Left Barcelona and traveled South West along the coast stopping at Tarragona on the way down. It's a charming little city perched high over the Mediterranean with some wonderful Roman ruins. The Circus is perched high over the bay so Gladiators would have had a lovely view just before they were hacked to death or eaten by Lions.

Now in Valencia, another city full of history and packed with churches. The Cathedral is full of works of art and relics. You can see the grinning skull of some Saint or Other peeking out the stomach of a plaster priest. There is the mummified hand of San Vicente Martyr, looking rather gone off in a glass case. And then there is the Holy Grail itself. Held high in a golden casket on an ancient wall. None of your fakes that litter other churches in Europe, this is the real thing, the authentic cup used by Jesus in the Last Supper. Apparently.

Further out the stone work gives way to the City of Arts and Sciences, a host of modern buildings inhabiting the former riverbed like some family of gigantic metallic Armadillos.