Valladolid

Plaza Mayor de Valladolid

The first regular large square in Spain (16th century), which became a model for the squares of Madrid and Salamanca, with red arcades and the town hall.

Museo Nacional de Escultura

The most important collection of polychrome wooden sculpture in Spain, inside the College of San Gregorio, whose Gothic façade is decorated as if embroidered.

Archivo General de Simancas

· Simancas

The oldest state archive in Spain, founded by Carlos V in Simancas Castle in 1540. It holds the documents on the fall and surrender of Granada, the treaties of the Catholic Monarchs, files on the Moriscos, the Alpujarras revolt and their expulsion in 1609. The castle itself stands near the site of the “Battle of al-Khandaq” in 939 CE.

Casa de Cervantes (Valladolid)

The house where Miguel de Cervantes lived in 1604–1605, when the first part of “Don Quixote” was published, with period furniture, a small garden and a lovely library. An intimate glimpse into the life of the most famous writer in the Spanish language.

Castillo de la Mota (Medina del Campo)

· Medina del Campo

A 15th-century brick castle with a deep moat and a towering keep, linked to Queen Isabel la Católica and used as a royal prison. 45 min south of Valladolid.

Simancas (batalla de Simancas y Alhándega, 939)

· Simancas

In Shawwal 327 AH (August 939 CE), Abd al-Rahman III set out on the “raid of al-Qudra” to León. He clashed with Ramiro II de León before Simancas, then was defeated in the retreat at al-Khandaq (Alhándega), a defeat from which he escaped with his life. This is the “Battle of al-Khandaq”, according to Enan; after it, al-Nasir never again led a summer campaign in person.

Easy to reach

A town near Valladolid (20 min by bus); short, sloping alleys to the castle (the archive; visits subject to conditions). Full services.

Museo Patio Herreriano

A museum of contemporary Spanish art in the restored monastery of San Benito, with Renaissance cloisters; admission is free. The building itself is worth a visit.

Museo de la Ciencia de Valladolid

An interactive science museum on the bank of the Pisuerga river, with a planetarium dome, a freshwater fish tank and a hall on the brain, reached by engineer José Rafael Moneo's bridge. A good activity for children on cold days.

Museo del Tratado de Tordesillas

· Tordesillas

A small museum in the house where the 1494 treaty between Castile and Portugal was signed, dividing the New World, with striking maps and documents. Tordesillas lies on the Duero river, 30 min from Valladolid.

Castillo de Ampudia

· Ampudia

A 15th-century Gothic castle in excellent condition, in a small town whose streets are roofed with wooden arcades. It houses a varied private collection of antiques and old tools gathered by its owner.

Easy to reach · needs a car

30 min from Valladolid or Palencia by car. The castle is easy to enter and the ground floor is level; one hour.

Abadía Retuerta LeDomaine

· Sardón de Duero

A 12th-century monastery on the banks of the Duero, converted into one of Spain's finest rural hotels, with Romanesque cloisters, wide gardens, and the “Santuario” spa with its Turkish bath and pool.

Easy to reach · needs a car

By car on the N-122 (about 30 min from Valladolid); parking inside the estate. No practical public transport. The nearest village with services is Sardón de Duero (2 km), and the hotel provides its own restaurants.

Parque Campo Grande

Valladolid's green lung at its heart: a romantic garden with huge trees, a lake and a waterfall, and peacocks that wander freely.

Castilla Termal Monasterio de Valbuena

· San Bernardo

A 12th-century Cistercian monastery in a small village, housing a thermal resort with natural mineral water and large stone rooms with high ceilings.

Easy to reach · needs a car

By car (about 45 min from Valladolid); the hotel is inside the small village of San Bernardo. No practical public transport; full services are in Peñafiel (15 km).

Playa de las Moreras (río Pisuerga)

A sandy riverside beach and a long promenade on the bank of the Pisuerga near the centre, for walking, cycling and family outings. In summer, short river boat trips leave from nearby.

Castillo de Peñafiel

· Peñafiel

A long castle shaped like a ship on a hill above the Duero valley. It was a frontier post in the 10th-century wars between Castile and al-Andalus, and today it houses the wine museum of the Ribera del Duero region.

How to get there

Bus from Valladolid (≈1 h); by car ≈45 min

Moderate effort · needs a car

By car, in practice. An asphalt road climbs to a car park near the castle, then a short walk; or a 20-minute climb on foot from the town. Inside the castle there are stairs. Restaurants in the town.

Colegiata de Santa María la Mayor (Toro)

· Toro

A historic town on a high plateau above the Duero river. Its best-known sights are the Romanesque collegiate church with its tower-like dome, and the “Puerta de la Majestad”, which has kept its original colours since the 13th century. From its lookout you see the plain of the famous battle.

Easy to reach · needs a car

30 min from Zamora and 50 min from Valladolid by car, with regular buses. The centre is on a flat plateau; suitable for everyone.

Mezquita Imam Malik (Valladolid)

A modern mosque and cultural centre in Valladolid.

Hotel Boutique Gareus

• One of the city's best hotels

An elegant boutique hotel near the main square, with indoor parking and large rooms.

Dorma El Coloquio

• Boutique

A modern boutique hotel beside the cathedral and the university, a walk from the main square. Beautiful design and a quiet courtyard.

Hotel Nexus Valladolid

• Boutique

A boutique apartment hotel near the cathedral, with large suites that have kitchens and views of the church. Suitable for family stays.

AC Hotel Palacio de Santa Ana

A four-star hotel in a historic monastery on the bank of the Pisuerga river, with a pool and free parking. Spacious rooms and a calm atmosphere outside the centre.

Mercado del Val

A 19th-century iron market behind the main square, reopened with fresh food stalls and tasting corners. A quick place to buy fruit, bread and cheese.

Calle Santiago (Valladolid)

The main pedestrian shopping street between the Plaza Mayor, Plaza Zorrilla and the Campo Grande garden, with Spanish brands and cafés. A beloved evening stroll for locals.

Castilla Termal Olmedo

· Olmedo

A thermal resort in an old monastery in Olmedo, near Valladolid, with mineral-water pools, a bath, saunas and a wide hydrotherapy route. Quiet, and suited to recuperation away from the cities.