Monasterio de San Jeroni de Cotalba - Gandia - Palace of Ducal - Valencia

Route: Murcia - Monasterio de San Jeroni de Cotalba - Gandia - Palace of Ducal - Valencia - Murcia
Duration: 14 h
The first stop in this tour we will make at the Sant Jeroni de Cotalba Monastery which is one of the most outstanding and best conserved in the Region of Valencia, which is further enhanced through its diverse architectural styles. The monastery was founded in 1388 by the duke of Gandia, Alfons el Vell. It was the first monastery of the order of Saint Jerome that was established in the Kingdom of Valencia and under the Crown of Aragon. The dynasty of Aragon and some of the most universal Valencian authors such as Ausias March, Joanot Martorell, the Borgia family, St. Vincent Ferrer, the Renaissance painter friar Nicolas Borras, Philip II and Philip III all spent time inside the walls of the monastery, which became the spiritual and cultural centre of the Court of the Dukedom of Gandia. Over 600 years of history and art are waiting to be discovered in an unbeatable natural environment.You will see the Gothic tower, the Orange Tree Courtyard, Mudejar Cloister, the Church, the Chapterhouse, the Refectory, the Oil Press, the Grain Store, Winepress and Stables, the monks’ kitchen, the extraordinarily beautiful Superior Cloister where the polychrome Gothic sculptures are particularly outstanding, the Puerta de los Leones (The Lions’ Gate), the Monastery’s Hall of Arms and the impressive, romantic gardens and Gothic aqueduct surrounding it. Our second point will be the city Gandia. Gandia is a city of the Borgia family that is trying to recover its rich cultural past that goes back to the Paleolithic. And it conserves interesting remains of its past in its urban enclosure. Our first place of visit will be the Ducal Palace is the symbol of Gandia, official residence of the Borgia family and birthplace of Saint Francis of Borgia. The Ducal Palace of the Borgias of Gandia, listed as an Asset of Cultural Interest since 1964, is one of the most representative civil structures in Valencia’s historic heritage. Located in the historic centre of Gandia, next to the Collegiate Church of Santa María and the City Hall, the Palace has stood witness to the evolution of this capital of the La Safor district since its early age. The interior shows a variety of architectural styles, with vestiges of the primitive 14th and 15th-C Gothic palace, Renaissance contributions in the 16th C , Baroque extensions and transformations in the 17th and 18th centuries, and finally neo-Gothic reconstructions from the late 19th and early 20th C. After that, we will walk around of the city centre where there are other buildings such as the Collegiate Church of Santa María, the Town Hall or the old University, founded in the XVI century by Saint Francis of Borja and considered  the first University of Jesuites. It was closed in 1772, some years later because of the expulsion of the Jesuites. The building is presided by 5 sculptures which represent the most famous members of the Borgia family: The two Popes Borja, Calixto III and Alejandro VI, two of his children, César and Lucrecia Borja and the sculpture of Saint Francis of Borgia. After that we will drive to Valencia. Where you will open the vibrant history, and architectural splendour of Valencia's Old Town and historical centre . You'll learn about more than 2,000 years of Valencia's history, starting with the Roman ruins and old Muslim city. During the tour you will see the Town Hall Square, Round Square (Plaza Redonda), Central Market), visit inside the Silk Market/Lonja (UNESCO World Heritage Site), Basilica of the Virgin of the Helpless People, Generalitat Palace, Serrano´s Towers, Palace of Benicarló, Cathedral, Plaza de la Reina, Alms Square, Archbishop Square, Saint Vincent Crypt, Saint Vincent Ferrer Square, Paz Street, Patriarch Square, Old University (courtyard), Palace of the Marchis of Dos Aguas.  After that we will return to Murcia.
Price: Per person