Valencia’s Plaça de la Mare de Déu and its many monuments
The Plaça de la Mare de Déu square was built on the site of the Roman Forum and is named after Our Lady of the Forsaken, the patron saint of Valencia.
The Falles in Valencia, time to light the firecrackers
The beginning of Valencia’s Falles festivity celebrations is marked by the mascletà, the order for which is given by the Queen of the Falles from the City Hall balcony; the celebration ends with the cremà on 19 March.
IVAM: the icon of contemporary art in Valencia
The Valencian Institute of Modern Art, which houses a collection of 11,000 pieces, is a symbol of modern art in Valencia.
The Llotja de la Seda, the Valencia of the 15th-century merchants in all its splendour
Visit one of the most splendid jewels of European Gothic civic architecture, a temple to trade that shone during Valencia’s Golden Age when this was one of the continent’s most prosperous cities.
Torres dels Serrans, medieval Valencia’s ancient gateway
This fortified gateway, which marked the northern boundary of the walled city, has also served as a prison for aristocrats and, during the twentieth century, was a ‘sanctuary’ for works of art.
Valencia’s Bullring: a bullfighting ‘coliseum’ with 160 years of history
The Neo-classical-style coliseum, one of the largest in Spain, houses a comprehensive bullfighting museum and is owned by the General Hospital.
Valencia Cathedral: the sanctuary of the Holy Grail?
This Gothic church, erected on the site of a mosque during the thirteenth century, holds legendary treasures such as the Holy Chalice, which some historians believe was used by Jesus Christ at the Last Supper.
The Torres de Quart: medieval Valencia’s magnificent entrance
This monument, designed as a gateway in the ancient city wall, survived a bombardment and has been used as a gunpowder store and as a women’s prison.
Corts Valencianes, home of Valencia’s politics
Dating back to the fifteenth century, the Palace of Benicarló, also known as the Palace of the Borgias, now houses the Valencian Parliament.
Valencia’s Plaça de l’Ajuntament: where it all starts
The Plaça de l’Ajuntament is the political and financial hub of Valencia, but it is also the nerve centre of the Les Falles festival.