Pine trees and dunes in El Saler Beach, Valencia

The great appeal of Valencia that attracts so many tourists every year is its beaches. The city I am currently living in is located in the Mediterranean coast and therefore has a large number of sandy and long beaches near the city, both north and south. To be fair, one of the reasons that made me decide to move to Valencia was the beach and the sea, all the activities they offer and the lifestyle. But I have to say, that the main beach of the city, Malvarrosa Beach, can be pretty crowded at certain times like summer. This is the closest beach to the city centre, as it is just 10-20 minutes from Xativa (considered the central point), making it easier for visitors to stay close to the city. It's actually quite clean and well kept, and it hasn't really got crazy yet as I write in June. However, if you want to find some a secluded beach, I am going to tell you about another beach where the local people usually go to when they want to avoid big crowds of tourists: El Saler Beach.

Playa El Saler

El Saler is considered the best beach of Valencia by its local people, due to its amazing location and surroundings, its white, fine sand and large natural dunes, and its clean, blue water. It is located at the southern end of the city, about half an hour from the centre. It is 11 km away from Valencia city, and you can get there by car or by bus (if you need to get the bus, catch line 25 in the direction to Palmar, and the bus will stop on Avenida de los Pinares, then the drop off point will guide you directly to the El Saler beach access pathway).

It is a wild beach with an area of ​​4,900m located very close to the Parque de la Albufera, a protected area of ​​great environmental wealth. Its name, Saler, has its origin in the word "salt", since it was the main economic activity in this area until the 20th century. In El Saler beach, the sea and the dunes live in harmony with an impressive pine forest and native vegetation around a large lake similar to the Albufera Lake. And the Valencians feel very proud to have such a unique setting and landscape.

El Saler is also a good beach to practice water sports such as surfing, windsurfing and paddle surfing amongst others, thanks to the usual wind there. It also has a wide range of services and facilities such as sunshades and sunbeds, showers, toilets, wooden walkways and much more. There are also plenty of bars and restaurants where you can taste the delicious typical rice.

If you come to Valencia, don’t miss the place that will give you a good understanding of the real Mediterranean landscape where you find a beautiful beach, pine trees and natural dunes.