The present invention relates to a process for preparing acrylic acid from acetic acid and formaldehyde, which comprises (a) provision of a stream S1 comprising acetic acid and formaldehyde, where the molar ratio of acetic acid to formaldehyde in the stream S1 is in the range from 0.5:1 to 2:1; (b) contacting of the stream S1 with an aldol condensation catalyst comprising vanadium, phosphorus and oxygen to give a stream S2 comprising acrylic acid, where, in (b), the space velocity WHSV is in the range from 0.35 to 7.0 kg/kg/h.