Spain

Castile and León

Region

Castile and León is Spain's largest region by area and includes a large part of the northern plateau. Here lie cities like Salamanca, Segovia, Ávila, Burgos and León, whose old towns and cathedrals are UNESCO World Heritage sites.

by Felix Gillen

The region consists of nine provinces and is sparsely populated: On the Meseta, a high plateau at 700 to 1,000 meters, grain fields, vineyards along the Duero, and small villages alternate. To the north, the Cantabrian Mountains, and to the south, the Sierra de Gredos and Guadarrama border the plain. Its capital is Valladolid. The Camino de Santiago crosses the region from Burgos, via León, to Bierzo. Most cities are reachable from Madrid by high-speed train in one to two hours.

Place 1 of 4

Ávila

Ávila, at over 1,100 metres above sea level, is one of Spain's highest provincial capitals. The old town is completely enclosed by a Romanesque wall with 87 towers.

Discover

Place 2 of 4

Burgos

Burgos was the capital of Castile in the Middle Ages and is today a major stop on the Camino de Santiago. Its Gothic Cathedral is a UNESCO World Heritage site, along with the monasteries of Las Huelgas and Miraflores, and the Museum of Human Evolution.

Discover

Place 3 of 4

Salamanca

Salamanca is one of Europe's oldest university cities. The Old Town of golden-yellow sandstone, with the baroque Plaza Mayor, two cathedrals, and the university founded in 1218, is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Discover

Place 4 of 4

Segovia

Segovia lies some 90 kilometers northwest of Madrid on a rocky ridge above two rivers. Its Roman Aqueduct, Late Gothic Cathedral, and the Alcázar perched on its rocky peak define the Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Discover

Sights in Castile and León

Discover the most important sights and attractions

Museo Nacional de Escultura

The National Museum of Sculpture in Valladolid exhibits polychrome wooden figures from the 15th to 18th centuries by Alonso Berruguete, Juan de Juni, and Gregorio Fernández. It is housed in the late Gothic Colegio de San Gregorio, with its richly decorated facade.

Open in Google Maps

Santa María de la Antigua

The church in Valladolid is known for its 13th-century Romanesque bell tower with several rows of arcade windows. The nave was later renewed in the Gothic style.

Open in Google Maps

Church of Saint Benedict

The church of the former Benedictine monastery in Valladolid stands on the site of the old Alcázar. Behind its massive porch lies a three-aisled Late Gothic interior.

Open in Google Maps

Las Médulas

The Romans washed away entire mountains here in Bierzo to extract gold. What remained was a landscape of reddish rock spires and chestnut forests, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site. You get the best view from the Mirador de Orellán.

Open in Google Maps

Church

Cathedral of León

Begun in the 13th century, the Cathedral of Santa María de Regla is a masterpiece of French-Gothic architecture, situated on the Camino de Santiago. Its walls are almost entirely dissolved into colored stained-glass windows, forming one of the world's largest collections of medieval stained glass. In 1844, it became Spain's first declared monument.

Open in Google Maps

Castle

The castle on the edge of Coca in the province of Segovia dates back to the 15th century and is considered one of the finest examples of Gothic-Mudéjar architecture in Spain. Unlike most fortresses, it stands not on a hill, but on a ridge above the Voltoya River, surrounded by a wide, deep moat. It belongs to the House of Alba and is protected as a National Monument.

Open in Google Maps

Essen & Trinken

La Parrilla De San Lorenzo

Restaurant in the Old Town of Valladolid with Castilian cuisine and wood-oven dishes.

Show on Google Maps

Restaurante Niza

Restaurant in the center of Valladolid with Castilian cuisine.

Show on Google Maps

Eh Voilà! Crêpstaurante Casual

Crêperie in the center of Valladolid with savory Galettes and sweet Crêpes.

Show on Google Maps

Restaurante Jero

Restaurant in the Old Town of Valladolid with tapas and Castilian cuisine.

Show on Google Maps

Restaurante Trigo

Gourmet restaurant in Valladolid with creative cuisine made from regional products.

Show on Google Maps

Restaurante José María (Segovia)

Traditional restaurant in Segovia's Old Town, known for Cochinillo asado and Castilian cuisine.

Show on Google Maps

Food & Drink

Lechazo asado

Wood-oven roasted suckling lamb, a specialty of the provinces Valladolid, Burgos, and Segovia.

Cochinillo asado

Suckling pig with crispy skin, particularly associated with Segovia.

Morcilla de Burgos

Fried blood sausage and rice tapa.

Ribera del Duero and Rueda

Red wines from Ribera del Duero and white wines from Rueda are among Spain's most famous wines.

Culture

Cradle of CastileIn the Middle Ages, the Crown of Castile emerged from the counties of Castile and the Kingdom of León, becoming the leading power of the Reconquista. Romanesque churches along the Camino de Santiago, the Gothic cathedrals of Burgos and León, and the University of Salamanca, one of Europe's oldest, bear witness to this. Isabella the Catholic was proclaimed queen in Segovia in 1474, and Valladolid was for a time a royal residence.Holy Week is celebrated in Valladolid, Zamora, and León with processions during which carved figures from the 16th and 17th centuries are carried through the streets.

Exploring on-site

High-speed trains connect Madrid with Segovia, Valladolid, León, Burgos, Zamora and Salamanca. Regional trains and buses operate between the cities. To visit villages, castles, and wineries along the Duero, a rental car offers the most flexibility; roads are well-maintained and lightly trafficked.

Round trips through this region

Castilla y León & Madrid

The route leads through the historical heart of Spain, where it's noticeably less crowded than on the coasts. From Madrid, the journey takes you via Segovia and Ávila to Salamanca and Burgos; from there, it's about two and a half hours back to Madrid. The legs are short and driven on well-maintained motorways.

9 Days

5 stops

Spain Motorhome North–South (2–3 Weeks)

The motorhome route leads from Bilbao on the Bay of Biscay to Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, then through Castile to Salamanca and via Extremadura to Córdoba and Seville. Several stages are 400 to 600 kilometers long; plan full driving days or stopovers for these.

14 Days

5 stops

Nearby

Segovia

Salamanca

Ávila

Ávila, at over 1,100 metres above sea level, is one of Spain's highest provincial capitals. The old town is completely enclosed by a Romanesque wall with 87 towers. As the birthplace of Saint Teresa, Ávila is also a pilgrimage destination, and its old town is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Burgos

San Lorenzo de El Escorial

San Lorenzo de El Escorial lies about 50 kilometres northwest of Madrid at the foot of the Sierra de Guadarrama. The town is defined by the monastery of El Escorial, which Philip II had built in the 16th century as a palace, monastery and royal burial place, and which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.