Valencia Essential Walking Tour 

In Valencia, History and avant-garde are only one river apart: its medieval past blends with a lively and entertaining present-day life. This is a city where centuries-old markets, Renaissance palaces, and futuristic architecture coexist.

La Llotja de la Seda (Silk Exchange Market)
“I am a famous house, built in fifteen years…” — this is how merchants were welcomed when they entered La Llotja in the 15th century. Today, inside this magnificent Gothic building, we find the spectacular vaulted ceiling of the Contract Hall (a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996), where traders once negotiated their goods under stone columns that resemble twisted palm trees.

Markets That Breathe Life Into the City
Valencia’s heart truly beats in its markets. From the grand Central Market, a stunning example of iron and glass architecture, to the refined Colón Market, these vibrant spaces are alive with aromas, colours, and the buzz of daily life. Just a short stroll away, Renaissance palaces, charming squares, and the Cathedral of Santa María shape the historic centre, where tradition holds that the Holy Grail resides — brought here in 1437 after a 12-century journey across Spain.

Turia River Origins and the Ancient Water Tribunal
The Romans founded Valencia near the fertile plains of the Turia River, just a few kilometres from the sea. Water shaped the city: its ancient irrigation canals were so important that a unique Oral Water Tribunal was created over a thousand years ago. Still held every Thursday at the Apostles Gate of the Cathedral, this gathering remains a remarkable living institution — recognised as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity since 2008.

The Turia Gardens and the City of Arts and Sciences
Valencia once had three defensive walls — Roman, Muslim, and Christian — partly embraced by the Turia River. After severe floods, the city redirected the river, transforming its old riverbed into one of Europe’s most impressive urban parks: the Turia Gardens. This green ribbon invites us to cycle or stroll all the way to the modern City of Arts and Sciences.
Here, among the broken lines of its avant-garde structures, we uncover architecture inspired by armadillos, stranded whales, giant fish, waterfalls, and even the figurehead of a fantastical ship. White as Valencia’s bright light and blue as its Mediterranean sea, this futuristic complex becomes the perfect finale to our visit.