The Iglesia de San Nicolas de Bari y San Pedro Martir (Church of Saint Nicholas of Bari and Saint Peter the Martyr) is one of THE most beautiful churches that you will ever visit (even if, like me, churches don’t really “do it” for you).
The majestic ceiling – restored under the supervision of the same team who restored the Sistine Chapel in Rome
There is a €5 entrance fee I suppose. But, trust me on this, it is €5 well spent. Just look on their own website (in Spanish only – but the pics are great) before you leave home, and you will see what awaits you:
http://www.sannicolasvalencia.com
The highlight of the church is looking at the ceiling frescoes. Recently renovated (under the supervision of the restorers of the Sistine Chapel in Rome no less), they are breathtakingly beautiful. But unlike visiting their more famous counterparts in Rome, you won’t have to share the experience with a million frazzled and sweaty visitors.
But, as with the Mercat Central, you should get here as soon as it opens. When I first arrived, I had just one couple in the church for company. Bliss.
However, a tour-guide soon arrived with her group (all 30 of them). And the peace was destroyed. So I made my excuses and left.
Accessibility:
Like a lot of old buildings, the Iglesia de San Nicolas de Bari y San Pedro Martir was built in a time when accessibility wasn’t even a consideration.
However, there is a ramp over the lower part of the door-frame and, once inside, it is perfectly level.
There are no accessible toilet facilities (in fact, there are no toilets at all). But the church is located in a delightful little area – and cafes (with toilet facilities) abound. But the best idea, if combining a visit to the church with a visit to the Mercat Central, is to use the accessible toilets in the market before coming here.
Hotels:
This article was only possible thanks to the very kind support of Ilunion Hotels in Valencia.
I can’t recommend these guys highly enough (over 40% of staff have some form of disability – tourism for all): https://www.ilunionhotels.co.uk/
I particularly recommend their Aqua 4 and Aqua 3 hotels near the City of Arts and Sciences complex (any closer, and they would be inside the complex!).
Have you visited The Church of Saint Nicholas of Bari & Saint Peter the Martyr in Valencia? Please use the “Leave a Reply” feature below, to share any practical information that you have (it doesn’t need to be accessibility-related). Thank you. Iain.
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I haven’t been to Valencia yet, but this church and the market are definitely reasons to go. I was in the Sistine Chap;e back in the 1990s just after it had been restored. Yes, loads of people but totally worth seeing.
I must have visited St.Peter’s just before you Nancie, as the restoration was going on at the time (so I didn’t get to see the Sistine Chapel). But having read comments since, I doubt that I would enjoy the experience now – for sure I would enjoy the ceiling, just not getting there.
Valencia is so different though. Go early enough, and you might only have one or two other visitors for company. Churches seem to be meant to be enjoyed in peace.
And the market and the church are just minutes from each other, so it is an ideal idea to visit both on the same morning. Yes, it HAS to be the morning. And as early as possible.