Cas

tilla

y L

eon

Spai

n

AvilaBurgos

LeonPalencia

Salamanca Segovia

SoriaValladolid

Zamora

France

United Kingdom

Ireland

Morocco

Madrid

París

London

Dublín

Lisbon Spain

Castillay León

Cantabrian Sea

MediterraneanSea

Portugal

CeutaMelilla

CONTENTS

Introduction 1A walk through the capital cities

Avila 8Burgos 11Leon 14Palencia 17Salamanca 20Segovia 23Soria 26Valladolid 29Zamora 32

Enjoying Castilla y Leon 35Avila. The circus of Gredos 36Burgos. Heart of Castille 38Leon. The Road to Santiago 40Palencia. The romanesque 42 Salamanca. The mountains 44Segovia. The Royal Houses 46Soria. The lands of el Cid 48Valladolid. Vineyards and

monasteries 50Zamora. Lakes of Sanabria 52

Leisure and entertainment 54Useful information 60

Text:Javier Tomé

Translation:Alistair Louis Ross

Maqueta:OPCIÓN K,

Comunicación Visual, S.L.

Photographs:Archivo Turespaña

Published by© Turespaña

Secretaría de Estadode Comercio

y TurismoMinisterio de Economía

Printed by:GAEZ, S.A.

D.L. M-24401-2000

NIPO: 104-99-042-7Printed in Spain

1st edition

1

Introduction

TERRITORY

If there is one word that sumsup the complex reality of theregion of Castilla y Leon, thatword is “monumental”.Everything about the geographyand the culture of this Region,strategically situated in thenorth-east Iberian Peninsula, ison a grand scale. Thetremendous variety of detailthere is the product of sheerphysical size – Castilla y Leoncovers one-fifth of Spanishterritory. With a total area of94,147 square kilometres, it is

the largest region in theEuropean Union.

The basic axis of the territory isthe basin of the river Duero, the largest in Spain. The majorcommunication routes between the capital Madrid andthe Atlantic regions all runthrough here. Castilla y Leon,then, is situated in the northernpart of the central Spanishplateau. Its borders aredemarcated by naturalboundaries – the CordilleraCantabrica to the north, theSistema Iberico to the east, theSistema Central to the south andthe mountains of Galicia/Leon tothe west.

Villafranca del Bierzo. Leon

The river Duero, the country’slargest electric power source,descends in torrents from theheart of the Sistema Iberico atan altitude of over 2000 metres.The central axis for the wholearea, the river’s natural impetusis attenuated when it reachesthe plains. Criss-crossed by anetwork of tributaries to themain Duero stream, theseconsist of three broadtopographical types – highbarren plains, flatlands andfertile river plains.

Because of the differences inphysical and orographicconditions, there is atremendous variety of plant life.The most widespread tree is theholm oak, a hardy species ableto withstand both heat andcold. Holm oaks can be found inevery province of the region,both on open moorland and inwoods. Chestnuts also aboundon cool, nutrient-rich lands,particularly in areas of north-west Leon. And finally, theforest cover of the Sierra de

Gredos contains extensivestands of the famous andhighly-prized Scots pine.

Given the size of the region,Castilla y Leon naturally offersan enormous variety of wildlife.The wildest area is home toendangered species like thewolf or the brown bear, whichare now the subject ofprotective regulations intendedto preserve mammal specieshistorically pursued by man.The emblematic mountain goatinhabits the mountains ofGredos, while the CordilleraCantabrica harbours deer, wildboar and urogallo, a largewildfowl akin to thecapercaillie. Avian speciesinclude the imperial eagle, thetawny vultures of Río LobosCanyon and storks that winterin Villafáfila.

What actually makes for suchvaried and attractive scenery isthe majestic heterogeneity ofthe mountain ranges that formthe Region’s natural

River Carrion, Palencia

3

boundaries. The permanentsnowy caps of the highest peaksprovide a background ofeternal beauty, while themiddle zones are populated byrich woodlands following thelife-giving rivers.

The region owes much of itswealth of colour to the typicallycontinental climate of Castilla yLeon: long, hard winterscontrasting with moderatelywarm summers. The deepvalleys pass from leafy green togold with the change ofseasons, perpetually shielded byhills on whose crests old castleswatch over the passage of manand time.

HISTORY

In the dawn of prehistory, anucleus of tribes established thefirst settlements in this ancientregion, around the Duero andits tributaries. With the triumphof imperial armed might, thepax romana brought civilisationand progress, with theappearance of roads andbridges, baths and sewers,aqueducts and new townships.The arrival of the ChristianVisigoths brought a newelement to the scenery as theybuilt the first churches ever toappear on the vast Castilianhorizons.

Successive waves of Arabinvasion left the banks of theDuero impoverished anddepopulated. But the valleysurvived, and from the ninthcentury on, new cities likeZamora and Burgos began toappear. In the next century, theimperious will of Count FernánGonzález inspired a newcollective enterprise whichwould eventually come to beknown as Castile. This was the

Berlanga de Duero. Soria Sierra de Gredos. Ávila

4

age of the Reconquest, whichacquired renewed vigour withthe final union of the kingdomsof Castile and Leon in 1230. Inthis way, the most powerful ofthe Peninsula’s kingdomsgradually forged its own cultureand peculiar identity.

Leon was the scene of the firstpopular and democratic Cortesto be assembled in the West.Valladolid witnessed themarriage of the CatholicMonarchs Isabella andFerdinand, architects of Spain’saccession to nationhood. Thiswas a time of limitless wealth,carried from the New World bythe carvels that flew theSpanish flag on every corner ofthe known seas.

But all the progress and well-being achieved in precedingcenturies were gradually lost asthe foundations of the empire“on which the sun never set“began to crumble. This markedthe onset of a process ofemigration in search of newopportunities which wassustained practically until thepresent day.

With the return of democraticcoexistence in this century, theyear 1983 saw the promulgationof a Statute of Autonomywhereby Castilla y Leon wasrecognised as a territorial entity,the largest in Europe as wehave said, with a population of2,484,603 according to the lastcensus.

The Region comprises nineprovinces: Avila, Burgos, Leon,Palencia, Salamanca, Segovia,Soria, Valladolid and Zamora –all capitals and towns with theirown peculiarities but boundtogether by a common pastreplete with history andtradition. Art, culture andtourist attraction are the threefacets that define the

Casa de las Conchas. Salamanca

fascinating personality ofCastilla y Leon – a land oflegend which has once againassumed responsibility for itsown destiny.

SPIRIT OF THE REGION

If the Region is outsizedgeographically, it is no less so interms of its historic and culturalmonuments. Littered withRoman remains, which continueto come to light today, Castilla yLeon is and was an outstandingpart of that highway of Christiandevotion which follows theMilky Way to the sepulchre ofthe Apostle St. James inCompostela – or, as the ancientshad it, to finis terrae, the placewhere known land cameto an end.

Mediaeval Spain, ever attentiveto the welfare of pilgrims,undertook tremendous works ofengineering, repairing roads andbuilding bridges, hospitals andinns, all of which providedenormous impetus for trade andracial intercourse. And of course

Castle of Peñafiel, Valladolid

Arms of the Autonomous Regionof Castilla y Leon

it raised marvellous churcheswhich still stand as living proofof the timelessness of thereligious experience.

Along the road to St. Jamesthere sprang up veritablemiracles of Romanesque art, likethe church of San Martin deFrómista, that of San Isidoro inLeon and the curious cloister ofSanto Domingo de Silos. Oragain there is the string ofcountry churches spanning thenorth of the province ofPalencia, which make this anarea of first-class artistic andtourist interest.

The apogee of Gothic belongs tothe age of imperial expansionwhen Castilla y Leon wassynonymous with Spain and viceversa. The finest examples of thisschool can be seen in thecathedrals of Leon and Burgos.In the sober Leonese temple, astructure of unobtrusive anglesand cleanly-defined corners, the

visitor is regaled with a set ofstained-glass windows thatproduce a magical sensation ofstanding in the very heart of thelight. And then the cathedral ofBurgos, a work of filigreedmasonry, boasts an ornamentalwealth reminiscent ofRenaissance aesthetics.

The next stylistic advanceproduced creations based on anevolved form of Gothic.Examples of the Isabelline styleare the San Gregorio school inValladolid or the CarthusianMonastery of Miraflores inBurgos, whose beauty stretchesthe limits of human imagination.These places preserve a strongtradition of Castilianarchitecture with Arabic traces – the monastery of Santa Clara in Tordesillas, theCasa de las Conchas inSalamanca, and countlessfortresses the prideof which is the ever-vibrantAlcázar of Segovia.

Turégano. Segovia

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The influence of the ItalianRenaissance came to us in theform of Plateresque, a tendencythat is particularly marked in theSalamanca University buildingand the convent of San Marcosin Leon. These reflect a time inwhich the finest literature of theGolden Age was intimatelylinked to such places, the bestexample being the picaresquenovel El Lazarillo de Tormes.

After the Court moved toMadrid in 1561, the formerpredominance of Castilla y Leonfaded. Nonetheless, there werebrilliant flashes of inspirationwhich left Baroque marvels suchas the Plaza Mayor of Salamancaor the empathic sculpturalschool whose greatest exponentwas Gregorio Fernandez. And itis thanks to the will of theBourbons that we have thepalace of La Granja, the lastprovincial construction of first-rate artistic importance.

For all these reasons it is noexaggeration to describe thisRegion as a compendium of twothousand years of Christian

culture. The regional spirit isembodied by an impressiveartistic and cultural legacy towhich new names and newworks are constantly beingadded. The aesthetic influenceof the landscape is a vital factorin the literature of MiguelDelibes and the group known asthe “School of Leon". Here theresearcher and scholar offolklore Joaquín Díaz still carrieson his struggle to preservepopular ethnic traditions. And inthe plastic arts the mostrepresentative painter is surelythe muralist Jose Vela Zanetti,one of whose best works hangsin the UN headquartersin New York.

Castilla y Leon is, then, a giganticmuseum, a masterpiece forgedfrom natural variety andcenturies of glorious history.

Collegiate Church of Santa Maria.Aranda de Duero, Burgos Santa María la Mayor. Zamora

A walkthrough thecapital cities

AvilaDefined in proverb as “the landof song and saint", Avila (pop.47,650), standing 1,131 metresabove sea level, is the highest ofthe provincial capitals. Itscarefully-preserved town centreand its numerous attractivemonuments are two of thereasons why this small, peacefulcity was declared part of theHeritage of Mankind in 1985.

