Manises

Manises is a small city of 31.000 people (2018) in Valencia (province). It is the site of Valencia's airport, and is an important centre for ceramics, which has been practised for at least 700 years.

Understand
Although there is evidence of occupation since the Roman period, Manises as a town was established by the Arabs, who developed it into a centre for the production of ceramics. In 1237 the town was conquered by King Jaime of Aragon, who permitted the Muslim residents to remain and to train Christian newcomers in the craft. By the Middle Ages ceramics from Manises became highly prized in royal courts throughout Europe, especially those with the distinctive blue and gold style first developed by Moorish craftsmen.

Unlike other nearby towns where the tradition of pottery died out, Manises today is still well-known for its ceramics. It is today Spain's largest production centre, with more than 100 workshops and factories located in the city and another fifty in neighbouring towns.



By metro
The city can be easily reached by Valencia's metro lines and, which stop at  and  before continuing on to the. From Valencia a one-way fare costs €2.10, and a round trip fare costs €4. From the airport, despite the short distance, the one-way fare is €2.80.

By bus
From Valencia, Fernanbus operates bus line 150, with buses departing every 15 minutes from and terminating at the airport. A full schedule and route map are available online.

By plane

 * Valencia Airport is actually closer to Manises than Valencia.

Get around
The main sights are all easily accessible by foot.

Buy
To purchase handmade ceramics, there are a number of shops and workshops located along C/ del Maestro Guillem, C/ Major, Avda Blasco Ibañez, and C/ Ribarroja, all just a short walk from the Manises metro station.



Sleep
Most visitors to Manises stay in the nearby city of Valencia. The city does however have several reliable hotels which can be useful for travellers with early-morning or late-night flights.



Go next

 * Valencia