Vice and Virtue Valencia Walking Tour

Walk through sacred chapels and silk trading floors to uncover scandalous moral conflict and lore

Travel Flexibly 2h 30 min Max 10 guests Max 10 Valencia, Spain

Gilded altars and grotesque carvings set the stage for a journey through Valencia’s moral history. You explore the contrast between the cathedral’s holy atmosphere and the worldly ambition of Lonja de la Seda, a 15th-century silk exchange famous for its provocative stone figures. Your guide reveals the legacy of the Spanish Inquisition and the scandalous Borgias, a notorious family who rose from Valencia to the Papacy amid rumors of corruption. The perfect tour for dark-history buffs.

What You Get With This Tour

  • Expert English-speaking guide
  • Valencia historic center walking tour
  • Valencia Cathedral entry and guided tour
  • Lonja de la Seda entry and guided visit
  • Guide tips

Tour Itinerary

  • 1

    Your tour begins in Plaza de la Reina

    You’ll meet your English-speaking guide in Plaza de la Reina, with the Cathedral and El Miguelete bell tower in sight. It’s a lively square that gives you an instant feel for Valencia’s old town.
  • 2

    Valencia Cathedral and El Miguelete

    Head into Valencia Cathedral to see chapels, relics, and artwork that span several centuries. As you walk through, your guide points out how the changing styles and details reflect shifts in the city’s power, beliefs, and ambitions.
  • 3

    Basílica de la Virgen de los Desamparados

    Next, stroll over to the Basilica de la Virgen de los Desamparados, dedicated to Valencia’s patron saint. Here you learn how devotion, protection, and public rituals shape local identity, from processions in the square to quiet moments inside the basilica.
  • 4

    Tribunal de las Aguas in Plaza de la Virgen

    In Plaza de la Virgen, your guide will introduce the Tribunal de las Aguas, Europe’s oldest working water court. You’ll hear how this weekly gathering still settles canal disputes in public, blending law, tradition, and community in a way that is both simple and powerful.
  • 5

    Walk along Calle Navellos past the Palace of the Borgias

    Then follow your guide along Calle Navellos to see the Palace of the Borgias from the outside. This stretch of street shows how noble families, politics, and the Spanish Inquisition left their mark.
  • 6

    Church of Santos Juanes

    Continue toward the Church of Santos Juanes, a baroque church shaped by fire, rebuilding, and long-standing devotion. Its façades, sculptures, and location near the old market area show how trade, everyday life, and spirituality all met in the same space.
  • 7

    Lonja de la Seda (Silk Exchange)

    Finally, step inside Lonja de la Seda, the Gothic silk exchange that helped drive Valencia’s wealth and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In the grand trading hall and side rooms, your guide points out carvings, inscriptions, and symbols that connect business, morality, and the pursuit of profit.
  • 8

    Your tour finishes inside Lonja de la Seda

    Your tour wraps up inside Lonja de la Seda, where you can take photos and look around at your own pace. By the end, you’ll have a clearer picture of how virtue, vice, money, and faith all shaped Valencia’s historic center.

Additional Information

Good to know:

  • Accessibility: This tour involves uneven streets, cobblestones, and some steps in Valencia’s historic center. It is not suitable for wheelchairs or guests with significant mobility issues.

  • Dress code: Valencia Cathedral and other religious sites request modest clothing. Please cover shoulders and knees to avoid any issues at the entrance.

  • Check-in: Arrive 15 minutes early at Plaza de la Reina so you can find your guide and start on time.

Your 2.5-hour tour includes:

  • Expert English-speaking guide

  • Guided walking tour of Valencia’s historic center

  • Valencia Cathedral entry and guided tour

  • Lonja de la Seda entry and guided visit

  • Maximum group size of 25

What to bring:

  • Comfortable walking shoes

  • Water bottle

You might also like...

Guided Tour

Guided Tour Trusted Partner

Medieval Valencia Express Walking Tour

from $29.75

Guided Tour

from $95.20

Transportation Included

Transportation Included Trusted Partner

Skip-the-Line Caves of San José Half-Day Trip from Valencia

from $82.11

Guided Tour

from $136.85

Family Friendly

from $65.45

Customer Reviews

Leave a review

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this tour family friendly?

Older kids and teens interested in history may enjoy this tour, but the focus on dark history, the Inquisition, and power struggles makes it better suited to adults or mature teens rather than younger children.

What if I have concerns about my mobility on this tour?

This is a walking tour over cobblestones, uneven streets, and some steps, so it is not suitable for wheelchairs and may be challenging for guests with limited mobility.

How much walking is involved?

Expect a steady 2.5-hour walk through Valencia’s historic center with several stops for stories and interior visits. There are no long uphill climbs, but cobblestones and standing in churches and plazas are part of the experience.

Do I need to follow a dress code?

Yes, Valencia Cathedral and other religious sites ask visitors to dress modestly. Please cover shoulders and knees so there are no issues at the entrance.

Start From: $35.70
Adult (+12)
Children (6-12)
Infant (0-5)
Available days Discounted days
Reserve now, pay later reserve now, pay later Learn more

Free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance!

Check Availability from $35.70
from $35.70
Check Availability