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Castilla y León

If you're looking for a window on the Spanish soul, head to Castilla y León. This is Spain without the stereotypes: with vast plains, spectacular mountain peaks and evocative medieval towns and villages. Experience fabled cities like Salamanca, with its lively student population, and Segovia, famed for a fairy-tale fortress that inspired Disneyland's Sleeping Beauty castle. The multiturreted walls of Ávila have similar magical appeal, while the lofty cathedrals of León and Burgos are among Europe's most impressive. As with most of Spain, food here is an agreeable obsession, promising the country's best jamón (cured ham), roast lamb and suckling pig.

The region's story is equally told through its quiet back roads, half-timbered hamlets and isolated castles. From the scenic Sierra de Francia in the southwest to Covarrubias, Calatañazor and Medinaceli in the east, this is the hidden Spain most travellers don't know still exists.

Explore Castilla y León

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Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Castilla y León.

  • Cathedral

    Catedral

    This Unesco World Heritage–listed cathedral, once a former modest Romanesque church, is a masterpiece. Work began on a grander scale in 1221; remarkably,…

  • Cathedral

    Catedral

    León's 13th-century cathedral, with its soaring towers, flying buttresses and breathtaking interior, is the city's spiritual heart. Whether spotlit by…

  • Landmark

    Acueducto

    Segovia's most recognisable symbol is El Acueducto (Roman Aqueduct), an 894m-long engineering wonder that looks like an enormous comb plunged into Segovia…

  • Historic Site

    Las Médulas Gold Mines

    The ancient Roman goldmines at Las Médulas, about 20km southwest of Ponferrada, once served as the main source of gold for the entire Roman Empire – the…

  • Cathedral

    Catedral

    The sober exterior of this vast house of worship (one of the largest in Castilla) belies the extraordinary riches within – it's widely known as 'La Bella…

  • Cathedral

    Catedral del Salvador

    Ávila's 12th-century cathedral is both a house of worship and an ingenious fortress: its stout granite apse forms the central bulwark in the historic city…

  • Castle

    Castillo de Peñafiel

    Perched dramatically over Peñafiel, this castle houses the state-of-the-art Museo Provincial del Vino. A comprehensive story of the region's wines, this…

  • Castle

    Alcázar

    Rapunzel towers, turrets topped with slate witches' hats and a deep moat at its base make the Alcázar a prototypical fairy-tale castle – so much so that…

  • Cathedral

    Catedral

    Started in 1525 on the site of a former chapel, Segovia's cathedral is a powerful expression of Gothic architecture that took almost 200 years to complete…

  • Cathedral

    Catedral Nueva

    The tower of this late-Gothic cathedral lords over the city centre, its compelling Churrigueresque (an ornate style of baroque architecture) dome visible…

  • Ruin

    Villa Romana La Olmeda

    Villa Romana La Olmeda contains some of the most beautiful remnants of a Roman villa anywhere on the Iberian Peninsula. The villa was built around the 1st…

  • Walls

    Murallas

    Ávila's splendid 12th-century walls stretch for 2.5km atop the remains of earlier Roman and Muslim battlements and rank among the world's best-preserved…

  • Cathedral

    Catedral Vieja

    The Catedral Nueva's largely Romanesque predecessor, the Catedral Vieja is adorned with an exquisite 15th-century altarpiece, one of the finest outside…

  • Historic Building

    Real Colegiata de San Isidoro

    Attached to the Real Basílica de San Isidoro, the stunning Panteón Real houses royal sarcophagi, which rest with quiet dignity beneath a canopy of some of…

  • Historic Building

    Ermita de San Saturio

    A lovely 2.3km riverside walk south from the Monasterio de San Juan de Duero will take you past the 13th-century church of the former Knights Templar, the…

  • Museum

    Museo de la Evolución Humana

    This exceptional museum just across the river from the old quarter is a marvellously told story of human evolution. The basement exhibitions on Atapuerca …

  • Cathedral

    Catedral de Santa María

    This elegant, weathered sandstone cathedral, begun in 1165, towers over the historic centre. Of particular interest are the Puerta de las Cadenas, with…

  • Gallery

    Museo de Arte Contemporáneo

    León's showpiece Museo de Arte Contemporáneo has been acclaimed for the 37 shades of coloured glass that adorn the facade; they were gleaned from the…

  • Museum

    Museo Nacional de Escultura

    Spain's premier showcase of polychrome wood sculpture is housed in the former Colegio de San Gregorio (1496), a flamboyant Isabelline Gothic–style…

  • Square

    Plaza Mayor

    Built between 1729 and 1755, Salamanca's exceptional grand square is widely considered to be Spain's most beautiful central plaza. It's particularly…

Top experiences

Whether it’s a guided tour of a historic landmark, private tasting of local delicacies, or an off-road adventure — explore the best experiences in Castilla y León.

  • Activities