Sagunto opens heritage sites for free on World Tourism Day, 27 September
On Sunday 27 September, Sagunto City Council will open the Grau Vell fort, the old Jewish quarter and the Vía del Pòrtic Roman road for free, with guided tours, games and prize draws for World Tourism Day.
Anyone who wants to explore Sagunto's heritage without spending a euro has a date for the calendar: Sunday, 27 September. The Tourism Department of Sagunto City Council has organised an open day with free guided tours to mark World Tourism Day, spreading activities across several points in town, from the historic centre to the coast. This year's theme focuses on digital tools and artificial intelligence in tourism, so the programme mixes classic monuments with mobile-friendly activities. The council's Tourism Councillor, Natalia Antonino, describes the programme as a way to bring the city's heritage closer to residents by combining technology with in-person experiences. Anyone who joins in will also receive promotional material from València Turisme (the regional tourism board), provided by the Valencia Provincial Council, while stocks last.
The in-person programme starts with two guided visits to the Grau Vell fort (a fortified Roman-era site near the port), at 10:30am and 12:30pm, followed by a cultural treasure hunt through the Judería (the old Jewish quarter) at 11am. Both activities have limited spaces, so the council asks people to book ahead at the municipal tourism offices. In past years spots have filled up days in advance, so anyone who wants a place should call or visit the office soon rather than waiting until the weekend of the event.
The Grau Vell fort is not just any stop on the route: it is officially protected as a Bien de Interés Cultural (a top-level Spanish heritage designation), and the site shows almost continuous occupation from the 6th century BC to the 6th century AD. Its tower, clearly visible from the port road, has only been open to the public since 2021, when restoration works were completed. For many residents of Puerto de Sagunto who pass the fort every day without ever going inside, this guided visit is a rare chance to see it up close.
Those who prefer a more flexible schedule can visit the Vía del Pòrtic without booking, free of charge, between 10am and 2pm. This museum-style archaeological site, one of the most important of its kind in the Valencian Community, preserves an ancient Roman porticoed road along with the remains of taverns and burial structures — an unusual glimpse into everyday life in Roman-era Sagunto, just a few minutes' walk from the town hall.
The programme is not limited to people who can attend in person. The website www.saguntoturismo.com offers two digital treasure hunts, Misión Rescate and El secreto del Rabino, designed to explore the town's history from a phone or computer at any time, with no booking required. Meanwhile, the Casa dels Berenguer (a heritage house with the town's visitor centre) will keep its usual hours, 10:30am to 8pm, with its Interpretation Centre and the Museum of Greco-Latin Theatre open to visitors. Its courtyard will also host the 'Amor' photo booth, where organisers invite people to share their visit on Instagram, tagging the official Red de Juderías (Network of Jewish Quarters) account and using the hashtag Amor2026 for a chance to win prizes.
For those planning a full morning out, it helps to know where each activity is: the Judería, the Vía del Pòrtic and the Casa dels Berenguer all sit within the historic centre, close enough to combine in a single walk. The Grau Vell fort, however, is on the coast in Puerto de Sagunto, so anyone wanting to add it to the rest of the programme will need separate transport between the town's two main areas.
The date is not random. The World Tourism Organization set 27 September as World Tourism Day back in 1980, a year after proclaiming it, choosing the date to mark the tenth anniversary of its own founding statutes, which were also signed on 27 September, in 1970. Four and a half decades later, Sagunto adds this day to a tourism calendar that already blends Roman, Jewish and coastal heritage. Anyone needing more details on times, bookings or the rest of the programme can call the municipal tourism offices on 962 655 859 or 962 690 402. According to Ajuntament de Sagunt (Sagunto City Council), with additional background from Wikipedia.