Cueva del Turche in Buñol is one of the most beautiful swimming spots near Valencia Spain. It’s easy to reach from the village famous for the Tomatina Festival (YES! That massive tomato fight that happens the last Wednesday of August every year!)
Turche Cave near Valencia is a stunning waterfall with a swimming hole, a little beach, and picnic tables to enjoy a day out in nature.
We recently spent a few days in Buñol on a quest to hike the most beautiful hiking trails near Valencia and besides the Ruta del Agua of Buñol, we spent two days in Turche Cave.
Valencia’s wilderness is absolutely mesmerizing, but what we loved about Cueva del Turche is that it’s so accessible. At the same time, you feel like you’re miles away from any civilization.
In this guide, I’ll go through everything you need to know to visit Cueva del Turche Valencia.
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. That means that if you make a purchase through one of those links, I will get a small commission at no extra cost to you.
BEST TOURS FROM VALENCIA TO TURCHE CAVE
👉Day trip from Valencia to Buñol and hike to Turche Cave
👉Day trip from Valencia rappeling down Turche Cave
👉Day trip from Valencia with a hike to Turche Cave and wine tasting at a winery
Best time to visit Turche Cave Valencia
Cueva del Turche Valencia can be visited all year round. However, it’s a fantastic summer destination for swimming, so I would recommend going in summer until September or October when the weather is still hot.
The downside of summer is that the waterfall likely will be dry. When we were there last June, the main waterfall was dry, but there was a smaller waterfall next to it with some water which was really nice.
If you want to go for the waterfall, your best bet is early spring as it usually rains more during the winter. However, with climates changing rapidly, it’s hard to say from year to year how things will look.
How to get to Buñol and Cueva del Turche
By train + walking
To reach Cueva del Turche, you must first travel to Buñol. From Valencia, it’s an easy train trip from Valencia Nord (Line C3) to Utiel and takes under an hour.
Fron the train station, it’s about a 5 kilometer’s walk which takes about 45 minutes (one way) as you must walk through the entire town to the trailhead.
By car + walking
Traveling by car is also easy. The town is conveniently located next to the A-3 Road half an hour west of Valencia. We came across it the first time on a road trip driving past Cordoba to Valencia.
There is a small parking a 10-15 minutes from the waterfall, but it was closed in June 2024.
We managed to park in a pocket on the other side of the road, but you can only fit around 3 cars there, so you might have to hike from the village if the parking is still closed when you visit.
When parking in the village, we parked by the police station without paying anything. If you’re campervanning in Spain like us, there are places surrounding town where you can park during the night, but we chose to drive into town in the day to explore, including to go hiking.
The app Park4Night had some great options for overnight parking and we stayed in some different ones we found there.
The hike from the official parking space of Cueva del Turche is easy on gravel road and accessible with stroller and wheelchair (there’s only one little hill down from the parking, but it’s just a few meters before it levels out.)
Hiking to Turche Cave
Hiking to Turche Cave takes about 30 minutes each way. The trailhead starts after crossing the bridge at the bottom of Calle Valle de Andorra.
On the right hand side after the bridge, you’ll see the hiking signs. We followed the trail to the left in the fork, while the sign to Cueva del Turche says to follow the right fork.
You can choose which way to go. The left fork takes you to a water fountain (which is great to wet your head and neck on a hot day) and from there, you’ll follow a steep but short trail up to the right which meets up with the right-fork road.
The trail is easy to follow, but if you prefer, download the Wikiloc app and follow the beginning of this trail to the waterfall. I recorded the entire Ruta del Agua Buñol trail, but the first stop is Cueva del Turche.
It mostly follows dirt road or paved road, and some forest trail. But mostly, you’ll walk past farmland. Eventually, you’ll come to a farm with a handmade sign saying Cueva del Turche to the left past the farm and it continues down a short path with a set of stairs to another forested dirt road.
There, you take right and cross the river over a small bridge before you’ll reach the swimming spot around the corner. The way back is the same you came from.
Join a guided tour from Valencia
If you prefer the convenience of going on a guided tour from Valencia to Cueva del Turche, there are several options.
I highly recommend this tour which includes a visit to the village and a hike to Turche Cave.
If you’re feeling adventurous, make sure you join this tour to rappel down the waterfall, it’s an incredible adventure you won’t forget anytime soon!
Wine lovers should not miss out on this tour that starts with a hike to the waterfall followed by a visit at a winery for wine tasting.
What to expect from Cueva del Turche Buñol
First of all, I want to repeat what I said earlier. In the summer, you probably won’t see much of a waterfall if any at all. The water normally floods in the rainy season, so after the winter and throughout early spring it’s usually better for seeing the waterfall.
But the summer is perfect for swimming. The water is clean and refreshing and you can swim all the way to the waterfall.
When I was there in June, the big waterfall was dry, but we could swim to the smaller waterfall next to it which was a refreshing shower with a cave behind it where you can climb up.
In front of the water there is a beautiful sandy beach with some picnic tables for lunch. The bottom of the lake is rocky, though so it’s hard to walk barefoot if you’re not used to it. So a good pair of water shoes is not a bad idea.
There’s a path on each side of the water hole, but in my opinion, there isn’t that much to see there. Nonetheless, most people ventured there and back.
There are large rubbish containers at the back of the beach which you’ll pass on the way to and from the swimming spot, so make sure you throw your waste there if you can’t take it with you and dispose of it in the village when you return.
Where to stay in Buñol
There are plenty of private apartments and houses for rent in Buñol and it’s a great way to support the locals.
Here are some of my top picks:
Casa Rural Pelayo: A beautiful 5-bedroom house which is pet friendly and close to the hiking trail to Cueva del Turche.
La Traviata: Apartments and studios sleeping up to 4 people in the heart of Buñol town.
Things to do near Turche Cave
If you’re looking for other activities near Turche Cave, Buñol is a lovely town to spend a few hours. Here are the best things to do in Buñol:
- Explore Buñol Castle
- Visit the San Pedro de Apostol Church
- Stroll around the old town
- Keep your eyes peeled for street art
- Check out all the water fountains
- Visit Cueva de las Palomas
Reflections on visiting Cueva del Turche
Summing up, visiting Cueva del Turche, Valencia, is a fantastic addition to your Spain itinerary. It’s a little oasis on a hot summer day and a wonderful place to swim if you’re looking for a day trip from Valencia to avoid the salt water swimming spots of the coast.
We absolutely loved it and spent more than one day in the lovely swimming hole, so I’m sure you’ll love it too!
Happy travels!