Castilla y Leon Holidays
Castilla y Leon is a truly beautiful of region of Spain and largely
undiscovered by UK tourists. It is actually the largest region in
Spain and it’s covered with delightful medieval villages,
stunning Gothic cathedrals and historic cities.
Today there are almost 300 castles scattered all over the region,
making Castilla y León the second castle region in the country
in terms of number and the first in terms of the quality and preservation.
Walt Disney used Segovia’s fairytale Moorish fortress as the inspiration for his famous Sleeping Beauty castle. As well as giving birth to the Castilian Spanish language, Castilla y Leon is also where the legendary hero El Cid and Saint Teresa of Avila were born. Ancient history, myth and legend have become so interlaced over the years that it’s hard to tell fact from the fairytales.
Castilla y Leon’s cities of Segovia, Salamanca and Avila have earned World Heritage status along with the Santiago Way – the famous pilgrims’ trail which traverses Castilla y Leon en route to the Galician capital of Santiago de Compostela.
Visit Castilla y León with Archers Direct on our Discover the Heart of Spain escorted touring holiday.
Salamanca - Castilla y Leon Holidays
The gorgeous “golden city” of Salamanca (so-called because of the yellowy-red sandstone used in the construction of many of its ancient and modern buildings) is probably best known for having the oldest university in Spain and one of the oldest in Europe. In fact, it was founded in 1218 by King Alfonso IX.
This charming town is untouched in it's architectural purity. The city has been declared "World Heritage Site" by UNESCO.
It is a beautiful place to visit if you are looking for cultural values, want to enjoy nightlife and learn a bit of Spanish.
Segovia - Castilla y Leon Holidays
Segovia's most famous monument is its colossal Roman aqueduct that dominates the town and is one of the region’s greatest architectural wonders. It’s one of the best-preserved aqueducts in the world – constructed from 20,400 stones that have held fast for 2,000 years without the aid of a drop of mortar.
Segovia’s other top tourist attraction is it’s fabulous palace-cum-castle – the Moorish Alcazar built in the 12th and 13th centuries and replicated in 20th century Disney cartoons and theme parks.
Additional attractions include the magnificent Gothic cathedral.
Avila - Castilla y Leon Holidays
The fortified medieval town of Avila, the birthplace of Saint Teresa, is one of the biggest tourist attractions in the whole of Castilla y Leon. It’s still encircled by 11th century walls punctuated with nine gates and more than 80 lookout towers.
Burgos - Castilla y Leon Holidays
Burgos was founded in 884, and its historical heritage is obvious. It is a monumental town, charming for that so typical medieval northern Castilian ambience.
The gothic cathedral dominates Burgos but there are many more important monuments such as the Cartuja de Miraflores or the Monastery of Las Huelgas. Generally the town is quiet and clean, and after your sightseeing-tour or a walk through one of the parks you may want to try out Burgos' exquisite cuisine.
You shouldn't miss to visit as well the surroundings of the town, where you will find many villages of extraordinary historical and artistic value.
Burgos has a perfectly conserved old town centre brimming with Spanish medieval history. The national hero "El Cid" was actually born here.
The archaeological site at Atapuerta, 15 kilometres east of Burgos, is where 800,000-year-old remains of Europe’s earliest inhabitants have been discovered.
Leon - Castilla y Leon Holidays
Formerly the capital of the region, Leon most famous monuments is its great Gothic cathedral, the Basilica de San Isidoro church with valuable Romanesque frescoes in its crypt, and the San Marcos monastery of the Renaissance period.
Near the city of Leon is the site of the Roman empire’s biggest gold mines – the World Heritage site of Las Medulas where the Romans devised pioneering techniques based on hydraulic power to access gold deposits in the first century AD (yes, another World Heritage listing!).
Zamora - Castilla y Leon Holidays
Zamora is a beautiful medieval town with a stunning cathedral and several impressive Romanesque churches. Nearby is the 8th century Visigothic church San Pedro de la Nave, as well as Lago de Sanabria, the largest lake in Spain.
Valladolid - Castilla y Leon Holidays
The capital of Castilla y Leon has one of the most important sculpture museums in Spain. It is also popularly called Pucela, a nickname whose origin is not clear, but probably refers to a few knights who accompanied "Juana de Arco".
Valladolid has a fascinating history. It was captured from the Moors in the 10th century, being a small village improved by count Pedro Ansúrez in the 11th century; by the 15th century it was the residence of the kings of Castile and remained the capital of the Kingdom of Spain until 1561, when Philip II, born here, moved the capital to Madrid.
Christopher Columbus died in Valladolid in 1506 in a house which is now a museum It was made the capital of the kingdom again between 1601 and 1606 by Philip III. It was in that period when Cervantes published his first edition of Don Quixote in 1604.
Soria - Castilla y Leon Holidays
Situated on the Rio Duoro, Soria is noted for its walls and a number of architecturally distinctive churches. These include the Plateresque Concatedral de San Pedro and its cloister, the convent church of Santo Domingo, and the unique architectural mix of the ruined cloisters of San Juan de Duero, on the other side of the river from the old town.
A few kilometres north of the town are the ruins of Numantia, a Celtiberian town whose inhabitants destroyed it rather than let it fall to Scipio. In Soria is the Museo Numantino, devoted to the archaeological remains of this site.
Palencia - Castilla y Leon Holidays
Palencia is watched over by the magnificent sculpture of Cristo del Otero that protects its rich medieval heritage.
