
Plaza de la Reina (Queen's Plaza), Valencia
Valencia’s second most prominent public space, Queen’s Plaza lies right at the heart of the city’s historic center, framed by centuries of history. Initially created in 1878 to mark the royal marriage of King Alfonso XII and Queen María de las Mercedes, the area has evolved well beyond its ceremonial origins. Nowadays, it’s a popular gathering spot, where both residents and travelers pause for coffee, a sweet treat, or simply to soak in the atmosphere.
A visit wouldn’t be complete without stopping at the Horchatería Santa Catalina, where you can sample traditional horchata paired with airy, sugar-dusted fartons. For something savory, nearby tapas bars offer a taste of the region’s flavors, often with outdoor seating.
Dominating one side of the plaza is the grand Valencia Cathedral, which you can enter through the Baroque-style Door of the Irons. Next to it rises the Miguelete Tower, a 14th-century bell tower that rewards those who climb its 207 steps with sweeping views over the rooftops of the old town. On the opposite side, the Church of Santa Catalina stands tall with its Gothic base and unmistakable Baroque bell tower.
Queen’s Plaza also marks kilometer zero for Valencia’s road network, a detail that links it to the ancient Roman infrastructure. When Emperor Augustus unified Roman control over the Iberian Peninsula, he ordered the construction of the Via Augusta—a 1,500-kilometer artery running from the Pyrenees to Cádiz. One stretch of that great road once passed right through what is now the heart of this plaza, making it a literal crossroads of empire, commerce, and time.
In recent years, the area has seen a major redesign. Completed in 2022, the transformation focused on pedestrianizing the space and giving it new life. Vehicles were redirected, the pavement was expanded, and over a hundred trees were planted to brind more shade and colour. Adjustable awnings were also installed, offering welcome relief from the summer sun and making the space even more inviting year-round.
A visit wouldn’t be complete without stopping at the Horchatería Santa Catalina, where you can sample traditional horchata paired with airy, sugar-dusted fartons. For something savory, nearby tapas bars offer a taste of the region’s flavors, often with outdoor seating.
Dominating one side of the plaza is the grand Valencia Cathedral, which you can enter through the Baroque-style Door of the Irons. Next to it rises the Miguelete Tower, a 14th-century bell tower that rewards those who climb its 207 steps with sweeping views over the rooftops of the old town. On the opposite side, the Church of Santa Catalina stands tall with its Gothic base and unmistakable Baroque bell tower.
Queen’s Plaza also marks kilometer zero for Valencia’s road network, a detail that links it to the ancient Roman infrastructure. When Emperor Augustus unified Roman control over the Iberian Peninsula, he ordered the construction of the Via Augusta—a 1,500-kilometer artery running from the Pyrenees to Cádiz. One stretch of that great road once passed right through what is now the heart of this plaza, making it a literal crossroads of empire, commerce, and time.
In recent years, the area has seen a major redesign. Completed in 2022, the transformation focused on pedestrianizing the space and giving it new life. Vehicles were redirected, the pavement was expanded, and over a hundred trees were planted to brind more shade and colour. Adjustable awnings were also installed, offering welcome relief from the summer sun and making the space even more inviting year-round.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Valencia. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "911: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
Plaza de la Reina (Queen's Plaza) on Map
Sight Name: Plaza de la Reina (Queen's Plaza)
Sight Location: Valencia, Spain (See walking tours in Valencia)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Valencia, Spain (See walking tours in Valencia)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Valencia, Spain
Create Your Own Walk in Valencia
Creating your own self-guided walk in Valencia is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Old Town Walking Tour
Valencia’s Old Town stands apart from many in Europe for how effortlessly its many layers of history coexist. Beneath modern squares, ancient Roman streets and forum remains lie quietly preserved. The maze-like layout—shaped during the city’s Islamic period—was never swept away after the Christian Reconquest. Instead, it survived and evolved, now lined with Gothic churches and Baroque... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.0 Km or 1.9 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.0 Km or 1.9 Miles
Valencia's Classical Architecture Tour
In Valencia, the architecture tells you right away—this city has layers. It's not just a coastal getaway with sunshine and beaches. Beneath the bright skies, “Spain’s Third Capital” reveals a blend of styles both rich and unexpected—at once bold in contrast and delicate in detail. Nowhere is this more evident than in the Old Town, where nearly every corner seems to offer a visual... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.3 Km or 2.1 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.3 Km or 2.1 Miles
Contemporary Architecture Walk
With one foot in the past and the other one in the future, it is hard to find a European city more architecturally intriguing than Valencia. Among the multitude of styles, Valencia particularly excels at the cutting-edge contemporary architecture. She owes it to her own born and bred architect, Santiago Calatrava, renowned for his hyper-modern-surreal designs.
In the course of nearly two... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.4 Km or 0.9 Miles
In the course of nearly two... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.4 Km or 0.9 Miles
Valencia Introduction Walking Tour
Valencia, Spain’s third-largest city, carries a rich history that stretches back to 138 BC, when it was founded as a Roman colony for battle-tested veterans. Known then as “Valentia”, meaning “valor,” it honored the courage of its first inhabitants. The city was destroyed in 75 BC by Pompey the Great but was rebuilt within a century, eventually becoming home to Visigoths and later the... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.2 Km or 2 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.2 Km or 2 Miles