But before immersing themselvesin the maze of mediaeval streets,visitors should take theopportunity to enjoy the bestviews of Avila from a trulysplendid vantage point. Known as Los CuatroPostes (1), this is situated a baretwo kilometres from the city, justoff the Salamanca road. Themost characteristic sight in Avilais its famous mediaeval walls (2), the best preserved inEurope. Begun around the year1090, this solid “case“ of stonemeasures 2.5 kilometres inlength and has 6 gates, 3posterns, 88 towers andbattlements with some

2500 merlons. The best-knowntower is the “cimorro", whichhouses the gigantic apse of thecathedral of Avila. Tourists canclimb to the top of the walls byway of the Alcazar gate (3)situated in Plaza de SantaTeresa.

Nearby soars the superbCathedral (4), which bears asurprising resemblance to amilitary fortress. The frontconsists of a crenellated toweralmost 43 metres high withsuperimposed Gothic andBaroque elements. In theinterior, the harmonious dualspace of the apse aisle, finishedin white and ruddy stone, isparticularly striking. There,behind the main altar, it is worthstopping before the carvenalabaster tomb of El Tostado, amasterpiece by Vasco de la Zarza.One of the centrepieces of theCathedral Museum is a silverprocessional monstrance by Juande Arfe (open daily).

Outside the walls is the Basilicade San Vicente (5), which is

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Río

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Molino dela Losa

San Esteban

Santa Maríade la Cabeza

San Martín

Palacio deNúñez Vela

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Ayuntamiento

Palacio delos Águila

Santo Toméel Nuevo

Portillo delMariscal

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Plaza delMercado Chico

Iglesia de San Juan

Mansión delos Verdugo

Convento de Mosén Rubí

Palacio de Benavites

Puertadel Carmen Mansión de

los Poletinos

Torreón delos Guzmanes

Palacio de los Dávila

Puertadel Rastro

Iglesia deSan Pedro

Iglesia de SantoTomé el Viejo

Iglesia de San Andrés

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Plaza deSan Nicolás

PlazaCatedral

Plaza deSan Andrés

PlazaC. Arenal Plaza General

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Plaza delEjército

Plaza deSantiago

Plaza MosénRubí

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Plaza Fuente el Sol

Plaza dela Santa

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Tourist information

1 Los Cuatro Postes2 Mediaeval walls3 Alcazar gate4 Cathedral5 Basilica de San Vicente6 Royal Monastery of Santo Tomas

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reached by the gate of the samename. This is the most importantRomanesque building in Avilaand is easily recognisable by itsbell-tower. The church, whichwas begun in the 12th century,contains the splendid cenotaphof Saint Vincent and his sisters,decorated with scenes from thelives of these martyrs.

Also outside the walls is theRoyal Monastery of Santo Tomás (6). An excellent exampleof Isabelline Gothic, themonastery was built in the 15thcentury under the auspices of theCatholic Monarchs. In addition toits three richly decorated cloistersthere is the tomb of the princeDon Juan, only son of the mostimportant monarchs in thehistory of Spain, finely executedin Carrara marble. In the groundsof Queen Isabella’s summerpalace is the curious Museum ofOriental Art (7) (open daily).

The city of Avila is intimatelylinked with Santa Teresa deJesus, one of the great doctors ofthe Catholic church.

The Convent of Santa Teresa (8)was built in 1636 on the site ofthe house where the saint wasborn. As well as a church whichblends elements of Baroque andNeo-classical, there is a kitchengarden and a museumcontaining mementos of SantaTeresa (open daily). Teresa deCepeda has left an indeliblemark on an ecclesiastical andcultural itinerary which takes invarious churches: Convent ofNuestra Señora de Gracia (9),Convent of San José (10),Convent of La Encarnación (11)and others.

Royal Monastery of Santa Teresa

Plaza de Santa TeresaWalls

BurgosThe city of Burgos (pop. 161,984),one of the key links in thecultural chain running the lengthof the Road to Santiago, looksback on a long history. Firstemerging as an urban enclave inthe mid-9th century, it was thecapital of Castile during theMiddle Ages, only relinquishingthis position in favour ofValladolid after the fall ofGranada. Enriched by lordlybuildings, Burgos is ideal forexploring forgotten corners andbasking in the purity of the light.

Entry to the old town is by wayof the Arch of Santa María (1),a gateway opened in the wallsduring the 14th century andadorned with statues of localpersonalities. Opposite rises theCathedral (2), which TheophileGautier described as “delicate asa feminine jewel". This the city’smost important monument and isthe third largest cathedral inSpain. Built in the Gothic style,

the first stone was laid byFernando III in 1221. Its manymarvels include the Sarmentaldoor, the magnificent Constable’schapel with the tomb of thisCastilian magnate, the Goldenstaircase by Diego Siloe, and therenowned Cathedral Museum(open daily).

Behind the cathedral is theChurch of San Nicolás (3), witha grand altarpiece in polychromealabaster. And in the barrio delCastillo, at the foot of theancient fortress, is the Church ofSan Esteban (4). Begun in 1280,this now houses a splendidMuseum of Altarpieces (Juneto October: closed Sunday p.m.and Mondays; November to May: open Saturdays and Sunday p.m.).

The way to the river passes bythe Casa del Cordón (5), thecity’s most outstanding civiledifice. It was here that theCatholic Monarchs receivedColumbus in 1497 on his returnfrom the second voyage to

General view

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13

America. Across the bridge ofSan Pablo (6), on the otherbank of the river Arlanzon standthe Casa de Miranda and theCasa de Angulo. Both buildingstogether constitute the Museumof Burgos (7), which hasimportant sections onarchaeology and fine art (closedSaturday p.m., Sunday p.m. andholidays).

On the outskirts of Burgos aretwo religious buildings wellworth the visit. To the weststands the Royal Monastery ofLas Huelgas Reales (8), erectedby Alfonso VIII in 1187 on anarea of pleasure grounds.Intended as a great funerealpantheon, it boasts a Gothiccloister decorated with Mudejarmotifs, and the chapel ofSantiago, which preserves awooden image of St. James theApostle with an articulated armthat was used to dub knights.Among other unique pieces ofthe period the Museum of FineFabrics contains the historicstandard wrested from the Arabsat the battle of Las Navas deTolosa (closed Sunday p.m.,holidays p.m. and Mondays).

East of the city lies theCarthusian Monastery ofMiraflores (9), built between1454 and 1488. The churchpreserves the tomb of theInfante Don Alfonso, brother ofIsabel la Catolica, and also a

spectacular polychromealtarpiece by Gil de Siloe. Legendhas it that it was gilt with thefirst gold to be brought backfrom the Americas.

Casa del Cordón

Carthusian Monastery of Miraflores

Cathedral Museum

Leon

The emblematic city of Leon(pop. 139,809), an accumulationof two thousand years of historyand stone, began life as a Romancamp built by the 7th Legionbetween the rivers Torio andBernesga. Capital of theKingdom during the MiddleAges, Leon is an ideal place toslowly absorb the scenarioshanded down by history.

A town which blendsmodernity with age-oldtradition, its true heart isthe Plaza Mayor (1).Historically a stage forall kinds of civicactivities, the squareis dominated bythe Consistorio

Viejo or Old Town Hall (2), apalatial building with a longfacade which for centuries hasbeen the “eye of the city". Thesurrounding area, with itsepicentre in the Plaza de SanMartín (3), is packed with lordlymansions and churches housingvenerated images.

Only a short walk away is thecity’s crown jewel, the Cathedral (4), known as the“pulchra leonina“ and one of theloveliest examples of SpanishGothic. Construction of theexisting cathedral began aroundthe year 1255 on top of anancient Romanesque church on a site once occupied byRoman baths. Its great fame

derives from almost 1800square metres of artistic

window-work, defined byMiguel de Unamuno as“a miracle of light andstone". The CathedralMuseum is one of the

Cathedral

Murallas

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Puerta de la Reina

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Casa de las Carnicerías

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1 Plaza Mayor2 Old Town Hall3 Plaza de San Martin4 Cathedral 5 Casa de Botines6 Palace of the Guzmanes7 Basilica de San Isidoro8 Hostal San Marcos. Parador

Tourist information

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most comprehensive of its kind,with exhibits spanning the agesfrom prehistory to Neo-classicism(September to June: closedSaturday p.m. and Sundays. Julyand August: closed Sundays andholidays).

A walk down the Calle Ancha leads to the Casa deBotines (5), a Modernist work bythe brilliant Antonio Gaudi.Opposite stands the Palace ofthe Guzmanes (6), headquartersof the Provincial Deputation,which displays a superb mainfacade and a Plateresquecourtyard. Only a little further onis the Basilica de San Isidoro(7), which backs on to part of themediaeval city walls. The vaults ofthe royal pantheon, resting-place of 23 Leonese monarchs,are adorned with exceptional12th-century mural paintings,which have earned it thesobriquet of the RomanesqueSixtine Chepel. The Museum ofSan Isidoro contains an exquisitecollection of codices (closedSunday p.m., Mondays and thefirst fortnight in February).

On the far side of the city risesthe Hostal de San Marcos (8).A former convent and refuge forpilgrims, it was built between the16th and 17th centuries in thePlateresque style. Now aluxurious Parador, it was once abitter prison, where the poetFrancisco Quevedo wasincarcerated. In the churchcloister is the Museum of Leon,which exhibits such treasures asthe Cristo de Carrizo, a little11th-century marble crucifix(closed Sunday p.m. andMondays).

Basílica de San Isidoro

Plaza Mayor

Palencia

The old provincial capital ofPalencia (pop. 79,745) sits in thecentre of the vast plains knownas Tierra de Campos. Embracedby the river Carrion and baskingin the protection of themonumental Cristo del Otero (1), whose slender form isa veritable symbol of modernity,Palencia is a town with asignificant historical backgroundand considerable specific weightin the mosaic of Castilla y Leon.

The social evolution of Palenciain recent years is clearly reflectedin the Calle Mayor. This is thereal backbone of the city,running from North to South anda reference point for the mostimportant aspects of civic life.About half-way down, markedout by airy columns andemblazoned buildings, is thePlaza Mayor (2), a porticoed

square dominated by amonument to the local sculptorAlonso Berruguete. This centrallocation is also shared by theAyuntamiento (Town Hall) (3)and on a corner, the Church ofSan Francisco (4), a venerable13th-century Franciscan convent.

