Casa-Museu Benlliure

The Casa-Museu Benlliure was the home and studio of the Benlliure family, one of the great dynasties of Valencian artists of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, led by the painter José Benlliure Gil and his son José, nicknamed Peppino. To visit is to enter an artists' home frozen in time, with its warm light, furniture brought from Italy and a studio that seems to be waiting for the painter to pick up his brushes again.

History

The main building, dating from 1880, was bought by José Benlliure in 1912 on his return from Rome, where he had directed the Spanish Academy. He remodelled it, filled it with objects and artworks, and ordered a pavilion built at the back of the garden to house his studio and his son's. The family later donated the house to the city, which opened it as a museum in the Carme district, on Calle Blanquerías.

What to see

• The domestic rooms with furniture, ceramics and family mementoes.
• The painter's studio, a light-flooded space full of sketches, sculptures and objects of inspiration.
• The modernist garden, with a distinctly Valencian feel: orange and palm trees, a fountain and tilework on the walls.

Practical tips

• It's a few minutes' walk from the IVAM and the Museu d'Etnologia.
• Open Tuesday to Sunday (closed Mondays); Sundays are mornings only.
• Entry is free at weekends and on public holidays, a good stop for your free-things-to-do route.

Insider tip

The real secret is at the back: many visitors linger in the rooms and never sit down in the garden, the best part of the visit. Ask the staff to tell you about the Benlliure sculptors: Mariano Benlliure, who created monuments all over Spain, was Peppino's uncle, and you'll understand why this family shaped Valencian art. A quiet stop before you carry on exploring the Carme and the city's other neighbourhoods.