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Sagunto Roman Castle

There are few vestiges of the Roman origins of this castle, and it is a true mosaic of cultures and civilizations (Iberians, Romans, Goths, Arabs). The fortress was used by the French troupes during the War of Independence in the early nineteenth century. It is divided into seven independent squares or courtyards: the Almenara courtyards, the Armas courtyard, the Conejera courtyard, the Ciudadela courtyard, the Dos de Mayo courtyard, and the San Fernando y Estudiantes courtyard.

Roman Theatre

Sagunto’s Roman Theatre dates back to the first century (50 AD), and was the first of its kind to be declared a national monument in Spain (1896). It was built on one of Sagunto’s town hillsides.

Of the eleven known Roman theatres in Spain, this is the only one to preserve such significant architectural elements on view since antiquity.

It has a semicircular shape with capacity for eight thousand spectators. The stones from the stands were used to build the castle and some houses. An archaeological museum gathers the objects found in the excavations carried out here. The Roman Theatre was built making use of the terrain’s concave shape, which achieves impressive acoustics for open air shows.

Recently, restoration works were carried out which have given a unified appearance to the seating and stage areas, providing appropriate conditions for theatrical and cultural performances.

Royal Monastery of El Puig

The monastery is located in the town of El Puig, within the l’Horta Nord district in the Region of Valencia, just 14 km north of the city of Valencia. It was founded by king James I the Conqueror in 1240. Its historical relevance is due to the fact that in 1237 it was the location for the definitive battle for the conquest of Valencia, the Battle of El Puig. The Virgin of El Puig was considered the patron saint of the Region of Valencia for centuries.

Grutas de San José (Caves), (La Vall d’Uixó)

The Subterranean River of the Grutas de San José, located in a site bearing the same name, is a natural cave in La Vall d’Uixo, province of Castellón.

The cave reflects an active upwelling in limestone during the Middle Triassic period, but despite the many explorations carried out by speleologists, the origin of the river and the end of the cave are still unknown. The cave remains at a constant 20ºC temperature inside all year round. Currently covering 2750 m, it is the longest cave in the province of Castellón and the second longest in the Region of Valencia. It is the longest navigable subterranean river in Europe.

City of Arts and Sciences (Valencia)

The City of Arts and Sciences (Valencia) is an architectonic, cultural and entertainment complex located in the city of Valencia. It comprises the following buildings, in the order they were inaugurated:

L’Hemisfèric: In the shape of an eye. IMAX cinema, planetarium and laser. Its total surface is approximately 13,000 m2.

Príncipe Felipe Science Museum: In the shape of a giant dinosaur skeleton, it is an interactive science museum. It occupies approximately 40,000 m2, distributed over three floors.

L’Umbracle: A landscaped walk with indigenous plants from the Region of Valencia (rockrose, mastic, rosemary, lavender, honeysuckle, bougainvillia, palm trees etc.), covered by floating arches; from this viewpoint you can enjoy views of the whole City of Arts and Sciences complex. It contains the Sculpture Garden, an open-air art gallery with sculptures by contemporary artists.

The Oceanographic: The largest oceanographic aquarium in Europe covering 110,000 m2 and containing 42 million litres of water. Its rooftop in the shape of a lily is the work of Valencia architect Adrián Peláez Coronado.

Palace of the Arts Reina Sofía: The Palace of the Arts is dedicated to music and the performing arts. It has four large halls: the Main Auditorium, the Lecture Hall, the Amphitheatre and the Chamber Theatre, as well as the Exhibition Hall.

The Bridge of l’Assut de l’Or: This bridge connects the south roundabout with Calle Menorca, and its 125m pylon is the highest point in the city.

The Agora: A covered square where concerts and sporting events are held, such as the new Region of Valencia grand prix tennis competition.

The Lonja and the Central Market (Valencia)

Lonja de la Seda de Valencia or Lonja de los Mercaderes (market), is a masterpiece of Valencia Gothic civil architecture, located in the old town of the city of Valencia. Declared World Heritage by the Unesco, it is located in the Plaza del Mercado, n 31, facing the Church of Santos Juanes and the Central Market of Valencia.

It was built between 1482 and 1548 and its first builder was Pere Compte, from 1438 to 1498, based on the model of the Lonja of Palma de Mallorca. The building became an emblem of the wealth of Valencia’s golden century (fifteenth century), proof of the commercial revolution that took place during the late Middle Ages, and of the social development and prestige achieved by the bourgeoisie of Valencia.

The Central Market of Valencia, on the other hand, is a modernist style building, and its construction was started in 1914 by Francesc Guàrdia i Vial and Alexandre Soler i March.

The Central Market brings together close to 400 small retailers, and mobilizes about 1500 people in its daily activity. It is the largest market in Europe dedicated to fresh produce, and the first market in the world to face the challenge of computerizing its sales and home deliveries, a system operating since 2 October 1996.

The Cathedral and the Basílica de la Virgen de los Desamparados (Valencia)

The Cathedral, Iglesia Catedral-Basílica Metropolitana de la Asunción de Nuestra Señora de Valencia, popularly known as ‘Seu’ in Valencian, is the see of the Archbishop of Valencia and is dedicated to the Assumption of St Mary, following the wishes of James I. The cathedral was consecrated in 1238 by the first Bishop of Valencia following the Reconquest, Fray Andrés de Albalat. The cathedral is located on the site of the former Mosque of Balansiya, which in turn, had been built over the old Visigothic cathedral, which was originally built on the site of an ancient Roman temple dedicated to Jupiter or Diana (these Roman columns can still be seen standing in the Almoina museum, next to the Cathedral). The cathedral is predominantly built in the Mediterranean Spanish Gothic style, although we can also find Romanesque, French Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque and Neoclassical elements.

Inside, the Holy Grail is worshipped and was gifted to the cathedral by king Alfonso el Magnánimo in 1436.

The cathedral contains some of the earliest and best examples of Quattrocento paintings in the whole Iberian Peninsula, which came from Rome thanks to artists hired by Pope Alexander VI. This last Valencian Pope (while he was still Cardinal Rodrigo Borja), made a request for the Valencian see to be elevated to the status of Metropolitan see, a category it was granted by Pope Innocent VIII in 1492.

The Basílica de la Virgen de los Desamparados is located in the highest part of the city of Valencia. Together with the cathedral, it is one of the most significant locations in the city’s historical quarter. Its specific location is in the Plaza de la Virgen, facing the allegorical source of the River Turia and its irrigation canals.

Two of its entrances open onto this square, and a third doorway opens onto the passageway between the basilica and the cathedral, connecting both via an upper arch. This third doorway has a small grilled opening, through which you can contemplate the interior when the basilica is closed allowing you to see the illuminated Virgin.

Excavations carried out in La Almoina suggest the Basilica is located over the ancient Roman forum of the city of Valencia. In fact, several blocks of stone in the Basilica’s main facade contain tombstones and inscriptions dating from the Roman period.

Barrio del Carmen (Valencia)

Museums: IVAM, MuVIM and Bellas Artes San Pío V (Valencia)

La Albufera (Valencia)

albufera