Close by is the eye-catchingCathedral (5), nicknamed “labella desconocida“ or “theunknown beauty". Built upon anelder 12th-century Romanesqueedifice, the existing Gothicbuilding was modelled on theneighbouring cathedral ofBurgos. The exterior is severe,lightened only by the steppedformation at the top, which isadorned with gargoyles andpinnacles. One of the doorways,the Bishop’s Door, is very fine,decorated with sculptures of theVirgin and other saints andprophets. The 16th-centuryaltarpiece, a Plateresque work ofgreat historical value, bears

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Plaza León

Plaza SanPablo

PlazaCervantes

PlazaAndrés Moro

Plaza de laInmaculada

Plaza delPuente

PlazaCordón

Plaza Isabella Católica

Plaza GeneralSanjurjo

PlazaSan Miguel

PlazaSan Lázaro

IglesiaSan Lázaro

Convento deSanta Clara

Jardines Salón Isabel II

Puente Hierro

Puente Mayor

PlazaEuropa

PlazaHabana

PlazaFrancisco Franco

Jardinillos

PlazaBernal

Iglesia San Pablo

Plaza AbilioCalderón

AgustinasCanónigasConvento de

la Piedad

Iglesia SantaMarina

Calle

Mayor

Río Carrión

34

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1 Cristo del Otero2 Plaza Mayor3 Town Hall4 Church of San Francisco5 Cathedral6 Diocesan Museum7 Church of San Miguel

Tourist information

19

carvings by Juan de Flandes anda Calvary by Juan de Valmaseda.Inside the cloister is theCathedral Museum, withworks by El Greco and Zurbaran(closed Sunday p.m.).

Very near the Cathedral, in thegrounds of the Episcopal palace,stands the Diocesan Museum (6),which contains exhibits from thechurches of the diocese (closedSundays and daily p.m.). Whilestill in the area centred on theold Market district one can visit

the Church of San Miguel (7),Romanesque in origin and ogivalin style. Tradition has it that thisis where El Cid married DoñaJimena.

Its crenellated tower is one ofthe symbols of the city, as is themajestic Cristo del Otero,perched on a hill-top to thenorth of Palencia. Wrought byVictorio Macho in 1930 and 20metres high, the sculpture hasthe air of welcoming the visitorwith friendly countenance andopen arms. In that sense it wellreflects the spirit of this amiableprovincial capital.

Plaza Mayor and Town may

Church of San Pablo

Salamanca

Salamanca (pop. 158,457) hasbeen very aptly described as “thewise city". And indeed, thisvenerable town on the riverTormes has been decisive in thegrowth of the soul of theSpanish nation. The UNESCOdeclared it part of the Heritageof Mankind in recognition of itsartistic legacy. It has now – mostdeservedly – been designated“European City of 2002".

The best place to start a walkround Salamanca is the porticoedPlaza Mayor (1), the mostimportant in Spain in terms ofsize and construction. Builtbetween 1729 and 1755 to adesign by the Churriguerabrothers, the east side isoccupied by the Royal pavilion,adorned with a bust of Philip V.At sunset, the tones of thegolden stone of buildings likethe Ayuntamiento (Town Hall) (2) are quiteunforgettable.

Following the Rua Mayor onecomes to the Casa de lasConchas (3), the monument that

best represents Salamancan civilarchitecture. This odd name(which means the House ofShells) comes from the pilgrims’symbol, the scallop, adorning thewalls. Opposite stands theClerecía (4), now theheadquarters of the PontificalUniversity. This is considered oneof the masterpieces of Baroqueand took over one hundred yearsto build.

Calle Libreros leads to theUniversity (5), the source ofSalamanca’s universal fame.Founded as such by Alfonso Xthe Wise in 1254, its facade, thebest existing example of localPlateresque art, bears a well-known medallion with the imageof the Catholic Monarchs inrelief. The courtyard isdominated by a statue of FrayLuis de Leon, another of themany luminaries who havepassed through this institution.In the Minor Colleges is theMuseum of Salamanca (6),which contains an important artgallery (closed Sunday p.m. andMondays).

Among other things, Salamancacan boast two cathedrals. TheNew Cathedral (7) was begun

View of the city

by Juan Gil de Hontañon toremedy the shortcomings of theold one, and the work wascompleted in 1733. Thepredominant note in thebuilding is late Gothic, althoughthere are also numerousRenaissance elements,particularly in the decoration ofthe walls. The tower was built in1705 by the Churriguera brothersbut had to be remodelled tomake good the damage causedby the Lisbon earthquake of 1755.

The two cathedrals areconnected, and therefore onecan pass straight through to theOld Cathedral (8). The moststriking element on the exterioris the Torre del Gallo (CockTower), an exquisite dome

evincing Byzantine influence.The Cathedral Museumexhibits major paintings byFrancisco Gallego and Juan deFlandes (closed Sunday p.m.).

Opposite the cathedral is theMuseum of Art Nouveau andArt Deco, housed in the CasaLis (9), a pretty Modernistbuilding built in 1905. It containsfurnishings, porcelains and afascinating collection of toys(closed Mondays).

Around the Plaza del Concilio deTrento are two convents wellworth a visit. The Church of SanEsteban (10) has an unusualfacade protected by a triumphalarch wrought in the manner of agigantic altarpiece (open Fridays,Saturdays and Sundays). TheConvent of Las Dueñas (11)boasts a beautiful combinationof Gothic, Mudejar andPlateresque elements.

University

Plaza Mayor

22

Segovia

Segovia (pop. 54,012) has beencompared in poetic imagery witha ship of stone anchored in thesea of cornfields that is Castile.Declared part of the Heritage ofMankind in 1985, the gatewayand the symbol of the city is theAqueduct (1), one of the best-preserved monuments ofImperial Rome.

The aqueduct was built at theend of the 1st century to carrywater to the upper part of thecity. This “skein of stone",measuring 728 metres in lengthwith 163 arches, is built of stonefrom Guadarrama, without leador mortar. Visitors walking by theAqueduct will be struck by itsthree outstanding qualities –simplicity, elegance andgrandeur.

The best place to start a visit isthe Plaza del Azoguejo (2).Close by is the Casa de los

Picos (3), a mansion whosefacade is decorated (and hencethe name, which means “Houseof Diamonds") with diamond-point motifs. Plaza de Medinadel Campo, a corner breathing beauty and harmony, has two notablemonuments: the Torreon de los Lozoya (4), amagnificently striking building,and the Church of San Martin (5), highlighted by theMozarabic elements of its archesand capitals. A few steps fartheron is the Plaza Mayor (6), the heart of the old walled town.

To the left towers the superbCathedral (7). This was built inthe 16th century after itspredecessor was destroyed byfire. Popularly known as “themistress of all cathedrals", thiswas the last Gothic edifice to bebuilt in Spain. The San Frutosdoor opens into an arrangementof three naves, a transept and anaisled apse. In addition to variouschapels, there is an interesting

Partial view with the Cathedral and the Alcazar

ClamoresRí

o

SeminarioConciliar

Casa dela Quimica

Muralla

Ayuntamiento

Academiade Artillería

PalacioEpiscopal Iglesia de

la Trinidad

Iglesia deSan Quirce Iglesia de

San Nicolás

Iglesia deSan Esteban

Iglesia deSan Andrés

Casa del Sol

Iglesia deSan Miguel

Convento delCorpus Christi

Torreón AriasDávila

Iglesia deSan Clemente

Alhóndiga

Iglesia deSan Millán

Museo CapillaNª Sª Concepción

Muralla

Plaza CondeAlpuente

Plaza delSeminario

Plaza delSocorro

PlazaSan Esteban

Plaza dela Merced

PlazaJardín

Plaza de la ReinaVictoria Eugenia

Plaza delDr. Gila

Plaza de Medina del Campo

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1 Aqueduct2 Plaza del Azoguejo3 Casa de los Picos4 Torreon de los Lozoya5 Church of San Martín6 Plaza Mayor7 Cathedral8 Alcázar

Tourist information

25

altarpiece of La Piedad by Juande Juni dated 1571. TheCathedral Museum exhibitsfine pieces of gold work and acollection of Brussels tapestries(open daily).

The rocks that mark the westernend of the city are topped by thewatchful silhouette of theAlcázar (8). Although originallydating back to the time of the

repopulation of Segovia, thebuilding was reconstructed in1862 after a devastating fire.One of its rooms houses theMuseum of Arms, withnumerous exhibits recalling themilitary past of the fortress (opendaily).

Plaza de Medina del Campo Church of San Martin

Plaza Mayor

Soria

ADespite its small size and air oftranquillity, Soria (pop. 33,882)offers a whole series of surprises.Set on the banks of the riverDuero, its charm lies in anagreeable blend of culture andnature.

The best place to start a tour ofthis placid town is theConcathedral of San Pedro (1),which stands near theomnipresent Duero. Built in thelate 12th century, only part ofthe splendid cloister remains ofthe original structure. Thecathedral has iconographiccapitals and valuable altarpieces,especially a Flemish triptych ofthe Crucifixion.

In the oldest part of the town isthe Church of Santo Domingo (2), hailed by critics asthe most harmonious of all 12th-century churches. In the street ofthe same name stands the

Palace of the Counts ofGómara (3), the finest example of Soria’s civilarchitecture.

A series of winding mediaeval-looking streets leads into theCalle Caballeros. There, facingthe statues that adorn the facade of the ProvincialDeputation (4), is the Churchof San Juan de Rabanera (5),an edifice that embodies thebasic precepts of the bestRomanesque architecture –external grandeur and internalausterity.

Carrying on westwards onecomes to the Alameda deCervantes (6), an ideal area forstrollers and site of theHermitage of La Soledad (7).One of its chapels preserves theCristo del Humilladero, asplendid carving attributed toJuan de Juni. And nearby is theMuseo Numantino (8), whichexhibits archaeological findsfrom Tiermes and Numancia(closed Mondays).

Panoramic view

Plazade Toros

Convento deMonjas Carmelitas

AyuntamientoCasa de

la CiudadIglesia deSan Francisco

Ruinas de San Nicolás

Aula Magna deTirso de Molina

Palacio de losRíos y Salcedo

Palacio deAlcántara

Iglesia de NuestraSeñora del Espino

Iglesia del Mirón

PlazaLas Eras

PlazaRamón Ayllón

Plaza Tirsode Molina

Plazadel Olvido

Plaza Mariano Granados

PlazaSan Clemente

Plaza Condes de Lérida

Plaza Mayor

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C. CaballerosC. San Martín

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1 Concathedral of San Pedro2 Church of Santo Domingo3 Palace of the Counts of Gómara4 Provincial Deputacion5 Church of San Juan de Rabanera6 Alameda de Cervantes7 Hermitage of La Soledad8 Numantine Museum9 Monastery of San Juan de Duero

10 Hermitage of San Saturio

Tourist information

The walk finishes in the otherpart of Soria after crossing theDuero by a bridge of mediaevalorigin. There stand the remainsof the Monastery of San Juande Duero (9), founded by themonks of St. John of Acre.Masterpieces of decorative art,the intertwining arches of thecloister exhibit the best ofMoslem influence onRomanesque art. Following theriver bank, the path ends at theHermitage of San Saturio (10),Soria’s patron saint. Excavated in

the living rock, this little Baroquechurch is a marvellous display ofromanticism and originality.

