Valencia’s old town is a palimpsest. Roman foundations hold up Visigothic walls hold up Moorish arches hold up Gothic towers. The layers are not hidden — they are visible on nearly every street, if you know where to look.
This walk starts at the silk exchange, where medieval merchants built a trading hall grand enough to pass for a church, and threads through the Central Market, the cathedral, and the narrow streets that connect them. Two thousand years of construction, demolition, and reconstruction in under a kilometer.
The old town is compact. The history is not.
What you'll discover
·La Lonja de la Seda has twisted columns that took 50 years to carve. The silk traders thought it was worth the wait.
·A Roman forum lies 3 meters below the plaza you are standing on.
·The Central Market sells 300 types of produce under a stained-glass dome.
·Torres de Serranos survived because the city stored paintings inside during the Civil War.
·8 layers of civilization visible in one archaeological dig beneath Plaza de la Virgen.
·A cathedral that claims to hold the Holy Grail. The Vatican has not disagreed.
Hear what it's like
Stop 3 of Ciutat Vella. La Lonja de la Seda.
“They built a silk exchange that looks like a cathedral. That tells you everything about where Valencia's priorities were in 1482.”
Each walk has 8+ stops like this. Sample a few free in the app.
Before you go
Best time
Morning, especially if you want to see the Central Market in full swing. It closes by 2pm.
Getting there
Start at Xàtiva metro station (Lines 1, 5). Walk north through Plaza del Ayuntamiento.
Duration
45 minutes at walking pace. Add time for the Central Market — it is hard to leave quickly.
Footwear
Mix of cobblestones and paved streets. Flat shoes recommended.
€3.99
This walk. 30 days.
Or all 4 Valencia walks for €18.99
Open in app2 devices. One can be a friend's.