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León

León is a wonderful city, combining stunning historical architecture with an irresistible energy. Its standout attraction is the cathedral, one of the most beautiful in Spain, but there's so much more to see and do here. By day you'll encounter a city with its roots firmly planted in the soil of northern Castilla, with its grand monuments, loyal Catholic heritage and a role as an important staging post along the Camino de Santiago. By night León is taken over by a deep-into-the-night soundtrack of revelry that floods the narrow streets and plazas of the picturesque old quarter, the Barrio Húmedo. It's a fabulous mix.

Top attractions

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

  • 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 night or bathed in glorious northern sunshine, the cathedral, arguably Spain's premier Gothic masterpiece, exudes a glorious, almost luminous quality. The show-stopping facade has a radiant rose window, three richly sculpted doorways and two muscular towers. The main entrance is lorded over by a scene of the Last Judgement, while an extraordinary gallery of vidrieras (stained-glass windows) awaits you inside.

  • 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 the finest Romanesque frescos in Spain. Colourful motifs of biblical scenes drench the vaults and arches of this extraordinary hall, held aloft by marble columns with intricately carved capitals. The museum, where you can admire the shrine of San Isidoro and a mummified finger(!) of the saint, was undergoing a major expansion we visited.

  • Historic Building

    Museo Gaudí

    Antoni Gaudí's contribution to León's skyline is the castle-like, neo-Gothic Casa Botines (1893), though the zany architect of Barcelona fame seems to have been subdued by more sober León. The interior includes displays on the great man, some interactive exhibits, a recreated 19th-century apartment and, on the top floor, some wonderful artworks, including a room devoted to watercolour interpretations of Dante's Inferno by Salvador Dalí (Room 7) and another with drawings by Goya (Room 2) from his Los Caprichos series.

  • 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 pixelisation of a fragment of one of the stained-glass windows in León's cathedral. Within the museum is one of Spain's most dynamic artistic spaces. The airy galleries mostly display temporary exhibitions of cutting-edge Spanish and international photography, video installations and other similar forms; it also has a growing permanent collection. Concerts are held here regularly.

  • Museum

    Claustro & Museo Catedralicio-Diocesano

    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 cathedral experience. 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.

  • Church

    Real Basílica de San Isidoro

    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 and Doña Sancha founded the church in 1063 to house the remains of the saint, as well as the remains of themselves and 21 other early Leónese and Castilian monarchs. Sadly, Napoleon's troops sacked San Isidoro in the early 19th century, but there's still plenty to catch the eye.

  • Convent

    Convento de San Marcos

    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 magnificent cloister can be viewed by nonguests. The plateresque exterior is also superb, sectioned off by slender columns and decorated with delicate medallions and friezes that date from 1513. It's particularly lovely when floodlit at night. It was undergoing renovation at the time of research.

  • Palace

    Palacio de los Guzmanes

    León's recurring Renaissance theme finds expression in the splendid Palacio de los Guzmanes (1560), where the facade and patio stand out. The latter is accessible only by a free guided tour that leaves regularly from 11.30am to 4.30pm.

  • Historic Building

    Farmacia Alonso Nuñez

    Don't miss the fabulous Farmacia Alonso Nuñez at number 3. It dates from 1827 and, aside from the displays of anti-wrinkle creams and condoms, the sumptuous interior and ornate ceiling haven't changed a bit.