Monastery of San Juan de Duero Church of Santo Domingo

Church of San Juan de Rabanera

28

ValladolidThe burgeoning city of Valladolid(pop. 319,946) preserves some ofthe best examples of Renaissanceart. The Belad Valed mentionedin documents of the Reconquest,Valladolid boasts a majormonumental legacy scatteredamong the arteries of what is now the capital of theRegion.

A good place to start a tour isthe exceptional NationalMuseum of Sculpture (1),which is housed in the Collegeof San Gregorio, anoutstanding example of FlemishGothic. On exhibit there arepolychrome wood carvings fromthe hands of such legendaryfigures of the region as AlonsoBerruguete or GregorioFernandez (closed Mondays andSunday p.m.).

Close by stands the Convent ofSan Pablo (2) with its lovely

facade. Next to it is the Palaceof the Pimentel (3), now hometo the Provincial Deputation.Also in this area, Zorilla’sHouse/Museum (4) preservesthe memory of this romanticwriter and scion of Valladolid(closed Mondays and holidays).

On the way to the heart of thecity is the Palace of Fabio Nelli (5), a building of Classicallines which houses the Museumof Valladolid and its collectionsof tools, coins, paintings andceramics (closed holidays,Mondays, Saturday p.m. andSunday p.m.). And in the streetof the same name is theMonastery of San Benito elReal (6), built on the site wherethe fortress of King Juan I oncestood, Its church has an austeredoorway completed by Gil deHontañon in 1569.

After visiting the rectangularPlaza Mayor (7), the route leadson to the Cathedral (8).Commenced by Juan de Herrera

Plaza Mayor and Town Hall

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Plaza deSan Nicolás

Plaza delos Vadillos

PlazaCircular

Plaza de laCruz Verde

Plazade España

Plazade Madrid

Plazade Zorrilla

ResidenciaSanitaria

Convento deSta. Teresa

PlazaCosoViejo

Pza. deLa Trinidad

Pza. deCarranzaPalacio de

los Benavente Convento deS. Quirze

ConventoSta. Catalina

Palacio delos Valverde

Conv. de laConcepciónConvento

Sta. Isabel

ConventoSta. Ana

PlazaTenerias

Conventode Agustinos

Filipinos

Plazade Colón

Museo de Ciencias

Naturales

PlazaS. Juán

PlazaColegio

Sta. Cruz

HuelgasRealesIglesia de

la Magdalena

HospitalClinico

Convento de las Descalzas

Reales

PalacioGondomar

Plaza deSan Pablo

Plaza deS. Miguel

PlazaPortugalete

Teatro Calderón

PlazaSanta Ana

Plazade Poniente

Plaza delos Arces

PlazaAlba de Tórmes

C.

de

Palacio de los Vivero

8

1211

15

14

13

109

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45

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21

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1 Collage of San Gregorio. National Museum of Sculpture2 Convent of San Pablo3 Palace of the Pimentel4 Zorrilla’s House/Museum5 Palace of Fanio Nelli. Museum of Valladolid6 Monastery of San Benito el Real7 Plaza Mayor8 Cathedral 9 University

10 College of Santa Cruz11 Church of Santa María la Antigua12 Church of Las Angustias13 Archbishop’s Palace14 Oriental Museum15 Casa Cervantes

Tourist information

in 1582 on the remains of acollegiate church, in the eventthe work was never completed.The Romanesque tower and asplendid Mannerist altarpiece byJuan de Juni still survive. TheDiocesan Museum exhibitsvarious religious objects, one ofthe finest being a processionalmonstrance wrought by Juan deArfe in 1590 (closed Saturdayp.m., Sunday p.m. and Mondays).

Past some gardened ruinsappears the Baroque facade ofthe University (9), decorated bythe Tome brothers with a varietyof academic symbols andallegories. In its vicinity rises theexceptional College of SantaCruz (10), one of the firstSpanish Renaissance buildings.The Baroque shelves of its libraryhold around 13,000 volumesprinted between the 16th and19th centuries.

Back near the cathedral, theChurch of Santa María laAntigua (11) boasts anunexpected Romanesque towerwhich quite dominates itssurroundings. Very near there is the Church of LasAngustias (12), which contains acarving of La Virgen de losCuchillos by master Juan de Juni.And here ends the tour of theprincipal monuments ofValladolid, although the city doesof course have other places ofinterest – the Archbishop’sPalace (13), the OrientalMuseum (14), the Casa deCervantes (15) and many more.

University Church of Santa Maria la Antigua

Zamora

The days of splendour ofZamora (pop. 64,421) are longpast, but so many churches andother vestiges of that golden agesurvive that the city today is averitable museum ofRomanesque art. Unwilling towallow in resignation, like therest of the Region thisagricultural and commercialcentre has moved with the times.It is not for nothing thatZamora’s legendary resistance to adversity coined themotto “Zamora was not won in a day".

Visitors wishing to get a feelingfor the past should begin theirtour at the Portillo de laTraición or Traitor’s Gate (1),an entrance in the great wallsthat have been so decisive in thehistory of this frontier town.Hard by that undulating stonecurtain is the Parque delCastillo (2). On one side stand

the remains of the Castle,originally of Arab construction,which still preserves its Tower ofHomage, its gate and its moat.

Practically opposite is theByzantine RomanesqueCathedral (3), which dates backto the 12th century. It waserected on top of the originalchurch built by Alfonso III theGreat, whose legendary deedslive on in marble. And yet theplace as it is now still preservesan aura of magic and the East.The most strikingly original andbest-known feature is theunusual dome.

What catches the eye in theinterior are the wrought irongrilles and pulpits and theextraordinary choir stalls, whoseback-rests are decorated withepisodes from daily life duringthe Renaissance. In the cloister isthe Cathedral Museum, whichexhibits an important collection of 15th-centuryFlemish tapestries (closedSundays).

Panoramic view

The way to the city centre passesby a series of churches: SanIldefonso (4), originally built inthe 12th century, boasts vaultedroofs of Gothic cross-work. ThePalacio del Cordón (5) is hometo the Museum of Zamora,which has an importantarchaeological exhibition. Andspanning the eternal river Duerothe puente de piedra (6), astone bridge with 16 fine arches,is practically a symbol of the city.

Also famous are the Holy Weekprocessions in Zamora, thanks tothe exquisite quality of theprocessional images. These can

be viewed in comfort in the HolyWeek Museum (7) (open daily).Standing next to the Museum,the Church of Santa María laNueva (8) was the scene of thebloody “mutiny of the trout“ in1158. This square is a perfectexample of the symbiosis oftradition and modernity thatcharacterises Zamora, city oflimitless horizons.

Stone Bridge

Cathedral Church of Santa María la Nueva

EnjoyingCastilla y Leon

Quite apart from past glories andmerits, tourists will find theselands a haven of tranquillity,scenery and good food.A wealthy repository of finereligious artefacts of the past,where the light and theatmosphere are superblyentrapped, the Region alsoboasts countless naturalattractions. Here, the prospectsblend the wildest of scenery withbucolic plains to produce a trulyhaunting tapestry.

There are three traditionalitineraries which travellers of allages have followed through theregion. The Road to Santiago, ametaphor of life itself, is no merespiritual pilgrimage but the baseon which the framework ofmediaeval Christianity was built.The ancient Road to the Starsundoubtedly deserves the prouddistinction of being the precursorof the unity of the peoples ofEurope.

“Old father Duero“, the basicaxis of regional geography,offers a tremendous variety ofscenery on its long course. Thisroute passes from the highmountains at the river source to

the sweeping horizons of theRibera, where its watersresemble a “sea turned land“.

And lastly the Ruta de la Plata orSilver Route, one of the arterialways of Roman Spain. Runningoriginally from the city of Méridain Extremadura to Astorga inLeon, this is a monumental workwhose wealth of history stemsfrom its crucial situation. Wehave, then, three routes throughplaces of beauty and legend,whose variegated facets speak ofa particular and highly appealingphilosophy of life.

In order to bring out theadventure of life in Castilla yLeon we have devised nine newtourist routes, one for eachprovince of this historic land andeach commencing in a provincialcapital. These take in the placesthat best highlight the traditionand the artistic heritage of theregion. And these culturalitineraries are interspersed withinevitable references to otherattractions that nature scatterson the way.

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Avila. Thecircus of Gredos

Highway 403 runs north from thecity of Avila to the district of LaMoraña, a major site of CastilianRomanesque-Mudejararchitecture. There are finechurches in the villages of Órbita,Espinosa de los Caballeros andLa Lugareja. The latter isincomplete, but even so it is amarvel of its kind.

Arévalo, capital of Moraña, is atown with a warlike traditionwhich has been classified as aHistoric and Artistic site. Thetower of homage of its imposingsemicircular castle betrays itsMoorish origins. Within its walls,Isabel la Catolica dwelt for a time.In the Plaza del Arrabal stands theChurch of Santo Domingo deSilos, where the Gothic navescontrast with the Mudejarbrickwork of the apse. And finally,the “jewel“ of Arevalo is theChurch of San Martín in the Plazade la Villa, a magical contrast ofsuperimposed styles.

Highway 605 is the route toMadrigal de las Altas Torres.Once the residence of the RoyalCourt, this is the birthplace ofQueen Isabel la Católica. She wasborn in 1451 in the palace ofJuan II, which has since beenconverted to the Monastery ofNuestra Señora de Gracia (open

daily, except the second fortnightin September and the firstfortnight in October). Solidlyanchored in its illustrious past, thename of the town derives fromthe 75-metre tower of the Churchof San Nicolás de Bari.

Another highly recommendedroute runs southwards to theSierra de Gredos, the stonybackbone of Castile. Highway 502crosses the centre of themountain range by way of theMenga pass, at whose top there isa vantage point with innumerableattractions for the tourist. BeforeNavarredonda de Gredos onecomes to the first Parador to beopened in Spain, in what wasonce King Alfonso XIII’s huntinglodge.

To reach the heart of the massifone turns off on highway 500 toHoyos del Espino. The roadclimbs on what is known as thePlatform of Hoyos to the LagunaGrande or Great Lagoon, themajestic peak of Almanzor (2,592 m.) or even as far as theCinco Lagunas or FiveLagoons. The scenery there isquite breathtaking, a panorama

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Los Galayos. Arenas de San Pedro

of great rocky mounds, fantasticalpeaks and rock-strewn granite.

