By I’ve mentioned the walking tour we took a couple of times and this really was a great way to see the city. My sister booked out walking tour with Guruwallk. This was a free two and a half hour walking tour. Yes, there is no upfront fee but tip the tour guide at the end.
Our guide did a great job. She provided so much information about the history of the city, the cultural influences, the food, and the culture. One fascinating thing that we learned about was The Water Court (Tribunal de las Aguas). This is a court that has been going on for a 1,000 years and is conducted in the Valencian language. According to the official Valencia website:
“The Water Tribunal is the only legislative structure established by Jaime I which still functions. The Arabs were already using an irrigation system, based on the distribution of the water from the River Turia and the monarch officially established this tribunal to control it. The tribunal is made up of eight farmers who still wear the typical black blouse of the Huerta (the irrigated fields around Valencia). The members are democratically elected every two years by the farmers who use the irrigation system in the Huerta. They sit in a circle on wood and leather 17th century chairs, and make their rulings. The structure of the irrigation system, the participation of the farmers, and the promptness with which the problems are resolved has made the Tribunal world famous and it has been used as a model for other institutions. Efficient and quintessentially Valencian, the Tribunal de las Aguas meets in front of an interested public which often includes young university students as well as tourists.”
We did not get to see this court meet but if you are visiting the city, it might be something to add to your list of things to do.
If you take a walking tour anywhere in Europe, keep these tips in mind:
- Use the restroom before the tour.
- This should go without saying but wear good walking shoes – we walked miles.
- Bring water.
- Bring a snack.
- Listen to their suggestions on places to visit. These people know the city.
Do you take walking tours when visiting new cities? Let me know in the comments. Safe travels and leave no trace.
Thank you KW Photography for allowing me to use your wonderful photos!
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McGee Travel Tales 
I did a ghost tour in Gettysburg once. I’d been to Gettysburg before, but still, I enjoyed it.
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That sounds like a good time. I don’t think I’ve ever been on a ghost tour but I want to go on one.
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It was. They warned us early on that sometimes people drive by and give us a mocking, elongated “Boo!” Sure enough, someone did.
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