From Historic Buildings to Contemporary Art Today: The Two Faces of León

Few hotels in the world are located in such a beautiful enclave as this one. Farmers' market, place of public executions, bullring... The Plaza Mayor of León oozes history on all four sides. Formerly known as Plaza del Pan (because of the large number of bakeries and ovens that used to congregate in and around it), today it is a meeting point for tourists and locals alike due to the numerous bars and restaurants that gather in its arcades and surrounding areas.

It's time to get to know a new part of the city. And you will get there after a walk along the beautiful banks of the Bernesga, a river that crosses the province of León from north to south. This long ecological corridor offers several playgrounds for children, spaces for the practice of running and a lane dedicated to cycling enthusiasts.

Recently renovated, the convent of San Marcos houses the Parador de León, a five-star luxury hotel. Pilgrims' and penitentiary hospital, Missionary House, Cavalry barracks and even Franco's concentration camp are some of the uses it has been given throughout its more than seven centuries of history. Its façade is a pearl of Spanish plateresque style that you should not fail to admire.
You can find more information on its web.

The Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Castilla y León is one of the most colorful and original museums in the city. Awarded the Mies van der Rohe Prize for Contemporary Architecture of the European Union in 2007, its permanent collection, exhibitions and activities cover current art in different manifestations, such as painting and sculpture.
Opening hours: Tuesday - Friday: 11:00-14:00, 17:00-20:00. Saturdays, Sundays and holidays: 11:00-15:00, 17:00-21:00 Monday: Closed
Consult their web for more information about temporary exhibitions and different events.

With no less than a thousand years of history, the Royal Collegiate Church of San Isidoro de León is one of the most important Romanesque complexes in Europe. A tourist and cultural reference for the Castilian city, the treasure of the kings (with a chest from the year 1059), the room of the chalice of Doña Urraca or its Renaissance library (with nearly 300 incunabula and 155 codices) will leave you open-mouthed.
Opening hours: January - March: Tuesday - Saturday: 10:00-14:00, 16:00-19:00 Sunday: 10:00-14:00
April - September: Tuesday - Saturday: 10:00-14:00, 17:00-20:00 Sunday: 10:00-14:00
October - December: Tuesday - Saturday: 10:00-14:00, 16:00-19:00 Sunday: 10:00-14:00
More information on their web.

Before eating, make a stop for this appetizer that is already a classic among classics. It is a sin to leave León without sinking your teeth into the black pudding of La Bicha, a tapa as simple as it is delicious.

Valderas style, with onions, with broken eggs, with baby squid and its black pil pil.... In this restaurant in León you can taste a wide variety of cod dishes, specialty of the house, as well as red meats.
Opening hours: Meals: Tuesday - Sunday: 13:30-16:00
Dinners: Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays: 21:00-23:00
Monday: Closed
Visit their web for more information.

With almost 10,000 enclosed exhibition meters and a plaza of more than 3,000 meters, this imposing building is the work of French architect Dominique Perrault. Its avant-garde steel and glass design integrates renewable energy production solutions and energy control systems, with a large photovoltaic and translucent mineral roof whose irregular slope evokes the hills of León.

The nerve centre of the capital, from which some of the most important streets, such as Ancha or Ordoño II, start. Here you can admire some of the most emblematic buildings in León, such as the church of San Marcelo or the museum of León that you visited yesterday.

Made with almost 300 kilos of bronze, the Plaza de San Marcelo has had a new guest for a couple of years, the sculpture of a lion coming out of a sewer. Work of Alejandro Sáenz de Miera and José Antonio Cuenca, it has become one of the most instagramameables points of the city.

If you want to enjoy one of the most beautiful views of León, with the cathedral in the foreground, go up to the rooftop of niMÚ and take advantage of a small break in the form of a coffee or soft drink.
Opening hours:
Monday - Thursday: 14:00-18:00, 20:00-0:00. Fridays and Saturdays: 13:30-17:00, 20:30-1:00 Sunday: 13:00-17:00
More information on their web.

On the way back to Gijón, make a stop at the Barrios Luna Reservoir, with its clear waters and welcoming landscape of beech, birch and oak forests. This natural spot of singular beauty offers recreational activities such as fishing, water sports, swimming or hiking.

This traditional restaurant, with seasonal products and typical food of Babia (beautiful region of the province of León) is the perfect ending for this two-day getaway. Due to the mountain climate almost all year round, the cuisine of this area is abundant and meats predominate. Lamb stew, homemade sausages, Babiana black pudding, Cecina de León, cured beef tongue, roast veal...
And for dessert: chocolate with frisuelos or Babiana cake, similar to a flan with breadcrumbs on the base.
Opening hours: Monday - Sunday: 13:30-17:00, 21:00-00:00.
Find out more information on their web.

Arrival in Gijón, where this interesting route ends.