Valencia hides many secrets beneath (or above) its streets. Some are so extraordinary that they tell stories dating back more than 800 years —and we pass them by every day without even realizing it. We’ll save you the trouble of searching through history books with a tour that takes you to some of these mysterious spots around the city.
Almoina Museum
This site preserves ruins and remnants dating back to the city’s founding and subsequent centuries. From the Muslim era, we find part of the citadel: a waterwheel, a washhouse, and a fragment of the fortification. You can see the ruins through the glass window facing the street, but we highly recommend purchasing a ticket to enter: Monday through Saturday for €2 from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., and free on Sundays and holidays from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Tossal Gallery
Hidden in the heart of the city is the Galería del Tossal, an underground archaeological site where you can see the ruins of the ancient al-Hanax Gate, one of the entrances to the Islamic city wall. Alongside them are other artifacts on display that tell the city’s history. Admission is free, and the site is open Tuesday through Saturday from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. and on Sundays and holidays from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Portal de la Valldigna
In the Carmen neighborhood lies a passageway that (almost) all of us have walked through at some point in our lives: the Portal de la Valldigna. An arch that, although opened in 1400 under Christian rule, has its origins in the ancient Al-Andalus wall, built to connect the city with the Jewish quarter.
It’s not the only remnant visible at a glance; the Torre del Ángel, in Plaza de Beneyto i Coll, and the Torre de la Mare Vella, on Calle Borràs, are other landmarks of the historic Muslim quarter.
Water Tribunal
If you’re planning your visit to Valencia, we recommend scheduling it for a Thursday, because you’ll be able to see in person the world’s oldest legal institution, with over 1,000 years of tradition and designated as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. A tribunal that resolves water disputes among farmers in the Huerta Valenciana and owes its founding to the city’s Al-Andalus period. The tribunal meets at 12:00 p.m., and admission is completely free.
Balansiya Restaurant
There’s no better way to wrap up our tour than by sampling traditional Andalusian cuisine. Moving away from the city center, we find a restaurant inspired by the city’s history, both in its food and its name: Balansiya (as the Mozarabs called it). A restaurant serving authentic Arab cuisine that takes us back in time through its flavors and décor.
A journey through a Valencia unknown to many, yet one that has withstood the test of time and remains today in the city’s streets, visible only to those who dare to explore it with a different perspective.
