Palau Ducal dels Borja
The Gothic-Renaissance palace that once belonged to the House of Borja — the Spanish branch of the notorious Borgia family — sits right in the heart of Gandia's old town and is one of the finest ducal palaces in the entire Valencian Community. Saint Francis Borja, the Jesuit general, was born here in 1510, and the rooms still carry the weight of that extraordinary history.
Architecture and interiors
The palace was built in stages from the 14th century onward, and the façade alone rewards a long look: a delicate Gothic gallery runs across the upper storey, while the interior courtyard is a textbook example of Valencian civil Gothic with its pointed arches and carved stonework. The golden chamber — Galeria Daurada — is the showpiece, its vaulted ceiling covered in intricate gilded stucco that took Flemish craftsmen years to complete.
Guided tours (included in the ticket price) move through private apartments, a chapel, a refectory and the study where Francis Borja reportedly renounced worldly power after viewing the decomposed body of Empress Isabella. The storytelling is vivid and the guides genuinely passionate about separating Borgia myth from documented fact.
Visiting practicalities
The palace is managed by the Jesuit order and kept in excellent condition. Allow at least 90 minutes to do it justice — the audio guide is available in English, Spanish, Valencian, French and German. A small but well-curated gift shop sells books on Borgia history and local ceramics.
The surrounding streets of the old town are worth exploring after your visit: Carrer Major has several tapas bars and the 15th-century Collegiate Church of Santa Maria is just a five-minute walk away, its bell tower visible from the palace courtyard.
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