Top 10 Things To Do And See In El Carmen Valencia

El Carmen forms part of Valencia‘s old city. It is therefore a district with historical importance and its age is made apparent by the historical buildings, old churches and its narrow winding streets. Here is a list of the 10 best places to visit in El Carmen.

Torres de Quart and Torres de Serranos

These two impressive tower gates used to be part of the medieval city walls and they are the last complete gates to still stand out of the original twelve. The Serranos Towers were, and still are, considered the city’s main entrance. Both gates functioned as prisons for several centuries. Quart Towers‘s facade testifies to the numerous attacks against the city. The towers are situated at opposite ends of the district El Carmen but they are at a walking distance from each other – their different architecture, having been built a century apart, makes them both worthy of a visit. There are splendid views over the city from both gates.

Torres de Quart, Plaça de Santa Úrsula, 1, Valencia, Spain

Torres de Serranos, Plaça dels Furs, Valencia, Spain

1. The House-Museum of Painter José Benlliure

Museum

José Benlliure was a Valencian painter at the turn of the 20th century. He became director of the Spanish Academy of Fine Arts and is most famous for his historical paintings. In 1957, the painter’s daughter donated the house to the City Hall of Valencia. The house-museum now contains some of his paintings, notes and sketches as well as works from other famous artists such as Sorolla and Rusinyol. There is also a pavilion in the garden that contains more paintings and exhibits different collections of objects such as antique furniture, clothing and musical objects. The garden is beautiful and was designed by José Benlliure himself.

Opening hours: Tue-Sat 10am-2pm, 3pm-6pm, Sun 10am-3pm

Get Lost

Last but not least, why not put your map away and let your feet guide you through El Carmen’s ancient streets” That way every little square or beautiful historical building you find will be a real discovery and the surprise will make each find all the more special. A lot of good graffiti can also be found in this district so keep your eyes peeled.