El Cabanyal
A fishing village the city almost erased.
El Cabanyal was a fishing village before it was a neighborhood. The narrow streets still follow the pattern of boats pulled up on the beach, and the houses are covered in ceramic tiles — blues, greens, yellows — that make every block look different from the last.
For years the city planned to extend a boulevard straight through the middle of it, demolishing hundreds of homes. The residents fought back, won, and El Cabanyal is now one of the most interesting neighborhoods in Valencia precisely because it survived.
This walk covers six stops through the old grid, from the market to the beach. It is a story about what happens when a city listens to the people who actually live in it.
What you'll discover
·The tile facades of El Cabanyal are unique in Europe — every house a different pattern.
·A boulevard extension plan would have demolished 1,600 homes. Residents blocked it for 15 years.
·The Casa dels Bous stored the bulls for beachside bullfights until 1903.
·6 blocks from the beach, the streets still follow the old fishing-boat grid.
·A market hall from 1958 that locals fought to keep open when the supermarkets arrived.
·The restored houses on Calle de la Reina show what the neighborhood looked like before neglect set in.
Before you go
Best time
Late morning. The neighborhood is quiet early, and the light on the tile facades is best before noon.
Getting there
Tram Line 6 to La Marina or bus 1, 2, or 19. Or walk east through the Turia Gardens to the sea.
Duration
40 minutes. The neighborhood is small but dense with detail.
Footwear
Flat streets throughout. Any comfortable shoes.
€3.99
This walk. 30 days.
Or all 4 Valencia walks for €18.99
Open in app2 devices. One can be a friend's.