La Catedral (Valencia Cathedral), Valencia (must see)

For a centerpiece of Valencia’s old town, this cathedral doesn’t make a particularly grand first impression from the outside. But step through the doors, and it gradually reveals why it has been the city’s spiritual heart for centuries. Built after the Christian reconquest in the 13th century on the site of a former mosque, Valencia Cathedral blends Gothic foundations with later neoclassical additions.

As you enter the main nave, take a moment to look straight ahead. The plain brick walls, simple columns, and restrained decoration can seem surprisingly modest for such an important cathedral. Still, this is one of the building's most impressive architectural features and is well worth a pause.

Now walk toward the center of the building, where the nave meets the transept, and look up. Instead of a traditional dome, you'll see an elegant octagonal lantern tower rising overhead, pierced with alabaster windows that soften the incoming light, and framed by two tiers of pointed Gothic arches. This is one of the cathedral’s finest medieval features, so give your neck a moment to adjust.

Continue toward the high altar at the eastern end of the cathedral. Above it, look for the recently uncovered Renaissance frescoes depicting musical angels floating against a deep-blue, star-filled sky. Nearby, the carved walnut choir stalls and painted altarpieces add richer detail. Also, keep an eye out for the alabaster statue known as Our Lady of the Choir. Usually easy to spot by her pale stone appearance and prominent placement near the choir area, she remains one of the cathedral's most beloved devotional figures.

From the sanctuary, turn to your right and follow the side aisle toward the cathedral's former chapter house. You'll recognize it by the star-vaulted ceiling and elaborate Gothic screen. This is the Holy Chalice Chapel, home to the cathedral’s most celebrated treasure: the Holy Grail. Visitors expecting a glittering jewel-encrusted relic are often surprised. The cup itself is relatively simple—a dark agate vessel dating to around the 1st century BC—later fitted with medieval handles and base, and surrounded by centuries of legend...

Before leaving, visit the cathedral museum. In the basement, Roman foundations and medieval remains reveal earlier layers of Valencia beneath your feet. Upstairs, religious artworks by Vicente Macip and Juan de Juanes show how artistic styles shifted between generations. Among the highlights are 14th-century carved apostles—the original figures that once stood at the cathedral’s main entrance.