oranges—certainly amongst visitors—is in the delicious local cocktail, agua de Valencia.

This dangerously quaffable concoction is a mix of cava, freshly squeezed orange juice, sugar, vodka and gin. The drink was reputedly created in the Fifties by Café de Madrid, a true Valencian institution located a few doors down from the spectacular baroque facade of the Palau del Marqués de Dosaigües (home to the National Museum of Ceramics and Decorative Arts “González Martí”).

Other bars, specifically in nighttime hotspots such as the El Carmen and Ruzafa districts, serve Agua de Valencia. Alternatively, Café de las Horas, a three-minute walk from the Gothic-style Valencia Cathedral, is an atmospheric place to savor its sweet taste. “[Café de las Horas], my favorite place in Valencia, is a feast for the eyes and the soul,” said New Zealander Penny Bainbridge when she visited. “Its agua de Valencia is the perfect medicine for everything, and you are sure to feel uplifted by the time you leave.”

Useful Information

• Mercat Central. Plaça de la Ciutat de Bruges, s/n, 46001 València.
• Bodyna Spa. Av. de Navarro Reverter, 14, 46004 València.
• The Westin Valencia, Carrer d'Amadeu de Savoia, 16, 46010 València.
• Marques House, Café de Madrid. Carrer de l’Abadia de Sant Martí, 10, 46002 València.
• Café de las Horas. Carrer del Comte d'Almodóvar, 1, 46003 València.
• Horta Viva. Carrer del Guadalquivir, 6, 46026 València.
• Oficina de Turismo de Burriana. Carrer Major, 12530 Borriana, Castelló.

Originally published March 2018, updated October 16, 2022.