This is the final stop of a 5-day vacation in southeastern Spain, after Murcia, Cartagena and Alicante. I had two full days in València, so I got to explore the city at a very slow pace, soaking in every marvellous building, entering almost every church I stumbled across and visiting several cultural venues along the way.
On the first day I decided to explore the eastern part of the city, starting at the Jardines de Monforte, a kind of hidden gem compared to the overcrowded spaces of the old town proper, with an extensive collection of plants and a couple of beautifully maintained bush mazes leading to the building in the centre with several Roman/Greek-inspired statues. Moving on to the next green space, at Jardines del Real, which spans a large area of different gardens, plant nurseries, the Natural Science Museum of Valencia and a rose garden.
Before heading to the old town, I explored the Museu de Belles Arts de València, with an impressive collection of historical altarpieces in the main area of the ground floor, as well as a very interesting collection of sacred art. Entering the old town and crossing the Jardí del Túria through Pont del Real, I entered the Església de Sant Doménec courtyard and nave, after which I headed to Jardines de la Glorieta, Puerta del Mar and El Parterre gardens. Contemporary art is not really my vibe, but in the area of Tetuan Square there’s a quite renowned collection at Fundación Bancaja.
From there, through Carrer del Comte de Montornés, I got to the second temple of the day, the Església de Sant Tomàs i Sant Felip Neri, as impressive on the inside as on the outside, and with a historic church by its side - Sant Joan de l'Hospital, the oldest church in the old city of València, that was unfortunately closed that day. Through Carrer de les Comèdies and passing briefly on the wide street of Carrer de la Pau (with a variety of classical and Art Nouveau buildings), I then visited the Museo del Patriarca and the Centre Cultural La Nau - Universitat de València in Plaça del Col·legi del Patriarca - where I had my lunch break before venturing deeper into the old city.
After lunch, it was time for one of the best surprises I had in València, the Museo Nacional de Cerámica y Artes Suntuarias "González Martí", spanning three floors of marvellously decorated rooms that got me glued to the intricate walls and ceilings. Close by, the Iglesia de San Juan de la Cruz was the last stop before I decided it was time to get out of the old town and visit the Mercado de Colón on my way to the Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències, after which I went for a swim in Platja de Llevant/Playa de las Arenas in the late afternoon.
After dinner at the Airbnb, there was an urge to visit the heart of the old town at night, where I got to watch a rehearsal of some sort of local youth dance group in the Plaça de la Mare de Déu, then grabbed a cold beer in a local bar before getting back home to get some rest for the next day - not before taking a peek inside the Cafe de las Horas - where the nice staff allowed me to take a couple of photos even knowing I would not stay inside.
After a refreshing night of sleep, it was time for the second day in València, and this one would be focused only on the city proper as I had a flight back home around dinner time. The morning started at Antiguo Mercado de Abastos, then headed towards Estació del Nord (with its beautiful intricately decorated interiors), passing by Casa Judía and Plaza de Toros. Following the Avenida del Marqués de Sotelo, we arrived at the Plaça de l'Ajuntament. Entering the building of the Ajuntament is free after a brief security check, and the visit is totally worth it, especially due to the meeting hall and ceremonial hall, as well as a big balcony overlooking the square from above. A small detour on Calle de las Barcas got me to the marvellous Edificio Banco de Valencia before my way to Plaza Redonda. By lunch, it was time for a small relaxation break in Plaza de la Reina before trying to climb El Micalet - I quit after a wait of more than 45 minutes.
I moved then to the Mercat Central de València and the area around it, including Parròquia de Sant Joan del Mercat, Basílica del Sagrat Cor de Jesús and the historic Lonja de la Seda. It was time then for a last push before getting a bus to the airport, and in the remaining 3 hours I visited the Iglesia Parroquial de San Nicolás de Bari y San Pedro Mártir, Portal de Valldigna, Muralla àrab de València, CCCC (Centro del Carmen de Cultura Contemporánea) and lastly the Centro Cultural la Beneficencia.
València became one of my 5 favourite cities ever.
The selection of images includes Jardines de Monforte, Pont del Real, Església de Sant Tomàs i Sant Felip Neri, Mercado de Colón, Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències, Reial Basílica de la Mare de Déu dels Desemparats, Carrer de Navellos, Església i Palau del Temple, Cafe de las Horas, Museu de Belles Arts de València, Estació del Nord, Ajuntament de València, Catedral de València, Carrer dels Juristes, Torres de Serranos, CCCC (Centre del Carme Cultura Contemporània), Plaza del Mercado and Llotja de la Seda.
València was the city I photographed the most, to the point of creating a collection of more than 1500 photos, available in my Flickr Album - València.