History · Valencia · Spain
8 historic sites to see in Valencia
The places that tell the story of how the city came to be.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Start with Lonja de la Seda, Valencia Cathedral and El Miguelete and Plaza de la Virgen and the Water Tribunal. Together the 8 picks below take roughly 6–7 hours across 3 areas; 1 is free.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 8
- Free entry
- 1
- Time to see them all
- 6–7 hours
- Areas
- Ciutat Vella, El Carmen and Penya-roja (City of Arts and Sciences)
Historic sites in Valencia
Historic site · Ciutat Vella
1.Lonja de la Seda
Its Hall of Columns has twisted pillars spiralling up like palm trunks to a ribbed vault, and the orange-tree courtyard and gargoyles are as striking as the interior.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Architecture
- Iconic
- Rainy day
Religious site · Ciutat Vella
2.Valencia Cathedral and El Miguelete
A side chapel displays an agate cup venerated as the Holy Chalice, and the octagonal Gothic bell tower, El Miguelete, can be climbed by about 200 steps for views over the old town's domes and rooftops.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- History
- Views
- Architecture
Landmark · Ciutat Vella
3.Plaza de la Virgen and the Water Tribunal
Every Thursday at noon, the Water Tribunal, a centuries-old court of farmers that settles irrigation disputes in Valencian, meets at the cathedral's Apostles' Door.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Couples
- Photo spot
Historic site · El Carmen
4.Torres de Serranos
You can climb its terraces for views over the Turia Gardens and El Carmen's rooftops, and in late February it is the stage for the Crida, the ceremony that opens Fallas.
- Time needed
- 30–45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Views
- Architecture
Historic site · El Carmen
5.Torres de Quart
It sees fewer visitors than the Serranos gate, and its steep stairs lead to battlements overlooking the western old town.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Off the beaten path
- Views
Museum · Ciutat Vella
6.Palacio del Marqués de Dos Aguas
Inside are lavish 18th- and 19th-century rooms, an ornate gilded carriage and ceramics from Manises and Paterna, including a recreated Valencian tiled kitchen.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Architecture
- Art
- Rainy day
- History
Museum · Penya-roja (City of Arts and Sciences)
7.Museo Fallero
It is the easiest way to understand Fallas outside March.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Rainy day
- History
- Art
Historic site · Ciutat Vella
8.L'Almoina Archaeological Centre
Beneath a glass-covered square beside the cathedral, walkways pass over the excavated remains of the Roman city of Valentia, a Visigothic church and Islamic buildings, showing two thousand years of Valencia's history in one site.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Rainy day
- Off the beaten path
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Ciutat Vella | Lonja de la Seda, Valencia Cathedral and El Miguelete, Plaza de la Virgen and the Water Tribunal, Palacio del Marqués de Dos Aguas and L'Almoina Archaeological Centre | 45 minutes + 1–1.5 hours + 30 minutes + 1 hour + 45 minutes |
| El Carmen | Torres de Serranos and Torres de Quart | 30–45 minutes + 30 minutes |
| Penya-roja (City of Arts and Sciences) | Museo Fallero | 1 hour |
Booking and timing
Of these 8, 1 free, 7 low cost. None needs booking far in advance. The longest visit is Valencia Cathedral and El Miguelete; group the rest by area to save travel time.
How to fit them into 2 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Ciutat Vella): Lonja de la Seda → Valencia Cathedral and El Miguelete → Plaza de la Virgen and the Water Tribunal → Palacio del Marqués de Dos Aguas → L'Almoina Archaeological Centre, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 2 (El Carmen and Penya-roja (City of Arts and Sciences)): Torres de Serranos → Torres de Quart → Museo Fallero, at least 2 hours.
The quietest months for queues
- January: highs of 17°C (63°F), about 4 rainy days, quiet crowds. Mild and sunny days that are pleasant for sightseeing and cycling the Turia, with cool evenings.
- February: highs of 17°C (63°F), about 4 rainy days, quiet crowds. Bright and mild with almond and orange blossom on the outskirts; Fallas preparations begin.
- November: highs of 20°C (68°F), about 5 rainy days, quiet crowds. Mild and quieter, with occasional heavy storms; good value for city breaks.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Ciutat Vella — Gothic old town of the cathedral, the Lonja and the Mercado Central
- El Carmen — Medieval lanes, street art and late bars in the old town's north-west corner
- Penya-roja (City of Arts and Sciences) — Modern apartment blocks beside Calatrava's museums and the end of the Turia
More of Valencia
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Valencia?
Lonja de la Seda. The late-Gothic silk exchange, built from 1482, is a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the finest civil Gothic buildings in Europe.
+Which of these are free in Valencia?
Plaza de la Virgen and the Water Tribunal.