In contrast to the narrow streets and ancient buildings of Valencia’s Old Town, the Town Hall Square (Plaza del Ayuntamiento) is a wide-open space lined with grand architecture and decorated with flowers, green lawns, and an impressive fountain. The square was traditionally the home of Valencia’s flower sellers, and there are still several in operation here.
Two buildings of note are the town hall itself and the post office building, both designed in neoclassical style by architect Miguel Angel Navarro between 1915 and 1922. You can learn more about the city’s key sites with a guided walking or bike tour.
The Plaza del Ayuntamiento is located in the center of Valencia, between the Old Town and Eixample districts. The closest metro station is Xativa, and many city buses stop at the square, including buses #5 and #28. Guided walking and bike tours of the city regularly stop here as well.
The square is open to the public year round, and many of Valencia’s major events are centered here, including New Year's celebrations and Las Fallas, the city's biggest festival, which takes place in March.
Built in the 15th century, Valencia’s Silk Market in the Plaza del Mercado was once the trading hub for merchants in the city. Visitors can go inside the central hall, with its twisted barley-sugar columns and stone window seats, where traders would sit to hash out their deals. Take a break in the fragrant orange tree courtyard, then visit the gilded rooms on the first floor, emblematic of the wealth that once flowed through the city.