More than fifty buildings are preserved almost intact, Romanesque buildings including the church of San Martin in Fromista, the church of Santa Eufemia in Olmos de Ojeda or the monastery of Santa Maria de Mave.
Palencia's flamboyant Gothic Cathedral is referred to as the "unknown beauty" and contains works by painters such as El Greco and Zurbaran. The austerity of its Gothic façade conceals a wealth of art inside, including a retablo of twelve panels by Juan de Flandes, court painter to Queen Isabella of Castile. Among its treasures is the crypt of San Antolin.
Palencia is also famous for the Museum of Palencia, The house of the Cordon; a large house from the 16th century, proudly displayed is the collection of Celtiberian objects coming from excavations of Monte Bernorio, Tariego and Palenzuela. The 'Tesera de hospitalidad' is one of the most treasured exhibits by the museum. Also not to be missed is the Museum Diaz-Caneja of Contemporary Art; the museum's collections are made up of a full exhibition of the pictorial work of Juan Manuel Diaz-Caneja. Northern Palencia also contains one of the largest and most notable collections of Romanesque art in the world.
Gastronomy - Castilla y Leon Holidays
Ávila’s pork roasts, trout and beef are sublime but leave some room for their pastries including 'Yemas de Santa Teresa', 'Huesillos fritos' and the 'Glorias de Ávila'.
In Burgos, try the roast suckling lamb, the 'olla podrida', 'lentejas a la burgalesa' or the 'trucha a la castellana'. 'Chorizo' and 'morcilla' (blood pudding) are typical for this area, as are fresh cheese or 'Queso de Burgos' and goat cheese.
Leon is famous for 'Botillo del Bierzo' or 'cecina de León', cured pork products such as chorizo, jamón (cured ham), jabalí (wild pork) and also some small-game dishes complete a rich meat choice as well as trout from rivers in Ponferrada and Bierzo.
The most traditional Palencia dish is the 'menestra', prepared with a high quality mountain-beef and the superb vegetables that grow there.
The 'chanfaina' and the 'calderillo' are typical dishes of Salamanca, but also try the 'cabrito asado' (goat roast) or the 'cuchifrito'. Some of the best 'jamón ibérico' (cured ham) can be found in Guijuelo. In the bakery department, try the 'almendras garrapiñadas' (caramel almonds) or the 'bollo maimón'.
In Soria, sample the exquisite river crabs cooked the traditional Soria way, as well as partridge, quail and grilled beef, 'Alubiones de Burgo de Osma', with 'oreja' (pork's ear), níscalos (mushrooms), chorizo de Soria (grilled chorizo) or 'migas a la pastora'.
Don’t leave Valladolid without trying garlic soups or 'lechazo' (a roast) with a delicious bread named 'lechuguino'.
Segovia's specialities are roasts, mainly pork (suckling) and lamb, as well as the excellent 'judiones de la Granja' or the trout. As dessert, try the goat cheese with honey or the typical 'tarta ponche'.
When in Zamora, partake in 'sopa de boda' (literally 'wedding soup'), 'monje de Aliste', 'trucha escabellada' (trout), 'Asado de Dios nos libre' (literally 'God forgive us roast', a lamb's leg roast with garlic and natural juices), 'huevos sayaguesa' with blood pudding included or 'Sanatonada' (white beans stew with chorizo and pork fat).
Wines - Castilla y Leon Holidays
Castilla y León has gained prominence among the grape and wine-growing regions in Spain. Five Denominaciones de Origin or DO's (apellations d'origine) and eight areas producing vinos de la tierra map out the wine-producing areas in the region.
The most important wine-growing areas in the market for quality wine are found along the río Duero (Duero river). Over 400 quality wine-making bodegas (wine cellars / distilleries) are home to the Denominaciones de Origin or DO's (appellations d'origine) such as Ribera del Duero, Rueda, Cigales, Toro and Bierzo and are protected by the regulating council in each area.
The some 200 bodegas (wine cellars) which account for the areas producing vinos de la tierra are practically spread out all over the region and are situated in places of great historic and cultural value. Vineyards spattered with bodegas (wine cellars or distilleries) showing the architecture of the people are a true sign of the wine tradition in Castilla y León.
The region is responsible for the production of the entire array of quality wines. Beginning with the tintos de guarda, wines which require a long ageing process, the crianzas (requiring a minimum storage period) and the reservas (3 years storage) then moving on to the soft and fruity vinos jovenes (made for immediate drinking), not forgetting to mention the blancos (white wine) of distinct variety. Not to mention the espumosos (sparkling wine), licorosos (strong wine of high alcohol content)and aguardientes (a kind or liqueur) which all make up a wine selection which blends perfectly with the delicious cuisine.
The awakening of interest in oenology and developments in vine-growing in the region of Castilla y León create routes of interest to the tourist as the vineyards and bodegas (wine cellars or distilleries) are coincidentally located in areas of historic and artistic interest.
Apart from the improvements made in the quality of the wine and the up-dating of the bodegas (wine cellars or distilleries), efforts have been made in order to develop groups of qualified professionals specialising in wine. As a result, in restaurants the sommeliers help promote an understanding of wine. The increase in number of specialised stores, the wide selection of wines on offer in grocery stores, supermarkets and department stores make quality wine shopping easy for tourists.
Visit Castilla y Leon with Archers Direct
Visit Castilla y León with Archers Direct on our Discover the Heart of Spain escorted touring holiday.
