Exploring Old Town Valencia (Ciutat Vella)

Super walkable and quite beautiful

We weren’t interested in doing a ton of sightseeing as such or going on tours while in Valencia, but we did want to wander around Old Town, or Ciutat Vella, and that we did! I especially loved walking through the Plaça de l'Ajuntament, especially by the fountain. The architecture all around the plaza was just stunning.

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One of our favorite places turned out to be the Mercat Central de València; it was pretty incredible! It’s one of the largest covered markets in Europe, not necessarily size wise (although certainly it is large), but in terms of number of stalls/vendors: there are around 300, and they sell a huge variety of foods including lots of fresh produce, plus meats, seafood, cheeses, breads, pastries, spices, and prepared foods. Supposedly it’s one of the best markets overall on the European continent. We’ve been to Borough Market in London and Central Market Hall in Budapest and I’d say Valencia’s market is definitely a favorite.

The architecture is beautiful and the sheer variety of items you can sample and purchase is astounding. S and my mom sampled olives, we saw tons of cured meats, and there was saffron for days. We even happened upon Argentinian empanadas. They reminded me of ones we’d eaten in Buenos Aires—yum! We made a lunch out of them plus other samples we consumed while exploring. I definitely recommend wandering through the market if you go to Valencia; just be sure to check the hours first.

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We were in Valencia just after Fallas, an iconic citywide festival where giant, colorful sculptures, often satirical in nature, fill the streets, along with fireworks, music, and costumes. It’s a loud and raucous affair that culminates in the burning of the sculptures as a symbolic act of renewal and the welcoming of spring. If you’re into that kind of thing, definitely plan your trip to coincide. Otherwise, steer clear! It was not our thing (not that we had a say in when spring break was anyway), but it was super fun to still see one of the fallas still at the center of Ciutat Vella. (I’m not sure why it wasn’t burned.)

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My parents wanted to tour the Catedral de València, so we headed there one afternoon. I don’t make a point to visit churches everywhere I go, though I have been in many around the world and some are quite stunning. The Valencia Cathedral was interesting in that it had quite a mashup of architectural styles: Gothic, Romanesque, Baroque, Renaissance, Neoclassical, Rococo. What I found most fascinating is that only 20 years ago a set of Renaissance frescoes were discovered above the main altar during some routine maintenance. Apparently they had been hidden for centuries! Can you imagine making that discovery?

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Here are a few other random shots from walking around the old town.