What to do on a rainy day in Valencia

One of the main reasons why one may think about visiting the city of Valencia is the nice and warm weather that is present almost the whole year (except for Winter) and that allows people to enjoy the beach and to rent a bike in order to cycle along its Turia River Park that runs the entire city(check out this article to find out more about parks in Valencia), amongst other activities. However, the weather can sometimes surprise you with heavy rains and believe it or not, whenever it rains in Valencia, it rains incredibly heavily, and it is usually accompanied by bad wind. I had one of my closest friends visiting me last Easter and so we had to change most of our plans and organise our days according to the rainy and windy weather, and it wasn't so bad since I had the opportunity to visit one of the most beautiful museums of Valencia.

In this story, I am going to give you some ideas about what you can do in Valencia on a rainy and windy day when you can’t do outdoors activities. Valencia is an amazing city that offers its people plenty of cultural activities and places to visit, since it was an important city during the 15th century economically and culturally - and so I am going to tell you about the Silk Exchange that has been declared by UNESCO as part of Humanity's Heritage.

The Silk Exchange

The Silk Exchange is the one of the main and one of the most well known monuments of the city and a masterpiece of civil Gothic architecture, that was built during Valencia's golden age, the 15th century, when the Kingdom of Valencia was at its economic and cultural peak. It resembles an old, medieval castle and the building contains four main parts, each one for a different purpose: the main tower, the Consulado del Mar room, the Patio de los Naranjos (Orange tree courtyard), and the Contracts Room (with palm-tree-shaped columns that span its magnificent main hall and is my favourite part).

The Silk Exchange was the only building in Valencia devoted to the mercantile transactions which were so closely linked to the city’s prosperous 15th-century trade, when commerce became the basis of the city’s economy. The city was a fundamental point of exchange in the Mediterranean area, and so this unique building still shows the importance that the Silk Exchange had at that time and how wealthy the city was. It only costs €2 to get in (and is free on Sundays) and I can guarantee you that you will be impressed when seeing architecture and sculpture blended perfectly in this monument that is part of Humanity's Heritage. It is the perfect place to visit, especially when the weather in Valencia is bad,  and you are looking for indoor spaces in the heart of Valencia (check out this article to find out more about the city centre of Valencia).

Lonja de la Seda - Valencia

Carrer de la Llotja, 2, 46001 València, Valencia, España

The Central Market

Opposite to the Silk Market stands the impressive Central Market, with its wrought-iron, ceramic and glass cupolas. It is without any doubt, one of the most outstanding Modernist buildings in Valencia and it is one of Europe's largest fresh food outlets. The busy atmosphere inside immerses its visitors in rows of delightful smells, flavours and colours and is the perfect place to lose yourself when it's raining outside. I recommend you try an orange juice, as oranges are delicious in Valencia!

Mercado Central de Valencia

Plaça de la Ciutat de Bruges, s/n, 46001 València, Valencia, Spain

I hope this story gives you ideas if you don’t get very lucky with the weather when visiting the wonderful city of Valencia on a rainy day. There are tons of hidden spots and places to amaze you and make you fall in love, whatever the weather.