The freshwater lake of La Albufera, 12km (7.5 miles) south of Valencia, is a popular day out for fishing, birdwatching and paella eating. The village of El Palmar, surrounded by rice paddies and vegetable plots, is the spiritual home of the paella and around 30 fincas have set up restaurants here. Arrive early on a weekend lunchtime and choose your restaurant according to location and comfort - the food, wherever you eat, will invariably be spot on.

The Albufera Bus Turistic tour ticket (see Tours of the City) includes a boat trip on the lake.

Just north of the lake El Salar is one of the region's best beaches, though beware it often gets windy in the afternoons.