Sagunto: a day trip from Valencia

About Sagunto

Sagunto's history goes back more than two thousand years. The Iberian town of Arse stood here, then Roman Saguntum, and later the town was part of Moorish Spain. Each era built on the same hill, so its ruins are history in layers, from Iberian walls to Moorish gates.

Today Sagunto is a quiet town in two parts: the old town at the foot of the hill and the modern port by the sea a few kilometres away. Visitors come for the ancient monuments and the view across a plain of orange groves to the sea.

The Roman theatre

The Roman theatre was built in the 1st century right into the hillside, using its natural curve for the seating. It looks out over the old town's roofs and the valley. In the 1990s it was restored, with a new stage and walls built over the ancient steps so that plays could be staged again. The restoration is still debated, but thanks to it a summer theatre festival is held here.

Even without a show, it's worth sitting on the steps and picturing the thousands of spectators who once gathered here. The acoustics survive, and a voice from the stage carries to the top rows. A small visitor centre nearby has a model of the ancient town.

What to see in Sagunto

• The Roman theatre — hillside steps and a town view.
• The hilltop ruins — traces of Iberians, Romans and Moors.
• The Jewish quarter — narrow medieval lanes.
• Santa María church — Gothic in the old town.
• The orange groves view — from the top of the hill to the sea.
• Puerto de Sagunto beach — by the sea, a few kilometres away.

The hilltop ruins and old town

The hilltop, nearly a kilometre long, is covered in ruins of walls, gates, squares and cisterns from different eras. It's not a museum of display cases but a large open-air archaeological park, where you can wander freely along paths and viewpoints. From the top you see the whole plain, the orange groves and the sea.

Below is the old town, with the Gothic church of Santa María, houses bearing coats of arms and the lanes of the former Jewish quarter, climbing steeply towards the theatre. It's quiet, with few tourists and a handful of family-run bars for coffee and pastries or lunch.

Tips for your trip

Wear comfortable shoes, as steep cobbled streets and paths lead up to the theatre and ruins. Bring water and a hat, especially in summer. If you love antiquity, Sagunto pairs easily with the beach: the theatre and hill in the morning, the sea at Puerto de Sagunto after lunch.

In summer, check the theatre festival programme: an open-air play on an ancient stage is unforgettable. Children enjoy exploring the ruins, hunting for old gates and watching trains and orange groves from up high.

Sagunto makes a good half-day trip from Valencia, especially once you've seen the city and want somewhere quiet and historic without the crowds.

How to do it right

• Trains leave from Valencia Nord.
• Climb in the morning or evening.
• Comfortable shoes.
• Summer plays in the theatre.

Questions