Valencia Cathedral & El Miguelete Tower: Holy Grail, 360° Views, and the Water Court Tradition

Valencia Cathedral houses what's claimed to be the Holy Grail. Climb El Miguelete for the best city views. And don't miss the 1,000-year-old Water Court.

Valencia Cathedral & El Miguelete Tower: Holy Grail, Views, and a 1,000-Year-Old Tradition

The Cathedral That Contains a Surprising Amount of History

Valencia's cathedral sits in the middle of the old town on Plaça de la Reina, and it is, to put it plainly, one of the more interesting cathedrals in Spain. It's not the biggest, or the most elaborate, but it has three things going for it that set it apart.

First: the architecture is a genuine mix of styles — Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque all layered across eight centuries of additions. It's slightly chaotic in the best way.

Second: it contains a small chalice that the Vatican has officially recognised as a candidate for the Holy Grail. The actual Holy Grail. Whether you're religious or not, that's a remarkable claim for a cathedral in a medium-sized Spanish city.

Third: the bell tower, El Miguelete, has the best 360° view in Valencia and it costs you almost nothing to climb it.