Horta Sud, Administrative division in Valencia Province, Spain
Horta Sud is an administrative region composed of roughly 20 municipalities sprawling across agricultural land just south of Valencia city. The area extends toward the shores of Albufera Natural Park and presents a mosaic of farmed fields, small towns, and irrigation channels.
From the 8th century onwards, Moorish settlers transformed the region into productive farmland by engineering an intricate network of water channels. This irrigation infrastructure became the foundation for sustained agricultural prosperity and continues to shape the landscape today.
The markets scattered across these municipalities reveal how local life remains rooted in farming and the cultivation of vegetables and citrus crops. Walking through them, you sense how the rhythm of seasons and harvest times shapes daily routines and community identity.
The best time to explore is early morning when markets are active and traffic remains light. Public transport links the municipalities together and connects them to Valencia, making it straightforward to navigate the region by bus or train.
The Tribunal de las Aguas, a medieval water court, still convenes regularly to settle disputes over irrigation rights using age-old rules. This living legal system ranks among Europe's oldest and demonstrates how direct negotiation resolves conflicts without courtrooms.
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