Miguelete Bell Tower, Valencia Cathedral
Climbing the octagonal Gothic bell tower of Valencia's cathedral earns you the finest 360-degree panorama in the old town — a roofscape of terracotta tiles, orange trees and distant mountains that no rooftop bar can match. It's harder work than a lift, but far more satisfying.
The climb and the view
The Miguelete — locally called El Micalet — rises 51 metres above the Plaza de la Reina and the 207 narrow stone steps spiral tightly enough that you'll emerge slightly breathless. The reward is a wraparound platform where you can pick out the blue-tiled dome of the Basílica de la Mare de Déu dels Desemparats, the green swathe of the Turia Gardens and, on a clear winter day, the snow-capped Sierra Calderona to the north.
The tower was begun in 1381 and took nearly 80 years to complete; the bell at the top, known as Na Bàrbera, has rung the hours for the city since 1736 and is still rung manually for major festivals. Standing next to it when it strikes is an experience your eardrums won't forget.
Combining with the Cathedral
The Cathedral itself merits at least an hour: its Chapel of the Holy Grail houses a small agate cup that the Vatican has officially recognised as a candidate for the historical Holy Grail, displayed behind glass in a Gothic apse. The attached Museu Catedralici holds Goya paintings and medieval altarpieces that most visitors rush past.
Finish in the Plaza de la Reina just below — Valencia's most lively central square — where a dozen café terraces serve horchata and agua de Valencia (cava, orange juice, vodka and gin) from mid-morning onwards.
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