Things to do in León
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Catedral
León’s 13th-century cathedral, with its soaring towers, flying buttresses and truly breathtaking interior, is the city’s spiritual heart. Whether spotlit by night or bathed in the glorious northern sunshine, the cathedral, arguably Spain’s premier Gothic masterpiece, exudes a glorious, almost luminous quality.
The extraordinary facade has a radiant rose window, three richly sculpted doorways and two muscular towers. After going through the main entrance, lorded over by the scene of the Last Supper, an extraordinary gallery of vidrieras (stained-glass windows) awaits. French in inspiration and mostly executed from the 13th to the 16th centuries, the windows evoke an…
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Convento de San Marcos & Museo de León
More than 100m long and blessed with a glorious façade, the Convento de San Marcos has more the appearance of a palace than the pilgrim's hospital it was from 1173. The Plateresque exterior, sectioned off by slender columns and decorated with delicate medallions and friezes, dates to 1513, by which time the edifice had become a monastery of the Knights of Santiago.
Much of the former convent is now the supremely elegant parador, Hostal de San Marcos. Although you need to stay here to appreciate its full splendour, the former chapterhouse, with its splendid artesonado, and the exquisite cloister are both open to the public. The cloister is technically part of the Museo de…
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Museo de Arte Contemporáneo
León’s showpiece Museo de Arte Contemporáneo belongs to the new wave of innovative Spanish architecture. A pleasing square-and-rhombus edifice of colourful glass and steel, the museum won the Spanish architecture prize a few years back. It has been acclaimed for the 37 shades of coloured glass that adorn the facade; they were gleaned from the pixelisation of a fragment of one of the stained-glass windows in León’s cathedral.
Although the museum has a growing permanent collection, it mostly houses temporary displays of cutting-edge Spanish and international photography, video installations and other similar forms.
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Panteón Real
Attached to the Real Basílica de San Isidoro, Panteón Real houses the remaining sarcophagi, which rest with quiet dignity beneath a canopy of some of the finest Romanesque frescoes in Spain. Motif after colourful motif drenches the vaults and arches of this extraordinary hall, held aloft by marble columns with intricately carved capitals. Biblical scenes dominate and include the Annunciation, King Herod’s slaughter of the innocents, the Last Supper and a striking representation of Christ Pantocrator. The agricultural calendar on one of the arches is equally superb.
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La Parrilla del Humedo
This place is always packed with euro-economising leonéses, here for the remarkably good house wine and accompanying free and good-size tapas; both for the bargain-basement price of €1.50. These tasty bites include fried potatoes with alioli (garlic mayonnaise) and sauteed mushrooms. Head for the dining room out back for heartier portions, including the city's fabled el morcilla de León (León-style blood sausage) or, for lightweights, a plate of tasty pimientos de padrón (small roasted peppers).
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Alfonso Valderas
The city’s most famous restaurant for bacalao (salt cod) prepared around 20 different ways, including al pil-pil (with a spicy chilli sauce), with the local queso valdeóon cheese and with a salsa de oricios (sea urchin sauce). There are also meat, fish and rice mains. The dining room is grandly elegant, with a magnificent grandfather clock and a baffling display cabinet of antique shoes. Reservations recommended.
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El Llar
This old León taberna is a great place to tapear (eat tapas) with its innovative selection of raciones that includes baked potatoes filled with wild mushrooms and prawns au gratin. The upstairs restaurant has a fine classic look and the menu includes vegetarian options like fresh leeks prepared in puff pastry and a seven salad choice. There is an excellent wine list to complement your meal.
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Restaurante Luisón
This place could only exist in Spain - basic surrounds, offhand waiters and terrific, hearty food that keeps the locals fortified during cold winters. You'll need to book ahead, especially at lunchtime, when leonéses can't get enough of the local botillo berciano, a succulent pork dish, or cocido leónes (León-style chickpea stew).
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Cripta de Puerta Obispo
Beneath the footpath below the southern wall of the cathedral is the Cripta de Puerta Obispo, the foundations from the northern gate of the Roman camp where León was founded. It's an ongoing archeological site, so opening times vary. Immediately east of the crypt are the foundations of the Puerta Obispo, one of the main city gates in Roman times.
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El Tizón
The tapas are good here, but the small sit-down restaurant, with its abundant range of raciones, is even better. House specialities include the local embutidos. More adventurous souls can order caracoles (snails) or ancas de rana (frog legs). There's an extensive wine list. Reservations recommended.
reviewed
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Plaza Mayor
At the northeastern end of the old town is the beautiful and time-worn 17th-century Plaza Mayor. Sealed off on three sides by porticoes, this sleepy plaza is home to a bustling fruit and vegetable market on Wednesday and Saturday. On the west side of the square is the superb late-17th-century baroque old town hall.
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Estrella de Galicia
This sprawling modern restaurant is located in the middle of this popular shopping street and attracts a mix of the lunchbreak business bunch and shoppers. All that's good about northwestern Spanish cuisine can be found here, with Galician seafood, Cantabrian fish and cured meats from the northern interior. The pulpo (octopus) is a great order but Estrella also does salads, mini-rolls and a host of raciones.
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Restaurante Zuloaga
Located in the vaults of an early-20th-century palace, this sophisticated place has a well-stocked cellar and classy adventurous menu. Starters include Andalusian-style partridge salad followed by mains like duck confit with dried fruits. Reservations recommended.
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Museo de León
Spread over four floors, the exhibits begin with stunning stone artefacts in the basement, and thereafter journey through the Middle Ages up to the 19th century. It’s wonderfully presented and the informative descriptions are in Spanish and English.
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Museo Catedralicio-Diocesano
The Museo Catedralicio-Diocesano, off the cloisters, has an impressive collection encompassing works by Juní and Gaspar Becerra alongside a precious assemblage of early-Romanesque carved statues of the Virgin Mary.
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Compostela Trail - Leon to Santiago
15 days (Leon)
An exhilarating hike through northern Spain to the tomb of St James in Santiago de Compostela.
Not LP reviewed
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Capitán Haddock
A great place for a drink, day or night, is Capitán Haddock, with red velvet curtains, candlelight, mirrors, a collection of antiquated wirelesses and an ambience somewhere between boudoir and retro.
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Highlights of the Camino by Bike
8 days (Leon)
Cycle through history along the Camino de Santiago.
Not LP reviewed
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Plaza de Santa María del Camino
The Plaza de Santa María del Camino (also known as Plaza del Grano) feels like a cobblestone Castilian village square and is overlooked by the Romanesque Iglesia de Santa María del Mercado.
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Casa de Botines
Antoni Gaudí's contribution to León's skyline is the castle-like neo-Gothic Casa de Botines (1893); the zany architect of Barcelona fame seems to have been subdued by more sober León.
reviewed
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GPS
GPS has funky lighting, Wi-fi for those inclined to lug their laptops to the bar, live comedy acts on Thursdays at 22:30 and a dress code that's more formidable on paper than it is in practice.
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Claustro
The peaceful, light-filled claustro, with its 15th-century frescoes, is a perfect complement to the main sanctuary and an essential part of the cathedral experience.
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Plaza de Santo Domingo
On the fringes of León's old town (also known as the Barrio Gótico), Plaza de Santo Domingo is home to the Ayuntamiento which occupies a charming Renaissance-era palace.
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Queseria La Vianda
This small shop overflows with productos artesanales (homemade products), from chestnuts in cinnamon to trout cake to nicanores (a local sweet pastry).
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People Music Bar
If slick and stylish and moody lighting is your thing, head up to People Music Bar where things get started after midnight and don't stop until many hours later.
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