Café de las Horas

Café de las Horas is one of the best-known bars in Valencia's old town, at Calle Conde de Almodóvar 1, a few steps from Plaza de la Virgen and the cathedral. It is not a club but a café-bar that runs from morning until late at night, and for many Valencians and visitors it is the classic place to share a jug of Agua de Valencia before or after dinner in the historic centre.

The room itself is the main draw. The décor mixes French baroque and Moorish touches with the feel of a nineteenth-century literary salon: chandeliers, velvet, plush red and blue upholstery, portraits on the walls and an ornate, star-patterned ceiling. The lighting is low, the tables sit close together and there is a small terrace outside. Bar guides note that the café has been open for more than thirty years and was inspired by the literary cafés that the city had few of.

Agua de Valencia is the house speciality: fresh orange juice, cava and a liqueur blend of the café's own, served over ice in jugs meant for sharing. The drink itself was born at the old Café Madrid in the 1950s, but Café de las Horas is one of the places most associated with it today. The cocktail list goes well beyond it, while the beer selection is limited. There are snacks and light bites, and in the morning it works as an ordinary café. Our listing puts most drinks between 8 and 15 euros.

The background music leans towards lounge and jazz, and the café occasionally hosts themed evenings. It is busiest late in the evening and at weekends, when the room fills up and conversation gets loud. The crowd is a mix of locals showing friends around, couples and visitors who have heard about the Agua de Valencia. There is no formal dress code, although many people make a little effort to match the setting, and alcohol is only served to over-18s.

It opens daily from 10:00 until around 01:30, and until 02:00 on Fridays and Saturdays. To get a table on a weekend night, arrive before 23:00 or call ahead if you are a larger group. It combines naturally with a walk around Plaza de la Virgen and Plaza de la Reina, dinner in the old town or a later round in the bars of El Carmen, just to the north.