Xàtiva: the Seu, the castle and baked rice.

Xàtiva is the Valencia Sunday trip you can do without a car. In three quarters of an hour you are in a city with a castle that fills a whole mountain range, a collegiate church begun in 1568 that was never finished and a museum where the portrait of Philip V has hung upside down since the king ordered it burned. And baked rice, which here is the house speciality.

The Day, Hour by Hour

9:30 · Departure. Along the A-7 towards Alicante, about 48 minutes. Leave the car in the lower part of the city and walk up to the old town. If you go by train, take the Cercanías C-2 at València Nord around 9:00: Xàtiva station is about ten minutes' walk from the centre.

10:30 · Fine Arts Museum. In the Casa de l'Ensenyança, open on Sundays from 10:00 to 14:30. Look first for the upside-down portrait of Philip V, by Josep Amorós; then the San Matías by Ribera, who was born in Xàtiva, and the complete series of Goya's Caprichos and Disparates.

11:40 · The Seu. On Sundays, the museum and bell tower of the collegiate church only open from 11:30 to 13:00. It costs €3. Inside, the great 15th-century monstrance, the chalice of Calixtus III and the altarpiece of Saint Anne; at the door, the two Borgia popes in bronze. If you like, climb the 180 steps of the bell tower.

12:40 · Borgia route. Wander to Plaza de Alejandro VI, with the pope's birthplace and the Baroque Aldomar fountain, and return by the Gothic Trinitat fountain and the church of Sant Pere, where he was baptised.

13:45 · Baked rice at El Cullerot. On Plaça del Mercat, opposite the Seu. On Sundays it is open from 12:00 to 17:00. Order the Xàtiva baked rice, €16 per person, and arnadí for dessert. Book on its website or by phone.

15:45 · The castle. On Sundays from October to May, take the shuttle at Plaça de l'Espanyoleto for €1.15; otherwise, walk up the Carretera del Castell, past Sant Feliu: it is long and without shade. The castle opens on Sundays from 10:00 and closes at 18:00 from November to February, at 19:00 in March and October. Inside, two castles joined by the parade ground, the cell of the Count of Urgell and views over the whole Costera. The ticket, €6, includes the municipal museums: buy it online.

18:00 · Return. By car, you are in Valencia around 19:00. By train, check the last Sunday Cercanías before going up.

What to Order

Baked rice is the dish of Xàtiva; at El Cullerot they call it Xàtiva baked rice and it is ordered per person; if there are two or more of you, there is also señoret's rice, black rice or duck and foie rice. For dessert, the sweets of the area: arnadí, made with pumpkin and almond, or moixavena.

With Children and Dogs

The castle is big and can be explored; under-7s get in free, but they need a ticket. With small children, take the shuttle up. With a dog, the route round the old town and the castle road are fine; the museums, no.