Excited electronic states of the anion radical of para-benzoquinone were studied by time dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) including bulk solvent effects by the polarizable continuum model (PCM). The computed vertical excitation energies for the first four low-lying doublet states are in good agreement with previous post-Hartree-Fock computations. Geometry optimization of excited states and inclusion of solvent effects lead to a remarkable agreement between computed adiabatic transition energies and experimental band maxima. Together with their specific interest, the results point out the reliability of TD-DFT/PCM approach for valence excitations and the need to take geometry relaxation and solvent effects into the proper account for a meaningful comparison between computed and experimental absorption spectra. © Springer-Verlag 2007.