Green ways in the countryside of Valencia

The first part of this two-part series showed you two stunning Valencian countryside walks that will show you just how exceptionally beautiful the countryside away from the city of Valencia is. These walks are the perfect way to get away from the city, which although stunning, can be busy and hectic. Nature lovers and peace finders should check out these routes to see some more of inland Spain and get off the tourist tracks.

Xurra Valencia

This is a 15km track, that follows one of the 'vias verdes' or 'green ways - these are long and flat routes that criss-cross all of Spain, and give people the opportunity to walk in the countryside on safe, clearly marked and relatively easy tracks. You can enjoy these routes for as long as you like, and realistically you would never run out of road, and could wander these paths for weeks! This particular route begins at L'Horta Nord (a small Valencian suburb) and heads out and away through colourful and fragrant orange orchards as well as tidy open-field land.

Many of these routes are actually old/abandoned rail tracks, and so offer long, flat and clear paths that make enjoying the natural world all around even easier. You will have a hard time getting lost, and the area is not as remote as other walking routes I have mentioned before. A fantastic starter trail for those looking to explore Spain - which is absolutely something everyone who visits Spain should make time to do!

Safor Greenway

This is another of the 'vias verdes' or 'green ways' that I mentioned above, this one starting near Gandia, around 90km from the city of Valencia. Although Gandia is known as a party city, and a pretty hectic summer spot packed with tourists, it's the perfect starting point for a countryside adventure.

The route is around 7km, and so it a good starter trail, as a reasonably fit person can finish this walk in under two hours. Around 2.5km's into the route, you will pass through more orange groves. These are beautiful on their own, but to be able to be away from the crowded cities and into such a peaceful and rural setting, with the smell of growing oranges all around is a pleasure. Towards the end of the walk, you will come to the little town of Oliva, which even has a perfect little secluded beach to enjoy. If you are trying these greenway walks in spring or summer, you will definitely appreciate a dip in the cold sea to get some of the sweat and dust off you!