City Walls, Roman To Christian

Overview

This walk follows the walls of Valencia through their Roman, Islamic and Christian phases, tracing what survives of them in the streets and even inside shops and other indoor spaces. The guide is Quique, and the walk is listed on GuruWalk, where it runs as a free, pay what you want tour: reserving a place costs nothing, and guests pay the guide at the end whatever they felt the walk was worth. It starts at the Torres de Serrans, by the exit towards Plaça dels Furs, where the guide waits with a blue backpack, and it finishes at Plaza de la Reina some two hours and thirty minutes later.

The route is not a general city tour. It sticks to the walls and their remains, which means a lot of walking as the group follows fragments of old fortifications through the El Carme area and beyond. The published route names the Arab wall of Valencia, Calle Caballeros and the Galeria del Tossal, where more of the Arab wall is on display, though the full route has five stops and the GuruWalk listing shows the first three.

Reviewers describe a guide with deep research into the Roman and Islamic periods of the city, and several say they discovered places they would never have found on their own. That makes this a good fit for travellers who already know Valencia or who want a specific, theme-driven walk rather than a first-time overview. Anyone after a broad introduction to the city will find other walks better suited to that.

Itinerary

1. Meet at Torres de SerransThe meeting point is the Torres de Serrans, at the exit towards Plaça dels Furs. The guide carries a blue backpack.
2. Muralla arabe de ValenciaThe walk begins with the remains of the Arab wall, tracing its layout through the streets of El Carme.
3. Calle CaballerosThe route continues along Calle Caballeros, following wall remains visible on the street and indoors, including inside shops.
4. Galeria del TossalThe third published stop is the Galeria del Tossal, where sections of the Arab wall can be seen up close.
5. Finish at Plaza de la ReinaThe walk ends at Plaza de la Reina. The full route has five stops, of which the GuruWalk listing shows the first three.

What To Expect From The Tour

This is a themed walk with a lot of walking, and the reviews are consistent about what that means in practice.

• Be ready to walk. Two reviewers say the tour involves a lot of walking, because the group follows the remains of the wall for the whole two and a half hours. Comfortable shoes are a sensible choice for a walk of this length.
• It is about the walls. One reviewer points out that this is not a general tour: the subject is the wall itself, start to finish. Travellers who want a broad first introduction to Valencia may find the theme narrower than they expect.
• Expect specific detail. One reviewer highlights the guide's research into Roman, Arabic and Islamic Valencia, and several say they discovered parts of the city they would never have known otherwise. The walk rewards curiosity about the city's layered past.
• Dress for the day. The walk lasts two hours and thirty minutes and moves between street stops and indoor spaces. Dress for the conditions on the day.
• Indoor and outdoor stops. The GuruWalk listing says remains are seen both on the street and indoors, in places such as shops and museums. Some stops may take the group inside.
• Pay what you want. Booking on GuruWalk is free and guests pay the guide at the end what they think the walk was worth. There is no fixed charge and no set amount to prepare in advance.

Common issues. The honest catch is focus: one reviewer warns that anyone looking for a general tour may not enjoy this, because the whole walk follows the wall and requires a lot of walking. The theme is narrow by design, so it rewards people with an existing interest in the city's layered past. The GuruWalk listing also notes that the published route shows only the first three of five stops, so the full route is longer than the named highlights suggest.

Questions People Ask About This Walk