Let's start by asking some questions, Are you interested in visiting historical landmarks and at the same time be able to enjoy a great glass of wine and Free tapas for EUR 3?... Yes, your eyes are not playing tricks on you. If you are not the typical beach goer getting hammered and red, then Leon is the place any UK tourist must visit.
Leon is a small city and walking is very easy as the city is totally flat and when we say a place is far away it means a 20 min walk.
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Here are some places to visit while in the city which will keep you busy during your stay in Leon.
After leaving the car in one of the car parks located around the pedestrian old town such as the Cathedral, one of the best things to do in León is to go to one of the sections of walls that are still standing and that surrounded the old city.
Its origin dates back to the first century BC. When the Romans controlled the city, although most of the sections that can be seen today belong to a reconstruction carried out at the end of the third century, which makes it one of the oldest walls in Spain.
Our favorite section, where you can see numerous semi-cylindrical towers known as "cubes", is the one that goes from the Avenida de los Cubos to the Arco de la Cárcel, the only access gate to the walled city that is preserved.
Another interesting section in which you can see remains of the Roman wall from the first century is the one that starts from the Torre del Gallo, surrounding the Collegiate Church of San Isidoro, until it reaches the Avenida de Ramón y Cajal.Other less photogenic sections can be seen in Calle de las Cercas and Avenida de la Independencia.
The next stop is at the Cathedral of Santa María de Regla, known as the Pulchra Leonina (Beautiful Lioness) and another of the essentials to see in León.
This Gothic-style cathedral, with French influences, and located among the most beautiful in Spain, was built in the thirteenth century and marked a milestone in the architecture of that time by reducing its exterior walls to a minimum to replace them with magnificent stained glass windows that give it a magical atmosphere when the first rays of sunlight pass through them.
Before entering the Cathedral we recommend you pay special attention to the impressive triple portico of the façade decorated to the last detail, and then marvel at its interior that has several jewels such as the beautiful hand-carved choir, the different chapels such as the one of the White Madonna, the great organ and the cloister as well as its famous stained glass windows.
Going down Paloma Street or Mariano Dominguez Berrueta Street you will arrive in a few minutes at the Barrio Húmedo, possibly the most popular and lively to visit in León in one day.
Although the neighborhood is home to two of the most famous squares in León, the Plaza Mayor and the Plaza del Grano, which we will talk about in the following points, the most popular and where its most emblematic tapas places are concentrated is the Plaza de San Martín .You can start the tapas route in this square by trying the black pudding tapa from La Bicha or Jabugo, continue with the delicious croquettes from Rebote and potatoes with minced meat or garlic soup from Rincón del Gaucho, to finish with fries with paprika from Flechazo or sausages from Jamón Jamón, the latter two located on Calle Platerías and among the best restaurants to eat in León.
Of course, don't forget that the vast majority of these places give away a FREE tapa, which is usually delicious, when you order a drink, whether it's a small beer called "corto", a glass of local wine (Prieto Picudo), a soft drink or a bottle of water.
The Plaza Mayor, located in the heart of the Barrio Húmedo and with a medieval appearance, is another of the most beautiful places to see in León. In the past, this square was home to an important market of farm products and animals, until it suffered a devastating fire in 1654 that reduced it to ashes. The current square was built in 1677 and stands out for its two-storey houses with arched arcades, which shade the many terraces of bars and restaurants that surround it, in addition to its excellent state of preservation. Among the most important buildings in the square is the Consistory that presides every Wednesday and Saturday from 9 am to 3 pm, a market with all kinds of quality products such as fruit, cheese, cured meats such as Chorizo and Pork Loin or vegetables.
Back in the center passing through the Conde Luna and San Marcelo squares that house the Old Town Hall, you will arrive in a few minutes at the Casa Botines which brother to the Episcopal Palace in Astorga and the Capricho in Comillas, the only three works that the master Antoni Gaudí made outside Catalonia and another of the essentials to see in León in one day. This neo-Gothic building with modernist influences, also known as the Casa Fernández y Andrés, was built in just 10 months for the headquarters of a textile company commissioned by its patron Eusebi Güell, which gave rise to many locals doubting its strength and durability.
The Palacio de los Guzmanes, located next to Casa Botines and a few meters from the Old Town Hall, is another of the most important buildings to visit in León. This Renaissance palace with Plateresque touches was built in the sixteenth century by a powerful Leonese family, although it was not finished until the twentieth century, when it was acquired by the Provincial Council of León who turned it into their headquarters. In addition to its imposing façade in which the sixteenth-century door flanked by Ionic columns and the presidential balcony stand out, it is worth entering to see its interior courtyard surrounded by arcades and beautiful stained glass windows.
Although the Barrio Húmedo is the most traditional area for tapas, in recent times streets such as Cervantes in the Romantic Quarter have become fashionable, which also offer free tapas of high quality such as the chorizo minced meat from Trebede, the potatoes with cheese sauce from the Entrecalles, the sausages from the Ezequiel and the elaborate tapas from the Clandestino. To put the icing on the cake of a tapas route through this area, located north of Calle Ancha, we recommend you go up to the terrace of the Camarote Hotel to have a drink with fantastic views of the Cathedral of León.
The Royal Collegiate Church Basilica of San Isidoro is one of the most important Romanesque-style architectural ensembles in Spain and another of the most beautiful places to see in León.
Built during the eleventh and twelfth centuries on the remains of a Roman temple to house the remains of San Isidoro, bishop of Seville, this temple stands out for the magnificent Portals of the Lamb and Forgiveness, although its great treasure is the Royal Pantheon, a crypt that contains the sarcophagi and bones of several Kings of León. as well as some fantastic frescoes from the twelfth century that have given it the nickname of the Romanesque Sistine Chapel.
In order to enter the Pantheon you will have to book this interesting guided tour or buy at the ticket office that will allow you to learn about the history and see the Romanesque frescoes, as well as other historical objects such as an ivory chest from 1059, a weathervane in the shape of a rooster from the sixth century and above all, the Chalice of Doña Urraca from the first century AD. It has many numbers to be the true Holy Grail.
Other areas that you cannot miss are the beautiful cloister, the Renaissance library that has a Mozarabic Bible from the year 960 and the church that preserves some beautiful capitals.
The Convent of San Marcos, converted into a magnificent national parador with a 5-star category hotel, is one of the most important historical buildings to visit in León and one of the most important monuments of the Spanish Renaissance.
This building, which was built as a hospital for the refuge of pilgrims who made the Camino de Santiago and for the poorest people, stands out for its impressive 100-meter-long façade made in Plateresque style in which you can see several medallions of historical figures such as Alexander the Great, El Cid or Charles I. as well as a magnificent cover.
You can visit the church that has a beautiful choir with wooden stalls and part of the Museum of León, which houses important pieces such as the Ivory Christ of the Monastery of Carrizo and the sculptures of Juan de Juni.
As a curiosity, in the square of the convent there is a beautiful bronze statue that represents a pilgrim who has taken off his sandals, resting from the hard Camino de Santiago while looking at the façade of the convent.
To finish this list of essential places to see in León, we suggest you visit the Musac, the Museum of Contemporary Art of Castilla y León, located a few meters from the Convent of San Marcos. This building surprises with its colorful façade composed of more than 3,351 crystals creating a mosaic of 37 colors inspired by an image of the stained glass window "El Halconero" of the Cathedral of León. After delighting in the details of the façade, you can enter its interior to enjoy more than 1,650 art works made between the 20th and 21st centuries.
Looking to rent a holiday flat directly from the owner? Get in touch with us and we will help you out. Not only we have direct access to holiday rentals in Leon but also guided tours.
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