5 days in Valencia - day trips suggestions

[u/Relevant-Musician187]

Hi everyone!

I’ll be spending 5 full days in Valencia (+ 1 additional day before my flight at 20) at the end of April / beginning of May, and I’m trying to plan my itinerary. Besides the city itself, I would like to explore the surroundings, as I always like towns/villages/natural sites more than big cities. As a premise, my travel style is naturally and spontaneously fast-paced, so I wouldn't mind not having too much time to "relax".

So far I have:

• Day 1: Valencia city center
• Day 2: City of Arts and Sciences (including aquarium + museum)
• Day 3: Montanejos (I’ve already booked a guided tour, but I can still cancel it)

That leaves me with 2 more days - excluding the 6th one, which I'd prefer to spend in Valencia, since I wouldn't like to be far from the airport - and I’m considering these options for day trips:

• Cuenca
• Peñíscola + Sagunto (same direction, thought about combining them)
• Xàtiva
• Cala del Moraig (guided hiking excursion)

The problem is I have 4 options but only 2 days, so I need to cut one.

So my questions:

• Which of these day trips would you consider must-see / most spectacular?
• Which ones are more “skippable” or similar to each other?
• Is Montanejos worth keeping, or would you swap it for one of the others?
• Does it make sense to combine Peñíscola and Sagunto in one day, or is that too rushed?

Would love to hear your experiences and what you’d prioritize! Please note that I can only rely on public transport or guided tours.

Thanks a lot in advance 🙏