Have you ever been told that you're in love with Valencia?

It's not that you've become an astronaut or that you've overdone the horchata because you're on the moon in Valencia. It's that you're distracted, absent-minded, in another world. But... where does this curious expression come from?

In HL Comedy Tours We tell you with history, humor, and a touch of legend. Because in Valencia, even proverbs have walls, and be on the moon of Valencia It is much more than being in Babia with sun.

What does it mean to “be on the moon of Valencia”?

Today we use the phrase be on the moon of Valencia to describe someone who is disconnected from reality, as if living in their own universe. But its origin has nothing to do with astronomy, but with Medieval Valencia, its walls, its bells and its citizens… a little slow.

The expression has survived centuries and remains alive in everyday language, although few know its true origin. And like any good saying, it has a story behind it that blends architecture, geography, superstition, and a lot of confusion.

Walled Valencia: a city that was closed with bells

During the Middle Ages, Valencia was protected by defensive walls that delimited the city. These walls had doors that opened at dawn and closed at dusk, marked by the sound of the bells of Micalet, the tower of the Cathedral.

If you didn't arrive on time... you were locked out. Literally. And sleeping outside the walls meant doing so. “to the moon of Valencia”.

Imagine the scene: a distracted merchant, a late student, or a lover who lingered too long. All of them, at the sound of the final bell, were outside the city, exposed to the cold, thieves... and the next day's gossip.

The moon-shaped bench: myth or street furniture?

One of the most poetic versions of the origin of be on the moon of Valencia speaks of a half-moon stone bench which was located in front of the walls. There sat the stragglers who had not arrived in time to enter the city.

They slept in the open air, under the moon, waiting for dawn to break and the doors to open. be on the moon of Valencia It came to mean being out of place, clueless, without access to the center of the action.

Did that bench really exist? Some historians mention it as part of medieval street furniture, others consider it a legend. But like everything in Valencia, if it's not true... at least it's fun.

The gates of Valencia: history and geography of confusion

The Christian wall of Valencia, built in the 14th century, had 12 main gatesSome of the best known were:

• Sea Gate (east): next to the current Convent of Santo Domingo.
• San Vicente Gate (south): in San Agustín Square.
• Quart Gate (west): where the Quart Towers are today.
• Serranos Gate (north): the famous Serranos Towers.

These gates were the only access to the city. If you stayed outside, there was no way back until the next day. And if you got caught closing... Welcome to the moon of Valencia.

The expression became a way of describing those who weren't "in the system," those who were late, those who didn't get it. In other words: the clueless ones of the Middle Ages.

What do the sources say?

According to media such as The reason, The Nation, Billiken, Allianz Assistance and Teleadhesive, this expression has a historical and geographical origin, and is one of the few that retains the name of a city in its formulation.

"Valencia's moon isn't just a metaphor. It's urban history turned into a proverb."
— The reason

Furthermore, it has become a recognized expression throughout the Spanish-speaking world, although few know its true medieval origins. And that makes it even more special: it's a phrase that has been traveling through the language for centuries, but it was born on a wall.

And what does HL Comedy Tours have to do with all this?

In our Comedy Tour in ValenciaWe'll take you on a tour of the streets where this expression was born. We'll tell you how the walls worked, what the stragglers did, and why. be on the moon of Valencia It's much more than being distracted: it's being out of time, out of the city, and out of the game.

And we do it with humor, historical accuracy, and a strong desire to make you laugh while you learn. Because if you can't laugh at medieval blunders... what can you laugh at?

Historical Bonus: Did you know that…?

• The bells of Micalet They still ring twice a day: at 8:00 and 20:00 (21:00 in summer).
• The expression is also related to the moon-shaped stone bench which was in front of the walls.
• In the Middle Ages, staying out of town could mean danger, cold... or just an uncomfortable night.
• Today, be on the moon of Valencia It's a polite way of saying that someone is in a daze... but with more sun.

How was the expression used in literature?

Authors such as Vicent Andrés Estellés and local chroniclers have mentioned the expression in poems, stories, and chronicles. In many cases, it's used to describe dreamy, distracted, or simply out-of-place characters.

The moon of Valencia thus becomes a symbol of the friendly disconnection, of the charming absent-mindedness, of the error that doesn't bother you... but that is remembered.

Where can you see remains of this history?

• Quart Towers and Serranos Towers: the last vestiges of medieval gates.
• Plaza de la Virgen: where the stone bench was located according to some versions.
• The Micalet: the tower that marked the time… and the closure of the city.
• Museum of History of Valencia: with models of the wall and documents on medieval urban life.

What if you revive it on a tour?

Imagine walking through the streets of Valencia while being told how the clueless medieval people ended up on the moon of ValenciaImagine seeing the doors, hearing the bells, and understanding why this expression lives on.

In HL Comedy ToursWe offer you a unique experience: history with humor, legends with laughter, and proverbs with context. Because laughing at history isn't making fun of it... it's understanding it better.

And you, have you already been to the moon of Valencia?

If you've ever gotten lost, arrived late, or simply found yourself in another world... congratulations! You've had the most authentic medieval experience.

And now you can relive it with us.

Laugh at history. But with history.

Discover urban expressions, legends, and secrets with humor and augmented reality.
Being on the moon of Valencia It was never so much fun.

Book now at hlcomedytours.com either histary.es