Back at the bottom the roadfollows the river Tormes to ElBarco de Avila, a town withlovely prospects of Gredos. Itpreserves remains of the old wallsand, most importantly, the Castleof Valdecorneja, a 15th-centuryfortress that once belonged to theDukes of Alba.

Another alternative route goes tothe southern face of the Gredosmassif. Once through the Picopass, the same highway502 carries on to theoutskirts ofArenas de SanPedro, the mostimportant point inall this area.Travellers arerecommended to

visit the Sanctuary of San Pedrode Alcántara, where rest thebones of the patron saint ofExtremadura. In the Royal ChapelMuseum there are notablecollections of gold liturgicalobjects (closed Mondays).

Arévalo El Barco de Avila

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Burgos.Heart of

Castille

Heading from Burgos to Madridthe N-I highway enters a districtwhere monuments andarchaeological remains abound.The importance of the artisticheritage of Lerma, a town with alordly air, is exemplified by themajestic Ducal Palace, begun byFrancisco de Mora in 1605. Themost outstanding religious edificeis the Collegiate church of SanPedro, which offers a fine outlookover the river Arlanza. Despite itsaustere outward appearance,inside there is a valuable statue ofArchbishop Cristobal de Rojas inprayer, the work of Juan de Arfe.

After a brief halt in Gumiel deHizán to see the Church ofNuestra Señora de la Asuncion,the next stop is Aranda deDuero. One of the sites of longesttradition in this, the chief town ofthe Ribera of Burgos, is theChurch of Santa María. Thesouthern face is devised as a

giganticaltarpieceincluding scenes in relief from theAdoration of the Magi. Of civiledifices, the Palace of Colmenaresstands out among the abundantlordly mansions that adorn thetown, which is also celebrated forits delightful wine.

Highway 122 takes one to La Vid,where there is a famous conventof the same name, then headingnorth on highway 111 one comesto Peñaranda de Duero. This is asmall town clustered around thefoot of the old castle, which was

Museum of Pharmacy,Peñaranda de Duero Monastery of Santo Domingo de Silos

built at the time of theReconquest. The Palace ofAvellaneda is a Renaissancebuilding whose main door isdecorated with warriors andheraldic shields. As well as theChurch of Santa Ana, visitors arerecommended to see theinteresting Museum of Pharmacyin the Ximeno apothecary’s (openMonday to Friday and someSaturdays and Sundays a.m.).

Not far away, slightly off the maintrack, is Clunia, once a city of theCeltiberian tribe of the Arevaci.It still preserves a Romanamphitheatre, tombs and myriadother remains.

In the eastern part of the provinceof Burgos are a number of highlyrecommended places. From Lermaone carries on to Covarrubias, atown which derives its name fromthe reddish caves that abound inthe neighbourhood. There, theCollegiate church of San Cosme ySan Damián holds the tomb ofFernán González, first Count ofCastile. The museum has animportant collection of sculptures,further enriched by the Triptychof the Three Kings, attributed toGil de Siloe (closed Tuesdays).

To the south-west lies theMonastery of Santo Domingo deSilos, a universal pearl ofRomanesque art which is now acentre of spiritual and artisticpilgrimage. It was razed by theArabs and rebuilt by SaintDominic, whose remains arepreserved in a tomb excavated inthe rock. The sensational 11th-12th-century Romanesque cloisterdisplays magnificent reliefs andsculpted capitals portraying agreat variety of subjects. Themonastery, run by Benedictinemonks who hold Gregorianmasses, also has a fine library andan 18th-century apothecarium(open daily; closed some holidaysand days of monastic celebration).

Ducal Palace, Lerma

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Leon. The Road

to Santiago

Following the same route troddenfor centuries by pilgrims, thetraveller leaves the city of Leon byhighway 120, with the first stop atHospital de Órbigo. Twomonoliths, one at either end ofthe Roman bridge there, serve asa reminder that this is the exactsite of that “joust“ or knightlyduel known to posterity as “thehonourable passage“.

Further along the road isAstorga, the “Asturica Augusta“of Imperial Rome. Outstanding ina harmonious monumentalassemblage which has seenmoments of historic splendour, isthe Cathedral. Particularlyinteresting in the interior is themain altarpiece, the work ofGaspar Becerra, and the pulpitand choir stalls. Of the fifty-oddexhibits in the Diocesan Museum,the most striking is a gilt silvercasket, known as the casket ofSan Genadio (open daily). In theEpiscopal Palace, a neo-Gothicedifice designed by AntonioGaudi, is the Museum of theRoads, a rich repository ofmementos of the pilgrimage toSantiago (closed Sundays).

The N-VI highway takes us to thearea of El Bierzo. Following themining town of Bembibre comes

San Miguel de las Dueñas,a town which grew uparound the celebratedmonastery of thatname. And a littlefurther on liesPonferrada, whichgrew into a city largelythanks to the presence ofthe Order of theTemplars. On the bank ofthe river Sil stands the castle,recently refurbished and nowopen to the public. Worth seeingin the old town centre is the ClockTower, the only part of the oldcity walls left standing.

Villafranca del Bierzo is the lasttown of any importance on theRoad to Santiago in its passagethrough the province of Leon.This is a highly colourful town atwhose entrance stands thepopular 12th-centuryRomanesque Church of Santiago.Pilgrims who fell sick and couldnot continue their journey couldstill attain their jubilee byprostrating themselves before the

Cathedral of Astorga

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Gate of Pardon of this church. Inthe surrounding area travellerscan visit the curious mine of LasMédulas, where the Romansextracted thousands of tons ofgold.

Those tourists interested in“green itineraries“ are bestadvised to head for the north ofthe province to experience theeternal struggle between waterand stone in the Picos de EuropaNational Park. Leaving Leon onHighway 621, the road passesthrough a number of villages as it

climbs up to the Alto de Tarna(1,490 metres). From there, adelightful succession of valleys,lakes and mountain rings lead toPosada de Valdeón, the maintown in the Eden-like valley ofthe same name. The ultimate goalof this excursion is to follow thelegendary Senda del Cares. Thisis a breathtaking walk throughthe “divine gorge“ hemmed in byrock walls hundreds of metreshigh to a spot that offers utterlymarvellous panoramic outlooks.

Posada de Valdeón

Palencia.The romanesque

The northern part of theprovince of Palencia abounds inexamples of the bestRomanesque art, in most caseslinked to the legendary Road toSantiago. Visitors caring totake their time and stop inpractically every village will berewarded by some realarchitectural marvels.

Heading north on Highway 615,the road leads to Carrión de losCondes, a key town on the oldpilgrim paths. Clearly mediaevalin origin, the highlight of the oldtown is the Convent of SantaClara, founded in the 13thcentury, with a church and annexeattached (open daily; closed 15October to 15 November). Alsoworth seeing are the Romanesquechurches of Santa María delCamino and Santiago, the latterof which is crowned by a strikingfrieze in which sculpted figures ofthe twelve apostles surround theChrist Enthroned or Pantocrator.

On the outskirts of the town, nearthe mediaeval bridge, is theMonastery of San Zoilo, a formerrefuge for pilgrims containing anelegant cloister wrought by Juande Badajoz.

South-west from Carrion liesVillalcázar de Sirga, areconstruction of the past thathas been rendered habitable, siteof the Church of Santa María laBlanca, once an encomienda ofthe Order of the Templars. A littlefarther on is Frómista, a placewith a noble past where themiracle of faith conjoins withreason. The Church of San Martín,perfect in its harmony and beauty,is a veritable landmark inJacobean Romanesque.

Northwards lies Herrera dePisuerga, which preservesremains of the old walls and anumber of emblazoned houses.Also on the same road is Aguilarde Campoo, one of the key

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points on this PalencianRomanesque route.

A good example of whatmakes it important is the

Monastery of Santa María, oneof the oldest Cistercian edifices

in Spain. The Collegiate church ofSan Miguel, a 14th-century Gothicwork, contains an interestingparish museum which is opendaily. And next to the ruins of thetraditional castle stands theHermitage of Santa Cecilia,embellished by a strikinglygraceful tower.

The area encompassing theoutskirts of Aguilar de Campooand Herrera de Pisuerga preservesthe largest collection of examplesof Romanesque in the wholeprovince. More than fiftychurches, monasteries andhermitages are clustered in theOjeda valley and the northerndistricts. Example of this are thetowns of Olleros de Pisuerga,which has a curious church in acave, or Santa María de Mave.

From here there is a westwardroute which traverses theFuentes Carrionas y FuenteCobre nature zone, an arealiberally endowed with tarns andwetlands. The route carries on tothe mining town of Guardo then

turns south on Highway615 as far asSaldaña, a townwith a fine Romanbridge and an old

square of incalculable historic andartistic value. And the last stop onthe route is Pedrosa de la Vega,site of an ancient Roman mansioncontaining some lovely mosaics –the ideal conclusion to thisjourney into the past.

Villalcázar de Sirga

Aguilar de Campoo

Church of San Martin, Fromista

Salamanca.The mountains

Travellers through the variousmountain ranges of the provinceof Salamanca will find wonderfulscenery and examples of well-preserved popular andmonumental architecture. Thisroute leaves the city of Salamancaby highway N-620 in the directionof Ciudad Rodrigo, turning left onto highway 525 after about fiftykilometres.

Past El Cabaco, the road starts towind upwards through denseforests of chestnut. This attractivezone is the westward bulwark ofthe Sierra de Gredos, whosehighest point is the Peña deFrancia (1,732 metres). Thesummit is crowned by a collectionof buildings dating back to 1434.This is the Sanctuary of SantaMaría de la Peña, shrine of theimage of a dark-skinned Virginand the Child.

A scant ten kilometres fartherdownhill is La Alberca,whose alleywaysconstitute a veritablemuseum of popular

elements. The Church of LaAsunción, built in the 18thcentury, contains a figure of theCristo del Sudor, attributed toJuan de Juni. Farther south is theSanctuary of San Jose, a nunneryinhabited by discalced Carmelites.

The next stop is Miranda deCastañar, a fortified town whoseemblazoned houses recall themagnificence of its noble past.As well as the parish church, it isworth stopping at the 16th-century bull-ring with itstraditional stone safety barriers.The next objective is the Sierrade Bejar in the south-easternpart of the province.

The capital Bejar offers acomprehensive sample oftraditional mountain architecture.The town’s many attractionsinclude the Ducal palace, a majorcivil edifice built in the mid-16thcentury. The best known church isthat of Santa María la Mayor,which dates backto the time of

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Repopulation (13th century). Onthe edge of the town it is worthstopping at the estate known asEl Bosque, a beautiful Italianategarden with a little palace and avariety of fountains.

