Located at the center of the Iberian peninsula
this geographical area concentrates one of
Spain's most important historical and artistic
heritages. It is formed by nine provinces:
Ávila, Burgos, León, Palencia,
Salamanca, Segovia, Soria, Valladolid and
Zamora.
ÁVILA
Murallas
de Ávila 
Tourism office:
Plaza de la Catedral, 4. Ávila.
Tel. 920 21 13 87
Celebrations: 'Santa Teresa', from
October 12th to 18th.
Highlights: Birth place of Santa Teresa
de Jesús.
Monuments: city walls, cathedral, 'Dávila'
palace, 'Básilica de San Vicente',
'Real Monasterio de Santo Tomás', 'Los
Cuatro Postes', 'Convento de la Encarnación',
'Convento de San José o de las Madres'
and 'Convento de la Santa'.
Food: Abulense (from Ávila) food
is simple but tasty. Their pork roasts are
sublime. Also good are trouts and beef. Some
pastry deserves special attention: 'Yemas
de Santa Teresa', 'Huesillos fritos' and the
'Glorias de Ávila'. Wine from Cebreros
is known for its taste and strong push.
BURGOS
Cathedral
in Burgos
Tourism office:
Plaza de Alonso Martínez, 7. Burgos.
Tel. 947 20 31 25
Celebrations: 'San Lesmes Abad', January
30th. 'San Pedro', June 29th.
Highlights: Monastery of 'Santo Domingo
de Silos' (58 Km. from Burgos city) an achitecture
hidden marvel, 'Hoces del Sobrón',
'Miranda de Ebro' (80 Km. from Burgos).
Monuments: cathedral, 'Real Monasterio
de las Huelgas', 'La Cartuja de Miraflores',
church of 'Santa Dorotea', 'Arco de Fernán
González', 'Solar del Cid'.
Food: Burgos has a very good and complete
gastronomy. One should try the roast suckling
lamb, the 'olla podrida', 'lentejas a la burgalesa'
or the 'trucha a la castellana'. 'Chorizo'
and 'morcilla' (blood pudding) are typical
for this area, fresh cheese or 'Queso de Burgos'
and goat cheese. In patisserie: 'almendras
de Briviesca', 'yemas de Burgos' or 'empiñonados
de Aranda del Duero'. Ribera del Duero region
produces excellent red and rosè wines,
some of the best in Spain.
LEÓN
Cathedral
in León
Tourism office:
Plaza Regla, 4. León (opposite to the
cathedral).
Tel. 987 23 70 82
Celebrations: 'Fiestas de San Juan'
and 'San Pedro', June 21st to 30th. 'Virgen
del Camino', September 16th. On October 5th
'Romerías a la Virgen del Camino'.
Easter celebrations.
Highlights: Areas of 'El Bierzo', 'Médulas',
the 'Maragatería' in Astorga (50 Km.
from León city ) and 'tierra de Campos'.
Monuments: the cathedral and its museum
(possibly the most impressive cathedral in
Spain), 'Real Colegiata de San Isidoro', 'Convento
de San Marcos', 'Casa de Botines (by Gaudí)',
Palace of the 'Condes de Luna', convent of
'San Francisco'.
Food: 'Botillo del Bierzo' or 'cecina
de León' rank among the most typical
and tasteful dishes. Cured pork products such
as chorizo, jamón (cured ham), jabalí
(wild pork) and also some small-game dishes
complete a rich meat choice. Trout from rivers
in Ponferrada and Bierzo have also a reputation
in the area. In bakery, the 'yemas de León',
'mantecadas' or the 'cocido maragato de Astorga',
'frutas en almíbar del Bierzo', 'imperiales
de La Bañeza' and 'nicarones de Boñar'
are the favorites of sweet toothed people.
PALENCIA
Cathedral
in Palencia
Tourism office:
Mayor, 105. Palencia
Tel. 988 74 00 82
Celebrations: 'San Antolín',
September 2nd. 'Virgen de la Calle' on February
2nd.
Highlights: once host to Spain's oldest
university founded in 1208 by Alfonso VIII.
Romanic art in Fromista.
Monuments: the cathedral, church of 'San
Miguel', the 'Plaza Mayor' (main square),
'Santa Clara' monastery, 'San Pablo' convent,
episcopal palace, 'Cristo de Otero', church
of 'San Francisco', church of 'San Lazaro'.
Food: the most traditional dish is the
'menestra', prepared with a high quality mountain-beef
and the superb vegetables that grow in this
place.
SALAMANCA
Facade
of the university in Salamanca
Tourism office:
Pl. Mayor, 14. Salamanca.
Tel. 923 279 124
Celebrations: 'San Juan de Sahagún',
June 12th. 'Virgen de la Vega', September
8th.
Highlights: university atmosphere and
students scene. Monument-city part of UNESCO's
World Heritage.
Monuments: old and new cathedrals, church
of 'San Esteban', university buildings, 'Plaza
Mayor' and the 'Casa de las Conchas'.
