Valencia Cathedral (Catedral de Santa María)

Valencia Cathedral (Catedral de Santa María) stands on the Plaza de la Reina in the historic centre of Valencia, Spain, occupying a site that has served as a place of worship since Roman times — first as a temple to Diana, then as a Visigothic cathedral, and later as a mosque before the Christian reconquest in 1238. Construction on the current Gothic structure began in 1262 and continued over several centuries, resulting in a building that blends Romanesque, Gothic, Baroque, and Renaissance elements across its various doorways and chapels. The most celebrated possession of the cathedral is the Santo Cáliz, a Roman-era agate cup displayed in a dedicated chapel, venerated since medieval times as the Holy Grail. The 13th-century Romanesque Puerta del Palau, the Gothic Puerta de los Apóstoles — used every Thursday at noon by the historic Water Tribunal, a functioning medieval water court — and the ornate Baroque high altar are among the interior highlights. The cathedral also houses an important collection of paintings in the Goya Chapel, attributed in part to Francisco de Goya. Rising above the cathedral, the octagonal Miguelete bell tower (El Micalet) is one of Valencia's most recognisable symbols. The 207-step climb to the top rewards visitors with sweeping panoramic views over the city rooftops, the Turia riverbed gardens, and on clear days towards the Mediterranean coastline. A full visit to the interior, including the Treasury museum with its ecclesiastical silverware and medieval manuscripts, typically takes 1–2 hours. The Miguelete tower requires a separate ticket and is best climbed in the morning when light and air quality are usually clearest. The cathedral is surrounded by the old town's most atmospheric streets, making a combined visit with the nearby Palau de la Generalitat and the Plaça de la Verge a natural extension of any itinerary.