The end of this itinerary isCandelario, a town of ruralmountain dwellings. Behind the19th-century Town Hall is theChurch of La Asunción, whosechief attractions are the mainaltarpiece and the Mudejarcaissoned ceiling of the mainchapel.

Another place recommended totravellers is Ciudad Rodrigo,which is also reached by theN-620. On a promontory in theupper part of the town stands thecastle, built by Enrique II to watchover and defend the town. Today,this legendary fortress is amodern Parador looking out overthe river Águeda.

The most outstanding building isthe Cathedral, which was begun

in 1165 and was not finished untilthe mid-16th century. Importantdetails are the Gate of Chains,adorned by a frieze which is aGothic gallery of sculpted reliefs,and inside, the choir stallsdecorated by Rodrigo Alemanwith a series of burlesque andeven profane scenes. TheDiocesan Museum contains aninteresting section of religiousgold work and ornaments(open daily).

Candelario

Parador, Ciudad Rodrigo

Segovia. The Royal Houses

Leaving the city of Segovia in thedirection of Soria, Highway 110leads to Torrecaballeros, wherethe parish church is a fineexample of Romanesque art. Thesame is true of Sotosalbos, thenext village on the route. TheChurch of San Miguel isoutstanding for its impressiveporticoed gallery and a smallmuseum. No more than 2kilometres away, in the leafyenvirons of Collado Hermoso,stand the ruins of the Monasteryof Nuestra Señora de la Sierra.

The Town Arch opens the wayinto Pedraza and its delightfullyextravagant Plaza Mayor. Thecastle tower was the subject of astudy by the painter IgnacioZuloaga and now contains amuseum devoted to Zuloaga’swork (closed Mondays and

Tuesdays). The next point ofinterest is Sepulveda and theChurch of El Salvador, whichboasts one of the oldest porticoesin Spain (1093). No more thanseven kilometres farther on, oneof the best “green“ itineraries inthe whole Region commences.This is the Hoces del DuratónNature Park, domain of thetawny vulture. On the far side ofa little 18th-century bridge standsthe Hermitage of San Frutos del Duraton, patron saint ofSegovia.

Carrying on westwards the roadcomes to Turégano, a towncrowned by a superb castle. FromTuregano it carries on to Cuéllar,the province’s second city and asite of Mudejar Romanesque. Thecastle is a mediaeval structure ofgreat historic and artistic interest,the jewel of a town which boastsseveral important churches: SanMartín, San Andrés, San Estebanand others.

Heading back towardsSegovia on Highway

601, there is still timefor a detour to

take in Coca,famous as thebirthplace of theemperorTheodosius, andabove all for itscastle. This is anexceptional

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example of Mudejar-Gothicmilitary architecture, surroundedby a deep moat and heavilyfortified. Back on the main road,Carbonero el Mayor boastswhat is possibly the finestaltarpiece in the province. Andfrom Carbonero the road leadsback to the city of the Aqueduct.

There is another equallyinteresting itinerary in thesouthern part of the province.A scant 11 km from Segovia onthe N-601 is the Royal Palace of LaGranja de Ildefonso, in a finenatural setting. Built in 1721 onthe site of a former hospice, itwas intended by King Philip V tobe a royal residence in the style ofthe Court of Versailles. In thecollegiate church are the tombs ofPhilip himself and his wife Isabelde Farnesio. The interior of the

palace is a succession of dazzlingsalons decorated with artisticobjects of all kinds. There is also afine collection of tapestries and amuseum devoted specifically tothem (June to September: opendaily. October to March: closedMondays).

Nearby is the Royal Glass Works ofLa Granja, an industrial buildingwith a permanent exhibition ofglass works of art (closedMondays and Tuesdays except forgroups by arrangement). And thefinal touch is provided by French-style gardens with a collection offountains and statues providing asetting of vivid light and colour.

Hoces del Duraton Nature Park Castle of Coca

Royal Palace,La Granja de San Ildefonso

The excursion leaves the city ofSoria on highway 122 and goes toEl Burgo de Osma, a townindelibly marked by its status asEpiscopal capital. The old heart ofthe town spreads around theCathedral, built in 1232. Withlater Renaissance additions and aslim tower dated 1739, thecathedral is a perfect example ofthe most refined religious art.Inside is a fine altarpiece by Juande Juni and the tomb of the

founder, Pedro deOsma. And in thesacristy a pricelessobject is preserved:the codex of theCommentary on the

Apocalypse by Beato de Liebana(open daily).

Having soaked up the atmosphereof this town of countless columns,the excursion continues to SanEsteban de Gormaz, where arapid visit is recommended to twoexcellent churches: San Migueland Nuestra Señora del Ribero,both porticoed Romanesqueedifices. Turning back, a localroad leads off to Gormaz, site ofthe most impressive fortress in theprovince of Soria. This is amagnificent Arab castlewith 28 towers,considered the largest inEurope. During the

Plaza Mayor. Medinaceli

Soria. The lans of el Cid

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Reconquest it was gifted by KingAlfonso VI to the legendary CidCampeador.

Carrying on down highway 116there is a turn-off to the rightwhich leads to Berlanga deDuero. Surrounded by trees,, itsmost outstanding building is theCollegiate church of Santa Maríadel Mercado, a monument richlyendowed with carvings, tombsand altarpieces. In the environs,set on a hill near the village ofCasillas, stands the MozarabicHermitage of San Baudelio, aunique structure in Spanish pre-Romanesque architecture. A scant4 kilometres away, Caltojarpreserves the Church of SanMiguel, another major religiousmonument whose most strikingfeature is a number of capitalsadorned with enigmatic faces.

The traveller should now returnto highway 116 to reach

Almazán, whose Romanesquechurch is set off by an unusualcupola with a Moslem aura. In thePlaza Mayor stands the Palace ofthe Counts of Altamira, which hasa splendid Renaissance facade.Carrying on south on highway111, the next stop is Medinaceli,a town whose origins lie in theremote past. A triumphal archwaybuilt long before the birth ofChrist is a reminder of the ancientRoman Ocilis. From here, the laststop on the route is the Cistercianmonastery of Santa María deHuerta, one of the purestexamples of Castilian-LeoneseGothic architecture.

Flemish painting, Berlanga de Duero Burgo de Osma

Valladolid. Vineyards andmonasteries

The province of Valladolid offers achoice of excellent local touristroutes. Heading east from the cityof Valladolid on highway 122 onecomes to Peñafiel, a town thatspreads out at the foot of amajestic castle whose outlinesresemble a ship. The mostoutstanding artistic edifice inPeñafiel is the Church of SanPablo, founded in 1324 by theInfante Don Juan Manuel. Thevarious different elements that goto make up the whole, amongthem the funeral chapel of theManuels, make this a majorachievement of provincialMudejar-Gothic.

Another considerably longerexcursion is to take highway 601as far as Portillo. From there,there is a turn-off to the industrialtown of Íscar, once the scene ofmany deeds of knightly valour.From there, highway 112 leads toOlmedo, capital of the Mudejarroute of the province ofValladolid. Highly recommendedhere are the Church of SantaMaria del Castillo and the Churchof San Miguel, with one Baroqueand one Plateresque altarpiece.

The next destination in this landof vine and fortress is Medinadel Campo, best symbolised bythe Castle of La Mota, a mass ofbrick and mortar raised in the15th century. The Collegiatechurch of San Antolín preserves asplendid haut relief by Juan deJuni, entitled La Piedad. In onecorner of the Plaza Mayor standsthe modest house where QueenIsabel la Catolica died in 1504,whose statue dominates thesquare.

Heading north on highway N-VI,it is worth making a stop inRueda, a town renowned for itswines, which are sold under the“Rueda” appellation of origin.The same road carries on toTordesillas, a city with a longand noble history. Here it wasthat Portuguese and Castiliansdivided their dominion over thelargest empire in the world, twoyears after Columbus first touchedland in America. Tordesillas boastsa pearl of Arab art in the RoyalMonastery of Santa Clara, apalace built by King Alfonso XI.The architecture and decorationof all the rooms is truly striking,including a curious portablereredos and the clavichord thatbelonged to Queen Joan the Mad(closed Mondays ).

Still further north lies Medina deRioseco, the erstwhile “city ofthe admirals”. This monumental

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site in the Tierra de Camposcontains a number of churches ofgreat sumptuary wealth. In one ofthe chapels of the Church ofSanta María, an Isabelline Gothicwork, there is a marvellousaltarpiece by Juan de Juni,dedicated to the Inmaculada.The Church of Santiago exhibits awonderfully finished triplealtarpiece in Churrigueresquestyle. The church also contains anexhibition with the images thatare carried in procession duringthe local Holy Week celebrations.

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Church of Santa Maria, Olmedo

Rueda

Castle of La Mota, Medina del Campo

Zamora. Lakes of Sanabria

A scant 33 km east of the city ofZamora on highway 122 is Toro, aquiet little town but one with anintense history. The unusuallayout of the town centrenaturally brings the visitor to itsmost outstanding monument, theCollegiate church of Santa Maríala Mayor. The building has thepresence of a cathedral, with amagnificent west portico and acupola with a Byzantine air. In thesacristy its most importanttreasure is preserved – a Flemishpanel dated 1520, entitled LaVirgen de la Mosca or The Virginand the Fly.

However, the tourist route reallyleads to the north of the province,which means leaving the city ofZamora by highway 630. Level

with Granja de Moreruela thereis a turn-off to the Salines ofVillafáfila, an oasis of life in themiddle of Tierra de Campos. Backon highway 630 and still headingnorth is Benavente, “the town ofthe counts”. The monumentalinterest here is to be found in aseries of churches, finishing offwith a visit to the Torre delCaracol or Tower of the Snail,all that remains of the Castle ofthe Counts of Benavente. Formany years now there has been aParador backing on to thishistoric relic.

Westward from Benavente onhighway 620 is Valle del Tera,one of whose points of interest isthe Hermitage of Santa Marta deTera, an example of 12th-centuryRomanesque. A few kilometresfarther on lies Mombuey, whosechurch although modest boasts acurious artistic feature. This is anunusual tower of curvedstructures built in greensandstone. Half-way up an ox’shead protrudes, clearly alludingto the name of the village(“buey” means “ox” in Spanish).The next stop is Puebla deSanabria and its imposingfortress, an archetypal mediaevaldefensive structure. The town has

Lake of Sanabria

Tower of Santa Maria, Mombuey

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a number of noble houses andmansions adorned with old crests,such as the 15th-century TownHall, which stands in the PlazaMayor.

