{"id":18056,"date":"2026-10-28T12:23:20","date_gmt":"2026-10-28T10:23:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.valenciaandgo.com\/?p=18056"},"modified":"2026-10-28T12:23:21","modified_gmt":"2026-10-28T10:23:21","slug":"orange-season-in-valencia-when-it-takes-place-and-how-to-experience-it-to-the-full","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.valenciaandgo.com\/en\/temporada-de-naranjas-en-valencia-cuando-es-y-como-vivirla-de-verdad\/","title":{"rendered":"Orange season in Valencia: when it is and how to really make the most of it"},"content":{"rendered":"
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There\u2019s one question that almost everyone who visits Valencia asks themselves sooner or later:<\/p>

If there are oranges everywhere, why doesn\u2019t anyone pick them from the trees in the street? <\/strong><\/p>

The short answer: because they\u2019re probably not the oranges you\u2019re expecting.<\/p>

Many of the orange trees you see on the streets and in the gardens of Valencia are ornamental and produce bitter fruit that is not intended for consumption.
In 2026, the City Council withdrew<\/strong> more than 340,000 kilos<\/strong> from these oranges growing on trees in urban areas, to be used for composting.<\/p>

The sweet oranges for which Valencia is famous have a different story to tell. And to really discover it, you have to head a few kilometres out of the city, towards La Ribera, and venture into the orchards. Because behind a fruit that today seems to be everywhere lies a history<\/strong> quite curious.<\/p>

And it begins with a priest, an apothecary and a scribe<\/strong>.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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In winter, Valencia seems determined to remind you of one of its best-known fruits. There are orange trees in squares, along avenues and in gardens. You\u2019ll also find them in some parts of the historic centre<\/strong> and scattered throughout numerous neighbourhoods. But to pick up one of those oranges thinking you\u2019ve just found a free breakfast It doesn't usually end very well.<\/strong><\/p>

The trees used as street trees are mainly ornamental orange trees<\/strong>. Their fruit is more bitter and sour than table oranges and is not intended for consumption.<\/p>

So, where are the famous Valencian oranges<\/strong>? Out in the countryside. And that\u2019s where it gets interesting.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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The priest, the apothecary and the scribe who transformed a region<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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You have to travel as far as Carcaixent, in the Ribera Alta<\/strong>, to understand an important part of this history. At the end of the 18th century, the orange tree had not yet come to dominate the region\u2019s agricultural landscape as it would later do. It was not until 1781<\/strong> Something happened.<\/p>

A rector, an apothecary and a notary planted an orange grove in the Bassa del Rei area of Carcaixent with a very specific aim: to grow them for the fruit trade<\/strong>. The initiative proved successful. Other farmers began to follow suit, and the crop gradually spread, first throughout the region and then to other farming areas.<\/p>

That episode is one of the reasons why Carcaixent still lays claim to the title of: \u201cBressol de la Taronja\u201d \u2014 the birthplace of the orange.
<\/strong>Not bad for an idea that started with three neighbours who weren\u2019t exactly farmers.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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When oranges changed more than just the countryside<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The success of the orange was not merely a matter of replacing some crops with others. Over the centuries 19th and 20th<\/strong>, the citrus trade became an economic activity fundamental<\/strong> for much of the Valencian region.<\/p>

The orchards expanded, warehouses dedicated to fruit sorting and preparation sprang up, and transport links improved, making it possible to transport the oranges to other markets<\/strong>. And even today, traces of that era remain.<\/p>

Houses, historic orchards, agricultural warehouses and Modernist buildings help to explain why the orange came to form part not only of the economy, but also of the landscape<\/strong> and of the identity<\/strong> in many towns in the Valencian region. That\u2019s why visiting a vegetable garden makes much more sense when you know what you\u2019re looking at.<\/p>

They are not simply trees laden with fruit. They are part of a landscape that has existed for more than two centuries<\/strong> transforming around the citrus fruits.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Is it possible to visit an orange grove near Valencia?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Yes<\/strong>. And it\u2019s probably the most interesting way to understand why this fruit is so closely associated with Valencia. About 40 minutes from the city<\/strong>, in the Ribera region of Valencia, you can visit a historic orange grove and stroll around the estate amongst different varieties of citrus fruit.<\/p>

The Excursion to the Orange Grove with Valencia&Go<\/strong><\/a> It lasts around four and a half hours and includes return transport from Valencia, the official guide and the crazy guide<\/strong>\u2026 in the garden itself. But the interesting bit isn\u2019t just taking a photo amongst the trees.<\/p>

During the visit, you\u2019ll discover how a vegetable garden<\/strong>, which varieties are grown depending on the time of year, and how an orange goes from being on a branch to being ready for distribution<\/strong>.<\/p>

Visitors also get to see a historic estate in 1870<\/strong>, with its eclectic-style house, and you\u2019ll learn about some of the processes involved in selecting, brushing, grading and packing citrus fruits. And, of course, you\u2019ll have to try them<\/strong>.<\/p>

The experience includes a tasting<\/strong> products made from citrus fruits and local produce, such as freshly squeezed orange juice, jams or orange blossom honey<\/strong>, as well as other products depending on the visit.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Is it worth visiting an orchard if you\u2019re only in Valencia for a few days?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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It depends on what sort of trip you\u2019re on. If it\u2019s your first time in Valencia and you\u2019ve only got one day, it\u2019s probably best to spend it on the the historic centre and to explore the city.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>

But if you have a few days to spare, have already seen the main sights, or are looking for a different sort of day trip without going too far, La Ribera is a great way to discover a part of Valencia that is usually off the beaten track<\/strong>.<\/p>

It also works particularly well for:<\/p>