How to plan an architecture walking tour of Valencia

The World Design Capital for 2022 is brimming with striking art and architecture. Here’s how to admire the best of it on foot.

By Laura French
Published 14 Aug 2022, 15:00 BST
Square of Saint Mary's and Valencia  cathedral temple in old town, Spain.

Square of Saint Mary's and Valencia  cathedral temple in old town, Spain.

Photograph by Getty Images

1. National Museum of Ceramics and Decorative Arts
Kick off with a visit to Spain’s largest national collection of ceramics, which is housed in the Palacio del Marqués de Dos Aguas. Originally built in the 15th century, this baroque building is worth a stop for its architecture alone, with elaborate rococo sculptures and frescoed ceilings forming the backdrop to ancient ceramics, alongside period furnishings, clothes, paintings and more. 

2. Vaqueta Gastro Mercat
Valencia’s restaurants are often temples to design in themselves. One of the highlights is this nature-inspired spot by local studio Janfri & Ranchal. Enter through an artisanal grocery and you’ll be greeted with lush plants climbing brick walls and quirky lights draped above an open kitchen and bar (look out for the huge pink fish lantern). The food is excellent, too; try the Valencian paella with scallops, lobster and artichokes for an authentic taste of the city. 

3. Central Market
Just next door you’ll find the Mercado Central, one of Europe’s biggest food markets. Stalls full of cured meats, fresh fish and hunks of cheese have been enticing locals since 1928, but the design is just as eye-catching as the produce, with iron-beamed ceilings, stained-glass windows and a mosaic-tiled dome among its features. Head to the Central Bar to see the work of designer Francesc Rifé, or grab lunch at Uno to view hand-painted tiles by designer Jaime Hayon. 

4.  Catedral de Valencia
A five-minute stroll will take you to the city’s real show-stopper — the gothic-meets-baroque cathedral, dating to the 13th century. See the intricate Roman chalice that’s purported to be the Holy Grail at the Capilla del Santo Cáliz, then stop by the Borja Chapel to admire paintings by the likes of Goya. Perhaps most impressive, though, is the altar: a gold-gilt collection of statues and paintings set beneath a cobalt-frescoed ceiling that’s nothing short of awe-inspiring. 

5. Carme Contemporary Cultural Centre
The CCCC is a former monastery that’s now a set of museums dedicated to all forms of art, where exhibition halls are tucked among gothic cloisters, Renaissance courtyards and a medieval chapel. Formerly the centre for the Royal Academy of Fine Arts — where Valencian artists such as Francisco Domingo Marqués and Joaquín Sorolla once studied — it’s now home to a children’s sensory gallery as well as rotating exhibitions. 

6. Calle de los Colores
Striking Calle Moret, dubbed Calle de los Colores (street of colours), was once a run-down alleyway, but is now the canvas for a collection of murals commissioned by photographer Alfonso Calza, who has his studio here. Artists including Deih, Zíngaro and Capiflex were tasked with turning Calza’s photos into art in 2016, creating now-much-loved paintings, including ‘The Kiss’, which has become something of a pilgrimage for couples. 

Published in the September 2022 issue of National Geographic Traveller (UK)

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