Valencia is Spain's third-largest city and the starting point of the Camino de Levante. It's a city that rewards a day or two of exploration before setting out — and with direct flights from across Europe and excellent rail connections, it's a practical place to begin.
The old town, centered on the Barrio del Carmen, is a web of narrow streets, churches, and plazas. The Cathedral claims to house the Santo Cáliz — the Holy Grail — in a side chapel, and whether or not you believe the claim, the chalice itself is striking. Climb the Miguelete bell tower for the best views over the city. Next door, La Lonja de la Seda (the Silk Exchange) is a masterpiece of Valencian Gothic and a UNESCO World Heritage Site — the soaring columns of the main hall are worth the visit alone.
The Mercado Central, across from La Lonja, is one of Europe's largest and most beautiful food markets. If you're self-catering before setting out, this is the place to stock up — and to eat well.
The Turia Gardens, a 9-km park built in the bed of the diverted River Turia, run from the old town to the City of Arts and Sciences, Santiago Calatrava's futuristic complex of museums and performance spaces. It's a striking contrast to the medieval center.
Valencia has all services. Accommodation ranges from hostels in the old town to beachfront hotels. The city is best explored on foot or by the excellent public bike system.
Las Fallas (March 15-19) is Valencia's defining festival and one of the most spectacular in Spain. Neighborhoods spend months building enormous satirical sculptures (fallas) from wood, papier-mâché, and foam, only to burn them all on the final night (La Cremà). The daytime mascletà — a thunderous firecracker display in the Plaza del Ayuntamiento — is a daily ritual during the festival. Las Fallas is a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage event.
Valencia was founded as the Roman colony Valentia in 138 BC. It passed through Visigothic, Moorish, and Christian hands — the legendary El Cid briefly took the city in 1094 before it was recaptured by the Almoravids. Jaume I of Aragón definitively conquered it in 1238, and the city flourished as a major Mediterranean trading port. The 15th century was Valencia's golden age, when the silk trade and banking made it one of the wealthiest cities in Europe.
The Camino de Levante leaves Valencia heading south through the suburbs of l'Horta Sud. The walking is urban and flat — all on roads through Alfafar, Massanassa, and Catarroja before reaching Silla at about 15 km. The official first stage goes all the way to Algemesí (38 km), but Silla is a sensible first stop.
Don't be put off by descriptions of "industrial slog" — there's a short stretch through a polígono industrial, but it's storage depots, not heavy industry. The suburban towns are pleasant enough and give you a glimpse of everyday Spanish life outside the tourist center.