This route ends at the Lago deSanabria Nature Park, anincomparably beautiful settingrich in customs and traditions.Mountain landscapes like PeñaTrevinca, Peña Negra and theSierra de La Cabrera encircle anarea of wetlands whose historygoes back ten thousand years.This is the largest lake in Spain,3.5 kilometres long and 2kilometres wide. Right in the heart of thesesplendid natural surroundings liesthe village of San Martín de

Castañeda, which grew uparound the monastery of thesame name. Among the survivingoriginal buildings is theRomanesque church, a true havenof life and culture. The restoredmonastery buildings now housethe Nature Park EnvironmentalEducation Centre, where there isa permanent exhibitionillustrating the ecosystems of theSanabria valley.

Monastery, Granja de Moreruela River Duero, Toro

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Leisure andentertainment

Fairs andFestivals

The Region has seen a majorflourishing of cultural activities inrecent years. Outstandingthematic exhibitions periodicallytravel to the provincial capitals,supplementing the range ofentertainment offered by theendless list of celebrations heldannually in our towns. Thesepopular festivals bring the visitorinto contact with local customsthat have been handed downfrom generation to generation.

Starting with Avila, besides themusical performances put on inthe Summer Fiestas, the lastquarter of the year normallyincludes theatre and classicalmusic concerts in the Cathedral.In a more traditional vein, inmid-September there is a romeríaor popular devotional excursionin the town of Candeleda,dedicated to Nuestra Señorade Chilla and famous for thedancing in traditional localcostume.

At the end of June the Fiestasof San Pedro and San Pabloin Burgos offer a series of bullfights (the bull is a prominentfeature of many celebrations)and contests of traditionalmusical instruments. Another

popular attraction is the ascentto the Hermitage of San Juande Monte, which takes place onthe Monday of Pentecost inMiranda de Ebro.

During the month of October,Leon offers a ceremony with along local tradition to mark thefeast of San Froilan. This isknown as Las Cantaderas, anevent including traditionalsinging and dancing opposite theCathedral.

Yet another of these curious oldtraditions is the Romería deSanto Toribio, which takes placein Palencia in mid-April. From thesaint’s hermitage the localcouncillors “bombard” the publicwith bags of “pan y quesillo”(lit. “bread and cheese”, ablossom said to resemble these)to commemorate a mediaevalmiracle. In August is theInternational Descent of thePisuerga, which attractscanoeists from all over the world.

The bustle of the university istangible in Salamanca’s localCarnival where boisterousfestivity mingles with events of amore serious tone, not dissimilarto the atmosphere of La Albercaduring the Feast of theAssumption. The Loa, forinstance, is a curious religiousplay in which characters like the Devil and the Gallantsappear.

In Segovia, normally in June,there is a well-known Festivalof Puppets or Titirimundi.Before this, on 5 February, is theRomeria of Las Águedas in thelittle village of Zamarramala.One of the main events is“women’s day” when the ladiestake charge of the town.

The village of San PedroManrique in Soria celebratesthe magical night of San Juan inits own very peculiar way. Thisevent commemorates theCeltiberian rite of the Passage ofFire, in which participants walkthrough the bonfires carryingsomeone on their shoulders.Also memorable are theJornadas de la Matanza,literally “days of slaughter”, inBurgo de Osma, a series ofculinary and cultural eventswhich are held in February andMarch.

As the regional capital,Valladolid offers an outstandingcultural programme all the yearround. Top of the list comes theInternational Film Week, afestival which has attainedconsiderable prestige thanks tothe quality of the movies shown.The profound religious faith ofCastile comes to the fore in HolyWeek, when 29 artistic imagesare carried through the streetsin procession.

Holy Week is also a major eventin Zamora, where theprocessions contain someabsolutely priceless examples ofCastilian religious imagery. On amore relaxed note is the Fuentedel vino or “Fountain ofwine” which takes place in Toroon 28 August. This is a romeriaheld in the main square, wherethe famous local red wine flowsin rivers.

SportsThere are a good many optionsfor the practice of sports in thisregion, almost always havingsome connection with nature.For winter sports enthusiaststhere are ski-slopes at LaLunada, La Pinilla, Leitariegosand San Isidro. All of theseprovide a range of services thatensures a comfortable andenjoyable stay.

In summer Castilla y Leon offersa great many natural zones andparks for enjoyment, in which

Golf course

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water normally plays aprominent part – lagoons andreservoirs ideal for outdoorrecreation. Here there are allsorts of river and water sports insettings which visitors will findparadisiacal. There are normallycamping sites and othercomfortable and economicaltypes of accommodation in thevicinity of these wetlands.

The mountains of Castilla y Leonprovide the ideal setting forsuch sports as trekking, bicycleand horseback touring,rafting or, for those seeking abit of risk, climbing. All theseleisure and recreationalactivities are available inunspoilt surroundings of greatnatural beauty.

As an area of both mountainand plain, the region also offersmany opportunities forshooting and fishing. Thereare exclusive game reserves andcountless fishing reserves, sothat the amateur does not gohome empty-handed at the endof the day. There are also goodgolf courses and grounds forautochthonous sports such asskittles, as well as first-ratefootball and basketball teams.It is well said that sport is one of the most reliable gaugesof the vitality and progress ofpeoples.

Eating anddrinking

The culinary tradition of Castilla yLeon has something for everyone.The range of cuisine is varied andattractive, thanks to the skill withwhich local produce is prepared.The story that in this part of thecountry there is nothing but roastmeats is no more than a cliché,but the fact is that here the age-old art of the brick oven has been honed to perfection,producing either tender lamb orrosy suckling pig, known as“toston” in this part of the world..

Obviously the cuisine of Castilla yLeon is by no means confined tothese succulent dishes. There isthe juicy veal of Avila, themarvellous hams of Guijuelo(Salamanca), and of course allkinds of sausage, which is achapter to itself in the regionalgastronomy. The names arelegion: chorizo from Cantimpalo(Segovia), the simple and deliciousmorcilla (blood sausage) ofBurgos, and the botillo (a roundpork sausage) from El Bierzo(Leon), which has been aroundsince Roman times. Art and craftare both required to produce thisculinary delight, which is verydifficult to make.

And rounding off the meats,these lands abound in game, allof which naturally finishes up on

the table. Stewed quailValladolid-style, partridge fromSegovia and pigeons from Zamoraare but a few of the most sought-after dishes.

One of the foundation stones ofregional cookery is pulses.Pottages like the ones to befound in our towns – maragato,for instance – would not bepossible without chick-peas fromFuentesauco (Zamora). Then thereare lentils from La Armuña (Leon),potatoes from Burgos and broadbeans from Segovia. And fishdishes again are another storyapart. One of the mostcharacteristic elements in this areais trout. Simply fried in olive oil, itis one of the best examples ofwhat Alvaro Cunqueiro defined as“the Christian cuisine of theWest”.

The preparation of foods withsuch individual personalitiesrequires a lot of love, time andtalent, a special something

that clearly stands out in theendless variety of ourconfectionery. Among thesweetest and tastiestof these products are the popularmantecados of Astorga, therosquillas ciegas of Palencia, thenicanores of Boñar (Leon), thesugared almonds of Salamanca andthe yemas de Santa Teresa of Avila.

Any menu worth its salt isnaturally accompanied by one ofour noble regional wines – a foodand a token of health which inrecent years has had well-deserved success on theinternational markets. There isthe superb Ribera del Duero, rosefrom Cigales, the fresh whites ofRueda, the full-bodied reds ofToro and the celebrated wines ofEl Bierzo, to name but a fewof the best examples of a seriesof products which, drunk freshand pure, more than match theirEuropean counterparts forquality.

Specialities from thecuisine of Segovia

58

Folklore andcrafts

The autochthonous folklore,bursting with popular feeling, iswoven from the same stuff as theinhabitants of the Meseta, thetremendous wealth and varietyborn of the multifarious strandsof ethnic and cultural influencethat have pervaded this territory.Its greatest achievement is toreflect with wonderful aestheticsens bility the love of things one’sown – the music, the customs, andof course the shared history.

This folklore is associated withevents and traditions, withcommon acts and ceremonies oftowns and villages – for examplethe coplas traditionally sung atChristmas in a merry, festivemedley that includes the time-honoured carols. There is anothertype of melody linked to religiousliturgy, like the dances executedby the youngsters before thecarven figure of the local patronsaint, to the strains of flageoletand tabor. This is a singularlycolourful rite, brimming withintimate emotion for those whohave been practising it since timeimmemorial.

One folk custom embodying greatwit and ingenuity is thatsurrounding the lovers’serenades The youths do therounds of the streets offering up

songs to their beloved ones to thestrains of guitar and bandurria (asmall lute-like instrument), incouplets which admirably expressthe sentiments and traditions ofour peoples.

Similarly, regional crafts betray atradition characterised by subtlevariety and charm. Despite theinevitable decline of hand-craftedarticles, artisanal techniques haveevolved to combine traditionalstandards with new industrialapproaches. In this way, a numberof family lines have been enabledto keep up activities that werecarried on by their ancestorshundreds of years ago.

In the Gredos massif in theprovince of Avila, there are stillworkshops turning out strikingcreations in wood, leather,wickerwork and ceramics. The cityof Burgos holds shows of elegantclassical Castilian furniture, whilein the town of Arenas de SanPedro (Avila), pottery is booming.

The traditional looms of Val deSan Lorenzo, near Astorga,produce typical blankets andcarpets. These are also among themost popular products ofPalencia, which is renowned forits stout blankets made of purewool.

Salamanca is far and away theprovince with the greatest varietyof crafts. In the capital one can

find articles connected with thecattle-breeding in the west of theprovince – for example saddles orthe famous leather boots knownas botos camperos. Typicalproducts are articles of gold andsilver work, mainly rings andearrings, in the charro style ofwestern Salamanca. The bestembroidery can be found in LaAlberca, where garments adornedwith jewellery and gold and silverwork, known as trajes de vistas,are worn on festive occasions.

Segovia is outstanding for thetapestries and leather work thatprosper in some parts of theprovince. Soria produces woodenfurniture and wrought irongoods. Valladolid, on the other

hand, specialises in ceramics andbasketwork, while Zamora is bestknown for the wooden barrelsmade in Nava del Rey to supplythe needs of the wine-growingarea.

