Our Areas of Focus - Ganida Valencia

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Gandia Spain is located 73km or 45 miles South of Valencia , and  It is 111km or 68 miles North of Alicante.

The closest airport to Gandia is the Valencia Airport. It’s 83km or 51 miles from the airport and takes about 50 minutes by car.  Or  you can take the metro into Valencia  and then take the train from the Valencia Nord Station to Gandia. 

Ducal Palace is one of my absolute favorite things to do in Gandia and is one of the most beautiful palaces in this region of Spain.

The palace dates back to the 14th century and was once the home of the Duke of Gandia. It is also the birthplace of Saint Francis Borja was born.

Whether you are a religious person or not, this is a wonderfully ornate church to explore while you are visiting Gandia. The monastery dates back to the 16th century. It is here in this monastery that the Franciscan order was first created.

The Monastery of Santa Clara is still a fully functioning cloistered convent, which means you are not allowed to see the nuns. The only part of the convent that you can visit is the church of Santa Clara which is open throughout the day to visit and pray.

If you want to learn more about the formation of the Franciscan religion and how it was formed or you want to learn about the nuns who helped form it, you can visit the Santa Clara Museum which is only a block away from the convent church.

The museum is also home to an exceptional art collection. It is without a doubt, the best art museum in Gandia that I visited. Much of the art was gifted to the convent by the Borja family (yes, the ones who lived in the decadent Ducal Palace).

The museum is housed in the old Hospital de Sant Marc which was built in the 14th century by the first Duke of Gandia.

There are signs in both Spanish and English to explain the different artifacts that have been collected. It is located right next door to the Santa Clara Museum, so they are easily visited on the same day.

Known locally simply as La Seu, the Basilica of Santa Maria of Gandia is a stunning church in the city’s historic center. It is a Valencian Gothic church that dates back to the 14th century, although it took nearly two centuries to be completed.

Both the exterior and interior of the church were once much more ornate than what you see now. However, during the Spanish Civil War, a lot of the riches disappeared.

Right in the same plaza as La Seu is the City Hall building. Like many cities in Spain, this is the center of life here in Gandia.

This is where the town puts on celebrations and holiday festivities. At Christmas time, this is where you’ll find the city’s tree. You’ll find an extension of Valencia’s enormous Fallas Festival

For a local market experience, head to Mercat del Prado.

Since 1933, this market has offered locals a place to gather, shop, and more recently, dine. If you are self-catering during your stay in Gandia, you can come here to find raw and cured meats, cheeses, fruits and vegetables, and seafood.

However, the better reason to come here as a visitor to Gandia is for the different food stalls serving prepared meals like burgers, bocadillos (Spanish sandwiches), tortillas (Spanish omelets), and lots of tapas options as well.

Once you have explored all of the fun things to do in Gandia city center, it’s time to head to the beach! Gandia Beach is clean and has beautiful fine golden sand, calm waves, and tons of space to relax. Whether you want to play some ball games, go for a swim, or lounge on a beach chair facing the sunshine, you can have it all at Gandia Beach.  

While you are down at the beach in Gandia, head out for a walk on the long boardwalk towards the Faro  

lighthouse which is not much to speak of. However, the boardwalk that leads you out to it is spectacular.

It is long and sticks right out into the marina, which means you get great views back over the beach as well as of all of the boats coming and going from the docks.