The biggest question from every curious traveler – can you eat the Valencia oranges you see around the city? I’m here to save you the trouble and tell you NOT to eat those oranges. But read through the article to learn why, plus where you can get some tasty oranges that Valencia is famous for!
No, don’t eat the oranges in Valencia
Valencia’s streets are lined with orange trees. More than 12,000 of them.
In the Spring, they fill the city with the smell of orange blossom. And in the winter months, a bright pop of color gives the streets a glowing tone.
(Because yes – oranges are a WINTER fruit).
But according to the City Hall, these street fruits are not edible.
Besides the fact that they are an orange variety that grow extra-thick skins and have a very bitter taste – they also absorb a lot of the pollutants from the city. So while this is a great way for Valencia to decorate its street and improve its air quality, you’ll want to skip on grabbing any free “snacks” you see.
Now let’s look a little deeper into Valencia oranges and talk about which ones you can eat.
Check this article to learn more about typical foods from Valencia.
Valencia Oranges
Valencia is famous for its endless orchards of oranges. Being one of the biggest producers of this citrus fruit in all of Europe – it’s a major part of Valencia’s agricultural industry and culture.
And this juicy fruit also has tons of varieties for people to try. From the mandarins in November to the blood oranges that pop up in the end of Spring, you’ll have to stay for a while to try them all in season.
You’ll also notice that Valencia’s architecture and design styles are heavily influenced by this fruit. Head over to the Estació del Nord, and you’ll see that this modernist building is decorated with oranges all over!
So now let’s look at how a tourist can get their hands on this ubiquitous fruit.
Where to Get Valencian Oranges
Naturally, the best place to get oranges in Valencia is directly from a farmer. But unless you have good connections, then the second-best option is to get them from one of the markets.
I would actually discourage people from buying Valencia oranges from the supermarket. Most of the time, these ones are actually imported and won’t be as fresh or flavorful.
In fact, most Valencians almost never buy oranges from the grocery store. So many people have friends or family members with a small orchard, that they usually get them straight from the source!
But since most travelers can’t do that, then I’d recommend going to either the Mercat Central, the Mercat de Russafa, or the Mercat de Rojas Clemente. These are going to be seasonal, fresh, and have the best flavor!
Pro Tip: Just make sure to ask “Les taronges són d’ací?” so you know if they are really Valencia oranges, or if the vendor is selling you an imported one.
When to Get Valencian Oranges
All the different varieties of oranges have their own season. So you definitely want to make sure you’re in the right time of the year before trying them!
Summer travelers are in for a disappointment, as oranges are a winter fruit! This means you’ll only be getting imported fruit that won’t taste as good.
So here’s a quick list of when to try each variety of Valencia orange:
- Mandarins: November—January
- Navelina: December—March
- Lane: January—March
- Navel: March—April
- Blood: April—June
The most famous types of Valencia oranges are the navelina. These are the ones you’ll see people enjoying the most!
The mandarins are a bit smaller and a tad more bitter. The lane oranges are the ones that are best for fresh juice. And the navel oranges are much sweeter, although smaller. Finally, the blood oranges aren’t super common, but are used in some recipes and for juice.
Valencia Travel Resources
Enjoy your Valencia oranges! Just remember to get them from the market – not from the trees around the city.
It’s a common occurrence that a lot of Valencians will laugh at. Because anyone from the city knows just how awful they taste.
So make sure you get your advice from someone that lives in the city, and don’t let anyone pull any pranks on you!
If you have any other questions while you’re traveling, don’t hesitate to reach out.
Bon viatge,
Other Valencia Travel Guides:
FAQs
No, the fruit from the orange trees in Valencia is not safe to eat. Not only are they extremely bitter, they absorb the pollutants from the city. Make sure to get oranges from the market if you want to try a Valencia orange.
No, the oranges in Valencia taste terrible. Don’t grab any fruits hanging from the trees in the city – they are meant to look good, not taste good.
The orange trees in Valencia get all their fruit harvested at the end of the season and they are used to create compost for farmers. So nothing gets wasted!
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