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Craft market in Calle Mayor, Palencia

60

USEFUL INFORMATIONCOMMUNICATIONS

Situated centrally in the northern half of Spain, Castilla y Leon is a key sectorin the network of peninsular communications. Thanks to the modernisationand remodelling of highways in recent years, the preferred mode of transportis road, either by car or by regular or charter bus lines. It is fair to say that theautomobile has brought people closer together and shortened distances.The most important highway for the region is perhaps the N-VI which linksMadrid with A Coruña by way of Segovia, Valladolid, Zamora and Leon.The N-I runs from Madrid to Burgos. Going from south to north, the N-630traverses the provinces of Salamanca, Zamora and Leon then carries on northto the Bay of Biscay. Besides these, there is a comprehensive network of localand district roads which are being constantly improved.The best option for travellers is therefore the bus.

BUS STATIONSAvila: 920 22 01 54. Burgos: 947 28 88 55. Leon: 987 21 10 00. Palencia: 979 74 32 22. Salamanca: 923 23 67 17. Soria: 975 22 51 60.Valladolid: 983 23 63 08. Zamora: 980 52 12 81.Traffic-Highway Information: 900 123 505.

Years ago, the basic means of transport from town to town was the train. Thisis no longer the case, but nevertheless Castilla y Leon has good direct rail linkswith the principal cities of Spain.

RENFE (TRAINS)Avila: 920 25 02 02. Burgos: 947 20 35 60. Leon: 987 27 02 02. Palencia: 979 74 30 19. Salamanca: 923 12 02 02. Segovia: 921 42 07 74. Soria: 975 23 02 02. Valladolid: 983 20 02 02.Zamora: 980 52 11 10.

TOURISTINFORMATION OFFICES

Avila: Plaza de la Catedral, 4. 05001Avila. 920 21 13 87, fax 920 25 37 17.Burgos: Plaza Alonso Martínez, 7. 09003Burgos. 947 20 31 25,fax 947 27 65 29.Leon: Plaza de Regla, 4. 24003 Leon.

987 23 70 82, fax 987 27 33 91.Palencia: Calle Mayor, 105. 34001Palencia. 979 74 00 68,fax 979 70 08 22.Salamanca: Casa de las Conchas. RúaMayor. 37008 Salamanca. 923 26 85 71fax 923 26 24 92.Segovia: Plaza Mayor, 10. 40001 Segovia.

921 46 03 34, fax 921 46 03 30.Soria: Plaza Ramón y Cajal. 42003 Soria.

975 21 20 52, fax 975 21 20 52.Valladolid: Santiago, 19. 47001Valladolid. 983 34 40 13,fax 983 35 47 31.Zamora: Santa Clara, 20. 49014 Zamora.

980 53 18 45, fax 980 53 38 13.Madrid: Oficina de Promoción Turísticade Castilla y León. Alcalá, 79. 28009Madrid. 91 578 03 24.

USEFUL TELEPHONE NUMBERSNational Police: 091Local Police: 092Civil Guard: 062Citizens’ Information: 010

MEDICAL EMERGENCIES:Avila: 920 21 29 99Burgos: 947 28 18 28León: 987 22 22 22Palencia: 979 16 70 00Salamanca: 923 29 12 08Segovia: 921 41 91 00Soria: 975 22 15 29Valladolid: 983 42 04 00Zamora: 980 54 82 00

TOURIST INFORMATIONCountry code: 34

TURESPAÑA Tourist Information: 901 300 600. www.tourspain.es

Tourist Information, Castilla y Leon902 203 030. www.jcyl.es/turismo

Federation of Torist Initiative Centres of Castilla y Leon / FECITCAL.Pasión 5-7, 4º A. 47001 Valladolid. 983 35 78 99, fax 983 35 79 99.

PARADORS

Central Booking Office.Requena, 3. 28013 Madrid.

91 516 66 66, fax 91 516 66 57.www.parador.esAvila: Marqués Canales de Chozas, 2. Avila.

920 21 13 40, fax 920 22 61 66Carretera Barraco-Béjar, km 43.Navarredonda de Gredos.

920 34 80 48, fax 920 34 82 05Leon:Plaza de San Marcos, 7. Leon.

987 23 73 00, fax 987 23 34 58Avenida Calvo Sotelo. Villafranca delBierzo. 987 5401 75, fax 987 54 00 10Palencia:Carretera de Resoba, km 2. Cervera de Pisuerga. 979 87 00 75, fax 979 87 02 34.Salamanca:Teso de la Feria, 2. Salamanca.

923 19 20 82, fax 923 19 20 87.Plaza del Castilla, 1. Ciudad Rodrigo.

923 46 01 50, fax 923 45 04 04.Segovia:Carretera de Valladolid-La Lastrilla.Segovia. 921 44 37 37, fax 921 43 73 62.Soria:Parque del Castillo. Soria.

975 24 08 00, fax 975 24 08 03Valladolid:Carretera de Salamanca. Tordesillas.

983 77 00 51, fax 983 77 10 13.Zamora:Plaza de Viriato, 5. Zamora.

980 51 44 97, fax 980 53 00 63.Paseo de Ramón y Cajal. Benavente.

980 63 03 00, fax 980 63 03 03.Carretera Lago, 18. Puebla de Sanabria.

980 62 00 01, fax 980 62 03 51

SPANISH TOURIST INFORMATION OFFICES ABROAD

CANADA. Toronto. TOURIST OFFICE OF SPAIN. Florida, 2 Bloor Street West suite3402. TORONTO, Ontario M4W 3E2. 1416/961 31 31, fax 1416/961 19 92, e-mail: toronto@tourspain.es

GREAT BRITAIN. London. SPANISH TOURIST OFFICE. 22-23, ManchesterSquare. 22-23. LONDON W1M 5AP. 44207/486 80 77, fax 44207/486 80 34, e-mail: londres@tourspain.es

JAPAN. Tokyo. TOURIST OFFICE OF SPAIN. Daini Toranomon Denki Bldg.4F. 3-1-10Toranomon. Minato-Ku. TOKIO-105. 813/34 32 61 41, fax 813 / 34 32 61 44, e-mail: tokio@tourspain.es

RUSSIA. Moscow. MOSCOW SPANISH TOURIST OFFICE. Tverskaya – 16/2Business Center "Galeria Aktor" 6ª floor. MOSCÚ 103009. 7095/935 83 97,fax 7095 / 935 83 96, e-mail: moscu@tourspain.es

SINGAPORE. Singapore. SPANISH TOURIST OFFICEL. 541 Orchard Road. Liat Tower #09-04. 28881 SINGAPORE. 657/37 30 08, fax 657 / 37 31 73, e-mail: singapore@tourspain.es

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.Los Angeles. TOURIST OFFICE OF SPAIN. 8383 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 960.BEVERLY HILLS, CAL 90211. 1323/658 71 95, fax 1323/658 10 61, e-mail: losangeles@tourspain.es

Chicago. TOURIST OFFICE OF SPAIN. Water Tower Place, suite 915 East. 845,North Michigan Avenue. CHICAGO, ILL 60-611. 1312/642 19 92, fax 1312/642 98 17, e-mail: chicago@tourspain.es

Miami. TOURIST OFFICE OF SPAIN. 1221 Brickell Avenue. MIAMI, Florida 33131.1305/358 19 92, fax 1305/358 82 23, e-mail: miami@tourspain.es

New York. TOURIST OFFICE OF SPAIN. 666 Fifth Avenue 35th Floor. NEW YORK, N.Y. 10103. 1212/265 88 22, fax 1212 / 265 88 64, e-mail: nuevayork@tourspain.es

EMBASSIES IN MADRIDCanada: Nuñez de Balboa, 35. 91 431 43 00, fax 91 431 23 67.Great Britain: Fernando El Santo, 16. 91 319 02 00, fax 91 308 10 33.Japan: Serrano, 109. 91 590 76 00, fax 91 590 13 21.Russia: Velazquez, 155. 91 562 22 64, fax 91 562 97 12United States of America: Serrano, 75. 91 587 22 00, fax 91 587 23 03.

SPANISH TOURIST INFORMATION OFFICES ABROAD

CANADA. Toronto. TOURIST OFFICE OF SPAIN. Florida, 2 Bloor Street West suite3402. TORONTO, Ontario M4W 3E2. 1416/961 31 31, fax 1416/961 19 92, e-mail: toronto@tourspain.es

GREAT BRITAIN. London. SPANISH TOURIST OFFICE. 22-23, ManchesterSquare. 22-23. LONDON W1M 5AP. 44207/486 80 77, fax 44207/486 80 34, e-mail: londres@tourspain.es

JAPAN. Tokyo. TOURIST OFFICE OF SPAIN. Daini Toranomon Denki Bldg.4F. 3-1-10Toranomon. Minato-Ku. TOKIO-105. 813/34 32 61 41, fax 813 / 34 32 61 44, e-mail: tokio@tourspain.es

RUSSIA. Moscow. MOSCOW SPANISH TOURIST OFFICE. Tverskaya – 16/2Business Center "Galeria Aktor" 6ª floor. MOSCÚ 103009. 7095/935 83 97,fax 7095 / 935 83 96, e-mail: moscu@tourspain.es

SINGAPORE. Singapore. SPANISH TOURIST OFFICEL. 541 Orchard Road. Liat Tower #09-04. 28881 SINGAPORE. 657/37 30 08, fax 657 / 37 31 73, e-mail: singapore@tourspain.es

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.Los Angeles. TOURIST OFFICE OF SPAIN. 8383 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 960.BEVERLY HILLS, CAL 90211. 1323/658 71 95, fax 1323/658 10 61, e-mail: losangeles@tourspain.es

Chicago. TOURIST OFFICE OF SPAIN. Water Tower Place, suite 915 East. 845,North Michigan Avenue. CHICAGO, ILL 60-611. 1312/642 19 92, fax 1312/642 98 17, e-mail: chicago@tourspain.es

Miami. TOURIST OFFICE OF SPAIN. 1221 Brickell Avenue. MIAMI, Florida 33131.1305/358 19 92, fax 1305/358 82 23, e-mail: miami@tourspain.es

New York. TOURIST OFFICE OF SPAIN. 666 Fifth Avenue 35th Floor. NEW YORK, N.Y. 10103. 1212/265 88 22, fax 1212 / 265 88 64, e-mail: nuevayork@tourspain.es

EMBASSIES IN MADRIDCanada: Nuñez de Balboa, 35. 91 431 43 00, fax 91 431 23 67.Great Britain: Fernando El Santo, 16. 91 319 02 00, fax 91 308 10 33.Japan: Serrano, 109. 91 590 76 00, fax 91 590 13 21.Russia: Velazquez, 155. 91 562 22 64, fax 91 562 97 12United States of America: Serrano, 75. 91 587 22 00, fax 91 587 23 03.

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TurespañaSecretaría de Estado de Comercio y TurismoMinisterio de Economía

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