What to visit

Castille and Leon offers an amazing array of cultural destinations, and specifically Palencia, with its Gothic Cathedral known as “The Unknown Beauty”.

It is also an excellent point of departure to explore the region’s extraordinary Historical and Artistic Heritage: from the Camino de Santiago, the Romanesque and Renaissance tours, to the most avant-garde Contemporary Art.

The region is a land of contrasts, with picturesque villages and magnificent churches, full of artistic treasures commissioned in the days of its greatest splendour and still preserved today, away from the crowded tourist routes, and making every visit an unexpected discovery.

You can visit the most important archeological site of the Roman Imperial period and its magnificent mosaiques; Spain’s oldest Christian visigoth basilica; the remote locations chosen by Cistersians and Benedictines, with their wonderful romanesque cloisters; or follow the Baroque Organ route or that of the Mudéjar panelings, which only exists in Spain.

To schedule your trip we have prepared a map with our favorite destinations, but there are much more…

Baltanás

Baltanás Palencia Baltanás is the capital of Cerrato, a region between Palencia, Valladolid and Burgos. From the 13th century onwards, the town of Baltanás belonged to the Master of the Order of Santiago. The continuous wars forced the Crown to look for other economic resources, and with the necessary Papal Decree, in 1543 Philip II signed the sale of the […]

Frómista

Frómista Palencia San Martín de Frómista (11th century) is one of the Romanesque churches more complete and pure of Spain. Is a model of harmony and proportions which had much influence as it was an important crossroad until 15th century. The awful expropriation of 19th century led to its total ruin. Nowadays is too much restored, and many of the […]

Támara de Campos

Támara de Campos Palencia When you’re approaching Támara, always surprises to see, arising between the endless fields of wheat, the monumental tower of this Church-Cathedral, perhaps the largest temple in the province after the Cathedral of Palencia. Example of transition from Gothic to Renaissance, it contains so many master pieces that only this justifies a visit: baptismal, gates, altarpieces, stained […]

Roman Villa

Roman Villa La Olmeda Palencia Discovered in 1968, the Roman Villa La Olmeda, is one of the most important archaeological sites in the Hispanic Roman world. Typical “Peristyle House” with central garden surrounded by galleries, rooms, corridors, porches, towers, thermal area, necropolis with burial goods… It’s a splendid palace of the Late Roman Empire (4th century AD) Its whole area […]

Birdwatching

Birdwatching Zamora and Palencia Villafáfila and La Nava are important wetlands in the region. Throughout the year you can see the migration or reproduction of hundreds of different types of birds, such as the Heron (Ardea Cinerea), storks (Ciconia Ciconia), various types of geese (Anser), or the barnacle goose (Branta Leucopsis). But the undisputed King of the region is the Great […]

Mº Patio Herreriano

Museum Patio Herreriano Valladolid The Museum Patio Herreriano of Spanish Contemporary Art is created from funds from the “Colección Arte Contemporáneo”, an initiative of several spanish private companies that assumed the commitment to contribute to the rescue and enhancement of our artistic avant-garde. With his patronage, it currently promotes the development of spanish contemporary art. Until today the Collection has […]

Covarrubias

Covarrubias Burgos The Gothic Colegiata of 15th century is full of wonders: early christian graves (4th century), cloister (16th century) an organ of 17th century, which is the oldest of Castile in use, and magnificent Baroque altars of the 18th century. The Museum preserves Romanesque capitals, Berruguete and Van Eyck paintings, and the extraordinary Triptych of the Adoration of the […]

Cisneros

Cisneros Palencia The church of San Facundo y San Primitivo has some magnificent Mudejar coffered ceilings from 16th century, made by Juan de Carpeil, with strong moorish influences. Another jewel is the altarpiece made by Francisco Giralte, who belongs to the Berruguete school. The importance of such works of art is due to the influence of Cardinal Cisneros, Primado of […]

Paredes de Nava

Paredes de Nava Palencia Paredes de Nava has two treasures: Pedro de Berruguete’s paintings and the poet Jorge Manrique. Descent of an important Castile’s aristocratic family of 15th century, this knight-soldier, nephew, son and brother of poets will be remembered for his famous “Coplas”. You can visit the Gothic church of Sta. Eulalia, builded throughout 14th, 15th and 16th centuries. […]

Arquitectura

Arquitectura Contemporánea We are in one of the most important wine production regions of Spain, between D.O. Ribera del Duero, Cigales, Rueda and Arlanza, where you can visit some of the wineries that have recently choosed avant-garde projects of great impact, as those designed by Pritzker Architecture Awards Sir Richard Rogers and Sir Norman Foster. www.bodegasportia.com www.bodegasprotos.com

Villalcázar de Sirga

Villalcázar de Sirga Palencia During the 12th century, Villasirga was the main centre in Castile of the Order of the Templars. Essential stage of the Camino de Santiago, represents the richest example of transition from Romanesque to Gothic. The White Virgin is already mentioned in the Cantigas of King Alfonso X el Sabio, masterpiece of spanish medieval lyric poetry of […]

Becerril de Campos

Becerril de Campos Palencia During the 14th century this village came to have seven churches and several chapels, a sign of its former power. Almost all the pieces of art are today gathered at the Museum of Sacred Art of Sta. Maria. The list of authors includes the best of our national artistic production in painting, sculpture, craftmanship or architecture: […]

Sto. Domingo de Silos

Monastery of St. Domingo de Silos Burgos This early 12th century Benedictine Abbey is famous for its Romanesque cloister and its cypress, praised by so many poets, and the only monastery where the monks still perform in Gregorian chant. Highlights the botica or original pharmacy, a magnificent mudéjar coffered ceiling and especially important is the library, open to research and […]

Lerma

Lerma Burgos Conventual and courtly city of 17th century. When the court moved to Valladolid in 1601, the Duke of Lerma, favourite of King Felipe III, turned his villa into a luxury entertainement court where outstanding celebrities and artists (Góngora, Lope de Vega) came to amuse the royalty. The Duke of Lerma came to accumulate more than 40 towns and […]

Romanesque Route

Romanesque from the North of Palencia Santa María la Real Santa María la Real Moarves de Ojeda San Andrés de Arroyo Perazancas de Ojeda Santa María de Mave

Carrión de los Condes

Carrión de los Condes Palencia With a rich medieval history, see of royal councils, Court and birthplace of the Marqués de Santillana (key player in the social, political and litterary time), it has always been an important stage of the Camino de Santiago. Of the numerous monuments, highlights the Romanesque churches of Santiago, with a stunning Pantocrator, and Santa María […]

San Juan de Baños, Visigothic art

San Juan de Baños, Visigothic art Palencia It is considered to be the oldest Christian church in Spain and one of the few examples of Visigothic art still standing. Built in 661 by the Visigothic King Recceswinth and dedicated to San Juan Bautista in gratitude for the curative properties of its waters. The current basilica has some marble columns and […]

San Isidro de Dueñas

Monastery of St. Isidro de Dueñas, La Trapa Palencia In these twenty-one centuries of history, this place has gone through successive reconstructions and declines: Romans, Visigoths, Muslim attacks, assignment to Cluny, restoration by the Catholic Kings, headquarters of the Napoleonic troops, the government expropriation of 19th century and, finally, thanks to the Cistercian Order, the material and spiritual recovery. They […]