Food: the 'chanfaina' and the 'calderillo'
are typical dishes of Salamanca, but one should
also try the 'cabrito asado' (goat roast)
or the 'cuchifrito'. Some of the best 'jamón
ibérico' (cured ham) can be found in
Guijuelo. This is te part of Spain with the
largest ham and cured pork products production.
Bakery has also deep roots here. Worth trying
are the 'almendras garrapiñadas' (caramel
almonds) or the 'bollo maimón'.
SEGOVIA
The
Alcázar in Segovia
Tourism office:
Pl. Mayor, 10. Segovia.
Tel. 921 460 334
Celebrations: 'San Frutos', October
25th. 'San Juan' and 'San Pedro', June 24th
to 30th. Easter processions on holy Friday
and Sunday.
Highlights: 'Hoces del Duratón'
(natural enclave), 'La Granja de San Ildefonso'
(palaces 11 Km. from Segovia), towns
of 'Pedraza de la Sierra' and 'Sepúlveda'.
Monuments: Roman aqueduct (a masterpiece),
the Alcázar, the cathedral, church
of 'San Esteban', church of 'El Salvador',
church of 'San Juan de los Caballeros', church
of 'San Martín'.
Food: Segovia's speciality are roasts,
mainly pork (suckling) and lamb, but don't
forget the also excellent 'judiones de la
Granja' or the trout. As dessert try the goat
cheese with honey or the typical 'tarta ponche'.
SORIA
Church
of Santo Domingo in Soria
Tourism office:
Plaza Ramón y Cajal, 2. Soria.
Tel. 975 21 20 52
Celebrations: 'San Saturio' on October
1st to 5th. If June 24th is a Thursday (or
if not the nearest Thursday) and until the
following Monday you will be able to attend
'La Saca': Friday's 'toros' (bulls), on Saturday
the 'Agés', on Sunday the 'de calderas'
and on Monday the 'bailas'. Very folkloric
and lively celebration.
Highlights: Arqueological ruins in Tiermes,
ruins of the Celtiberian city of 'Numancia'
in Garray, 8Km. away from Soria. The town
of 'Berlanga de Duero' (9 Km. from Soria),
with its castle and medieval houses. The 'Burgo
de Osma' headquaters to the bishop of the
province with historic and artistic monuments.
Monuments: Co-cathedral of 'San Pedro',
church of 'Nuestra Señora de la Soledad',
church of 'San Saturio', church of 'San Juan
de Rabanera', Palace of the Counts of Gomara,
Numantine museum, 'Colegiata de Santa María
del Mercado', the castle , Palace of the 'Marqueses
de Berlanga', 'Puerta de Aguilera' and 'La
Picota'.
Food: Grilled smoked trout. Exquisit
river crabs cooked in the traditional Soria
way, good partridge, quail and grilled beef.
'Alubiones de Burgo de Osma', with 'oreja'
(pork's ear), níscalos (mushrooms),
chorizo de Soria (grilled chorizo) or 'migas
a la pastora'. A natural product with reputation
is butter. As to pastries one should taste
the 'mantecadas de Soria' or the 'Yemas de
Almazán'.
VALLADOLID
Church
of San Pablo
Tourism office:
Plaza Zorrilla, 3. Valladolid.
Tel. 983 35 18 01
Celebrations: 'San Pedro Regalado',
May 13th. 'San Mateo', September 15th-23rd.
Highlights: houses where Cervantes, Columbus
or Zorrilla lived. The monastery of 'Las Huelgas
Reales'. Easter celebrations are very special.
Monuments: church of 'San Pablo', 'Colegio
de San Gregorio', cathedral, 'Plaza Mayor'
and the university.
Food: garlic soups and 'lechazo' (a roast)
with an excellent bread named 'lechuguino'
and local wines like 'Blanco de Serrada',
'La Seca', 'Nava del Rey', 'Pozáldez'
or the famous wine from 'Rueda'. Red wines
from 'Ribera del Duero', 'Sardón',
'Valbuena', 'Quintanilla and Peñafiel',
or 'clarete', a variety specially produced
in this region coming from the towns of Fuensaldaña,
Lucientes, Renedo, Cabezón, Corcos
and mainly in Cigales.
ZAMORA
Cathedral in Zamora
Tourism office:
Santa Clara, 20. Zamora.
Tel. 988 53 18 45
Fiestas: 'San Pedro' ,June 29th.
'Virgen de la Concha', July 5th.
Highlights: 'Semana Santa' (Easter) in
Zamora is one with the highest reputation
in the region.
Monuments: cathedral, church of 'San
Claudio', churches of 'San Pedro' and 'San
Ildefonso', 'Santa Maria la Nueva' and the
church of 'La Magdalena' .
Food: 'sopa de boda' (literally 'wedding
soup'), 'monje de Aliste', 'trucha escabellada'
(trout), 'Asado de Dios nos libre' (literally
'God forgive us roast', a lamb's leg roast
with garlic and natural juices), 'huevos sayaguesa'
with blood pudding included, 'Sanatonada'
(white beans stew with chorizo and porks fat).
Famous Toro wines come from this area. Among
the long tradition of pastry we will mention
the 'rebojo casero', 'bizcocho borracho en
almibar' and the 'astillas almendradas', a
delicious milk cream with eggs and almonds.
