Monumental Walk, English Or Spanish

Overview

This walk, listed on freetour.com and run by guide Paraguas Rojos, covers the monumental core of Ciutat Vella in one hour and 45 minutes, in English or Spanish. It starts at Plaza del Mercado, beside the facade of the Lonja de la Seda, right where the daily life of the city and the Central Market spill into the square. From there the route moves through the medieval commercial city and into the streets of government, churches and Roman remains.

The order of the walk is fixed by its description: the Central Market and the Lonja first, then the Church of St. Nicholas of Bari and St. Peter Martyr with its baroque frescoes, the Serrano Towers, the Palau de la Generalitat, Plaza de la Virgen, the Plaza de la Almoina with its Roman vestiges, Plaza de la Reina and the Cathedral with the Holy Chalice, the Church of Santa Catalina with its bell tower, and finally the Palace of the Marquis of Dos Aguas, which houses a museum.

The tour conditions printed on the freetour.com page state that it is suitable for people with reduced mobility, suitable for families with children, pet-friendly, and has no minimum attendee requirement and no additional cost. Booking is free, and guests pay the guide what they think the walk was worth at the end. Anyone wanting a single sweep of Valencia's monumental sights in under two hours, in either of two languages, is the natural fit.

Itinerary

1. Meet at Plaza del MercadoThe group meets at Plaza del Mercado, beside the facade of the Lonja de la Seda. There is no pickup; travellers make their own way to the meeting point.
2. Central Market and the LonjaThe walk opens in the lively square and the Central Market, full of colours and aromas, then moves to the Lonja de la Seda, a World Heritage Site and a symbol of medieval commercial wealth.
3. St. Nicholas of BariThe group continues to the Church of St. Nicholas of Bari and St. Peter Martyr to admire its baroque frescoes, which have earned it the name the Valencian Sistine Chapel.
4. Serrano TowersThe route reaches the imposing Serrano Towers, the ancient gates of the city, which the description on freetour.com says give a unique panoramic view.
5. Palau de la GeneralitatNext comes the elegant Palau de la Generalitat, seat of the Valencian Government.
6. Plaza de la Virgen and AlmoinaThe stroll passes through Plaza de la Virgen, surrounded by historical monuments, then the Plaza de la Almoina, where Roman vestiges tell of the origins of Valencia.
7. Cathedral and Santa CatalinaAt Plaza de la Reina the imposing Cathedral awaits, with its mixture of styles and the Holy Chalice, followed by the Church of Santa Catalina with its baroque bell tower.
8. Palace of Dos AguasThe walk ends at the Palace of the Marquis of Dos Aguas, which houses a museum. The total duration is one hour and 45 minutes.

What To Expect From The Tour

The freetour.com page for this walk spells out its conditions, and the route itself shapes what a traveller should plan for.

• Meeting point. The meeting point is Plaza del Mercado, beside the facade of the Lonja de la Seda. There is no pickup or transfer included, so arrive at the square under your own arrangements. The facade of the Lonja is the landmark to find.
• Language choice. The walk runs in English and Spanish. Check which language applies to the date you reserve before booking, since the description covers both.
• Pace and distance. The whole route takes one hour and 45 minutes and links squares and monuments across the old centre. Comfortable shoes make a walk of this length more pleasant.
• Accessibility. The conditions printed on the page state the tour is suitable for people with reduced mobility and suitable for families with children. It is also pet-friendly.
• Photos. The route takes in the Serrano Towers, which the description on freetour.com says give a unique panoramic view of the city. It also passes the Lonja de la Seda, the Cathedral and the Palace of the Marquis of Dos Aguas, so there is plenty to photograph along the way.
• Paying the guide. Booking is free and there is no additional cost on the walk. At the end, guests pay the guide what they think the walk was worth, which is the pay-what-you-want model of the tour.

Common issues. The freetour.com page states no minimum attendees and no additional cost, which removes two common worries. The limits are those printed in its own conditions: no pickup, a fixed meeting point beside the Lonja de la Seda, and a pace set by a route that packs many monuments into under two hours.

Questions People Ask About This Walk