The old town around the cathedral, the City of Arts and Sciences and the Mediterranean shore are three different trips. A hotel in Ciutat Vella, Russafa or Cabanyal decides which one you get.
Ciutat Vella holds the cathedral, La Lonja de la Seda and the Central Market within a short walk. El Carmen has late-night bars among older lanes. Rooms facing the busiest streets can stay noisy after dinner.
South of the center, Russafa has its own market, restaurants and small galleries. The shopping streets of L’Eixample lie nearby. Stay on this side if evenings out matter more than stepping straight onto the beach.
The Turia Gardens cross the city in the former riverbed. Follow them toward the City of Arts and Sciences and Oceanogràfic. The complex is east of the old center, so a hotel here saves a cross-town trip on museum and aquarium days.
El Cabanyal and Malvarrosa sit by the sea, away from the cathedral quarter. Trams and buses link the waterfront to the center. Regional trains use Estació del Nord and high-speed trains use Joaquín Sorolla.