Castilla y León
Still home to a few Franciscan nuns living in near-total isolation, this Mudéjar-style convent dates from 1340, when it was begun as a palace for Alfonso…
Castilla y León
Still home to a few Franciscan nuns living in near-total isolation, this Mudéjar-style convent dates from 1340, when it was begun as a palace for Alfonso…
Salamanca
For fine views over Salamanca, head to the tower at the southwestern corner of the Catedral Nueva's facade. From here, stairs lead up through the tower,…
Castilla y León
This lonely 7th-century church, about 24km northwest of Zamora, is a rare and outstanding example of Visigoth church architecture, with blended Celtic,…
Iglesia de Santa María de Mediavilla
Castilla y León
This grandiose Isabelline Gothic work has three star-vaulted naves and the rightfully famous Capilla de los Benavente chapel. Anchored by an extravagant…
Castilla y León
This Unesco World Heritage–listed archaeological site has 645 prehistoric rock carvings of animals and ancient symbols – it's one of the richest such…
Colegiata Santa María La Mayor
Castilla y León
This 12th-century church rises above the town and boasts the magnificent Romanesque-Gothic Pórtico de la Majestad. Treasures inside include the famous…
Castilla y León
Built by the Knights Templar in the 13th century, the walls of the fortress-monastery Castillo Templario rise high over Río Sil, and the square,…
Valladolid
This open square is dominated by the exquisite Iglesia de San Pablo, which has one of northern Spain's most extraordinary church facades. Excepting some…
Museo del Tratado de Tordesillas
Castilla y León
Dedicated to the 1494 Treaty of Tordesillas, which divided the New World into Spanish and Portuguese spheres of influence, the informative displays in…
Castilla y León
Watching over the entrance to the town and visible on the approach, Medinaceli's 1st-century-CE Arco Romano (Roman triumphal arch) is one of the best…
Abadía de Santo Domingo de Silos
Castilla y León
The cloister and museum of this revered monastery is a two-storey treasure chest of some of Spain's most imaginative Romanesque art. The overall effect is…
Castilla y León
This palace was originally built for the Bourbon King Felipe V, who chose this site in the foothills of the Sierra de Guadarrama to recreate his own…
Museo de la Industria Chacinera
Castilla y León
Despite the rather functional name, this interactive museum is dedicated to jamón and nothing but. In the first room, videos demonstrate the production of…
Ávila
Built in 1636 around the room where Santa Teresa was born in 1515, this is the epicentre of the cult surrounding the saint. There are three attractions in…
Castilla y León
The cathedral’s striking plateresque southern facade is created from caramel-coloured sandstone with elaborate sculptural detail. Work began in 1471 and…
Claustro & Museo Catedralicio-Diocesano
León
The peaceful, light-filled claustro (cloisters), with its 15th-century frescos, is a perfect complement to the main sanctuary and an essential part of the…
Salamanca
Visits to this colossal baroque church and the attached Catholic university are via obligatory guided tours (in Spanish), which run every 45 minutes. You…
Castilla y León
Soria’s most beautiful church is the Romanesque Iglesia de Santo Domingo. Its small but exquisitely sculpted portal is something special, particularly at…
Segovia
Watched over by the catedral, shady Plaza Mayor is the nerve centre of old Segovia, lined by an eclectic assortment of buildings, arcades and cafes and…
Burgos
A 30-minute walk west of the city centre on the southern river bank, this monastery was once among the most prominent in Spain. Founded in 1187 by Eleanor…
Castilla y León
Chamber pots, commodes, bed pans…Ciudad Rodrigo’s Museo del Orinal may be located opposite the cathedral, but its theme is definitely more down to earth…
León
Even older than León's cathedral, the Real Basílica de San Isidoro provides a stunning Romanesque counterpoint to the former's Gothic strains. Fernando I…
Castilla y León
The mainly Roman ruins of Numancia, just outside the village of Garray (8km north of Soria), are all that remains of a city that proved one of the most…
Ávila
This graceful church is a masterpiece of Romanesque simplicity: a series of largely Gothic modifications in sober granite contrasted with the warm…
Valladolid
Valladolid's 16th-century cathedral is not Castilla's finest, but it does have an extravagant altarpiece by Juan de Juní and a processional monstrance by…
Castilla y León
Zamora's largely Romanesque cathedral features a square tower, an unusual, Byzantine-style dome surrounded by turrets, and the ornate Puerta del Obispo…
Castilla y León
This largely 17th-century palace overlooks the Plaza Mayor, and hosts regular high-quality exhibitions of contemporary art in rooms arrayed around the…
Ávila
North of the city walls, this unadorned Renaissance monastery is where Santa Teresa fully took on the monastic life and lived for 27 years. One of the…
Segovia
This is one of the most captivating small plazas in Segovia. The square is presided over by a statue of Juan Bravo; the 14th-century Torreón de Lozoya, a…
León
You'll have to check into the Hostal de San Marcos parador to appreciate most of this palatial former monastery, although the historic chapter house and…
Castilla y León
The 13th-century Romanesque Iglesia de San Miguel sports an unusual, octagonal cupola–bell tower that reveals Mudéjar influences and a lovely circular…
Castilla y León
Turégano, about 30km north of Segovia, is dominated by a unique 15th-century castle-church complex built by the then archbishop of Segovia, Juan Arias…
Segovia
This 12-sided church is one of the best preserved of its kind in Europe. Built in the early 13th century by the Knights Templar and based on Jerusalem's…
Salamanca
One of the city's most endearing buildings, Casa de las Conchas is named after the 300 scallop shells clinging to its facade. The house's original owner,…
Castilla y León
Towering above the village is the one-time Muslim fortress that gave Calatañazor its name (which comes from the Arabic Qala'at an-Nassur, literally 'The…
Castilla y León
Archaeology buffs with a passable knowledge of Spanish should enjoy this well-organised museum dedicated to finds from ancient sites across the province…
Iglesia de San Pedro & San Isidro
Castilla y León
The fusion of 12th-century Romanesque-Mudéjar elements with later Gothic modifications makes this church worth seeking out. Don't miss the porticoes in…
Valladolid
Cervantes was briefly imprisoned in Valladolid; his house is happily preserved behind a quiet little garden. The museum is a mix of period furnishings…
Burgos
Located in peaceful woodlands 4km east of the city centre, this monastery contains a trio of 15th-century masterworks by Gil de Siloé, the man responsible…
Segovia
This engaging little private museum takes you through the wonderful world of Spanish foods, with a focus on those from the Segovia region. There are…