In this guide
💡 The Short Version: Xàtiva is 49 minutes from Valencia by the Cercanías C-2 line, from Estació del Nord (not Joaquín Sorolla). The castle is €6, closed on Mondays, and the ticket includes two museums in the old town. From 1 November it closes at 18:00. On Sundays and public holidays private cars cannot reach the castle (except in July and August); a €1.15 shuttle runs from Plaza Espanyoleto. The Tourist Card’s transport covers Cercanías only inside zone AB, so buy a Renfe ticket. The one coach tour is €79 for 8 hours, with 22 reviews, so go by train. Or book now: the Xàtiva castle and medieval town coach tripad is from €79 (GetYourGuide).
Getting there
49 minutes · Cercanías C-2 from Estació del Nord · about 10 minutes’ walk from the station to the centre
- The train: Renfe’s C-2 line runs from Valencia’s Estació del Nord to Xàtiva and on to Moixent. Xàtiva’s tourism site gives 49 minutes and a train every 20 minutes. Estació del Nord is the old town station, with a metro stop named Xàtiva (lines 3 and 5). Renfe’s Cercanías Valencia page has the timetable and fares.
- Not Joaquín Sorolla: the Cercanías trains leave from Estació del Nord, not from the high-speed station.
- The ticket: the 24, 48 and 72-hour Valencia Tourist Cards cover Cercanías inside zone AB only, so buy a Renfe ticket for Xàtiva. The Tourist Card sums say what the card covers.
- From the station: Xàtiva station is on Avenida Ausiàs March, 10 minutes from the historic centre. The castle is reached on foot or by car.
- By road: 48 minutes on the A-7, according to the city.
Tours worth paying for
| Tour | Length | From | Rating | What it is |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xàtiva castle and medieval town coach day tripad | 8 hours | €79 | 4.7 from 22 | A coach from Valencia, the castle and the old town |
The listing does not say whether the castle ticket is in the price, which is €6 on its own. With 22 reviews and a train every 20 minutes, the case for a tour is the coach and nothing else. For a tour with more behind it, the Montanejos hot springs tripad is from €33 for 8.5 hours, with 3,695 reviews.
What to see
Walk from the station through the old town to the castle, see the Collegiate Church on the way, and keep the museums for the descent. The castle takes the longest; the museums are on the same ticket.
Xàtiva castle
€6 adult · €4 reduced · Tuesday to Sunday · closed Mondays
A fortress on the ridge above the town, used by the Crown of Aragon as a state prison. Inside are Queen María’s Gothic chapel, the cell of the Count of Urgell, the gate of Santa María and the Gardens of Ibn Hazm. The town’s tourism site sells tickets online by date and recommends buying ahead and arriving early at weekends.
Xàtiva castle on its ridge. Photo: Khan.gesta, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
| Months | Hours |
|---|---|
| November to February | 10:00 to 18:00 |
| March and October | 10:00 to 19:00 |
| April and September | 10:00 to 20:00 |
| May to August | 10:00 to 21:00 |
The reduced €4 ticket is for ages 8 to 16, students, teachers, seniors, large families, Youth Card holders, disabled visitors and groups of 10 or more. Children up to 7 are free. Every minor needs a ticket, even a free one. Bring ID, plus proof of eligibility for a reduced ticket. The castle is not accessible to wheelchairs or pushchairs, and dogs are allowed.
Getting up to the castle
On foot · shuttle €1.15 on Sundays and holidays
The town recommends walking up along the mountainside and leaving the car as early as possible, because the old town has narrow, one-way and pedestrian streets. On Sundays and public holidays private cars are not allowed to the castle, except in July and August. From October to May a shuttle bus runs on those days from Plaza Espanyoleto, 10:00 to 14:30 and 16:30 to 19:00, for €1.15. Parking in Plaça la Bassa is €2.40 an hour or €16.50 for 24 hours, and the Plaza Espanyoleto car park is free on Sundays and holidays from October to June during the castle’s hours.
The town: Collegiate Church and the Borgias
Included in the castle ticket: the Almodí Archaeological Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts
Xàtiva is tied to two Borgia popes. Alexander VI, Rodrigo Borgia, was born here in 1431, and the Collegiate Church has bronze statues of him and of Callixtus III at its door. The Museum of Fine Arts, in the Casa de l’Ensenyança, keeps the remains of the chapel Callixtus III ordered. The castle ticket covers the Almodí Archaeological Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts. The tourist office is at Avenida de Selgas 2, telephone +34 96 227 33 46.
The Collegiate Church and its bell tower above the old town. Photo: Rafa Esteve, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
What the day costs
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Castle, adult | €6 |
| Castle, reduced | €4 |
| Sunday castle shuttle | €1.15 |
| Coach tour (GetYourGuide) | From €79 |
Add the Renfe fare for both ways from Renfe.
Before you go
- The thing that ruins a visit: the castle is closed on Mondays, and tickets cannot be changed or refunded.
- Winter: from 1 November the castle closes at 18:00, an hour earlier than in October.
- Sundays by car: private cars cannot reach the castle on Sundays and holidays except in July and August. Use the train and the shuttle.
- Which to take: the train, with the castle and the two museums on one ticket.
Day trips from Valencia compares every trip, including Sagunto, the other town on the Cercanías network with a castle, and L’Albufera. Valencia public transport covers Estació del Nord and the metro to it, and where to stay in Valencia compares the areas. What to book before you go to Valencia lists the closed days in the city.
Common questions
How long does the train from Valencia to Xàtiva take?
About 49 minutes on the Cercanías C-2 line from Valencia's Estació del Nord, according to Xàtiva's tourism site, which lists a train every 20 minutes. Xàtiva station is on Avenida Ausiàs March, about 10 minutes' walk from the historic centre.
How much is the Xàtiva castle?
€6 for an adult aged 16 or over and €4 reduced, including admission to the municipal museums in the old town. Children up to 7 are free but still need a ticket. Bring ID, because tickets cannot be changed or refunded.
When is Xàtiva castle open?
Tuesday to Sunday, closed on Mondays. It is open 10:00 to 19:00 in March and October, 10:00 to 18:00 from November to February, 10:00 to 20:00 in April and September and 10:00 to 21:00 from May to August.
Can I drive up to Xàtiva castle on a Sunday?
No. On Sundays and public holidays private cars cannot reach the castle, except in July and August. From October to May a shuttle runs from Plaza Espanyoleto for €1.15, 10:00 to 14:30 and 16:30 to 19:00.
Does the Valencia Tourist Card cover the train to Xàtiva?
Not as a rule: the 24, 48 and 72-hour cards cover Renfe Cercanías only inside zone AB. Buy a Renfe ticket for the trip.
Is a tour to Xàtiva worth it?
Not on the evidence of one listing: the only coach tour on GetYourGuide is €79 for 8 hours and has 22 reviews. The train is 49 minutes and the castle is €6.
