SIGHTS
Turn any corner in Burgos’ centro histórico and you’re likely to stumble across a 14th-century church or the building where Ferdinand and Isabella met with Columbus upon his return from his second voyage to the New World. (If Let’s Go told you where it was, you wouldn’t be able to stumble across it, now would you?) The Catedral is the city’s main attraction, but Burgos has dozens of other sites that shouldn’t be missed.
CATEDRAL DE BURGOS
Pl. del Rey San Fernando
CHURCH
947 20 47 12 www.catedraldeburgos.es
The Catedral, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is one of the most impressive churches in the world. Whether you first approach it from behind, by following the Camino de Santiago, or from the front via the magnificent Arch of Santa María, its incredible size and detailed stone carvings will blow your mind. What began in the early 13th century as a Romanesque church has been transformed over the intervening centuries into a Gothic marvel, and recent restorations (which some consider a bit excessive) have returned its original vivid colors and gilded finish. The Capilla de los Condestables is covered with incredible carvings in wood and stone; be sure to look up at the intricate skylight, and look to the right as you walk in for carved dragons. Just off the stained-glass-enclosed upper cloister (built 1260-1280) is the Capilla de Santa Catalina, whose walls are covered from floor to high ceiling with portraits of the clergy, and which houses documents such as the Visigothic Bible of Cardeña and El Cid’s nuptial documents; El Cid himself is in the transept. The museum’s extensive collection includes reliquaries containing the remains of many saints as well as an artist’s rendition of a stunningly handsome El Cid that looks more like the cover of a romance novel than anything else.
Take the Puente de Santa María bridge from the south side of the river; through the arch. €5, seniors €4, students €3, pilgrims €2.50, ages 7-14 €1. Open in summer M 9:30am-6:30pm, Tu 9:30am-3pm and 3:30-6:30pm, W-Su 9:30am-6:30pm; in winter M 10am-6pm, Tu 10am-3pm and 3:30-6pm, W-Su 10am-6pm.
MONASTERIO DE SANTA MARÍA LA REAL DE LAS HUELGAS
Compases de Huelgas
CHURCH
947 20 16 30
Built in 1187 by King Alfonso VIII, the Monasterio de las Huelgas was a summer palace for Castilian kings and a Cistercian convent for princesses and nobles. Though the Cistercians preferred a no-frills attitude toward interior decorating, the monastery’s royal status allowed it to break some of the order’s strict rules against signs of opulence. The Romanesque cloister dates all the way back to the monastery’s founding in the 12th century, and the colors on the ceiling of the Capilla de Santiago (which looks like it belongs more in the Alhambra of Granada than in a Castilian monastery) are original and from the 13th century. The museum contains the Pendón de las Navas de Tolosa, the Moors’ flag captured by the re-conquering Castilians in 1212, which you can also see depicted on the far right of the huge 17th-century mural in the first room.
Take the “Barrio del Pilar” bus (€0.85) from Pl. de España to Barrio de las Huelgas; or, walking (approx. 20min. from cathedral), follow Paseo de la Audiencia west along the river, then turn left across the bridge at Pl. de Castilla roundabout. Take a right along Av. de Palencia and a slight left onto Av. Monasterio de las Huelgas; monastery is at the end of the avenue. €5, students, seniors, ages 5-16 €2.50, under 5 free. Open Tu-Sa 10am-1pm and 3:45-5:30pm, Su 10:30am-2pm. Mandatory tours (1¼hr.) given in Spanish every 30min.
FOOD
Queso de Burgos and morcilla sausage are staples of the Burgalese kitchen and can be found throughout the centro histórico, mainly near the Catedral. For tapas, the C. San Lorenzo off the Plaza Mayor is overflowing with bars; the streets parallel to C. San Lorenzo are good for nightlife as well.
CERVECERÍA MORITO
C. Porcelos, 1
BAR, RESTAURANT
947 26 75 55
Even during the low season, the line for this cervecería’s deliciously cheap fare runs out the door and around the block. Pair their sangria (€1.50) with the ración of champiñones (mushrooms served with ham; €4), or get adventurous and try something with gulas (baby eel).
From Pl. del Rey San Fernando (next to cathedral), follow C. de la Virgen de la Paloma 1 block, then right onto C. Porcelos. Raciones €1.50-6. Sandwiches €3-6. Beer €1. Sangria €1.50. Open daily noon-3:30pm and 7pm-midnight. Kitchen open 1-3:30pm and 7pm-midnight.
LA TAPERÍA DEL CASINO
Pl. Mayor, 31
CAFE, RESTAURANT
947 27 81 56
Right on the Plaza Mayor, this place offers traditional Spanish food, from paella (€9-10) to patatas bravas (€2). There’s a €0.40 surcharge to sit outside on the Plaza, but the shaded seating area is worth every cent. Make sure not to miss (or pay for) the free olives.
On the south side of the Pl. Mayor. Appetizers €1-2. Raciones €5.60-15.60. Salads €7.60-9. 60. Sandwiches €3-4.10. Pizza €9.60. Menú del día €12. Open daily 9am-midnight.
NIGHTLIFE
Locals start off the night with tapas and tinto in the crowded bars along C. de San Lorenzo, then head to the bars along C. de San Juan and C. de la Puebla for some liquid courage before hitting the discotecas on C. del Huerto del Rey and C. de Fernán González behind the Catedral.
EL BOSQUE ENCANTADO
C. de San Juan, 31
BAR, CLUB
947 26 12 66
For an undoubtedly unique (this bar is so funky Let’s Go even uses a grammatically incorrect qualifier before “unique”!) experience, head to this bar along the busy C. de San Juan, where trance music floats around strangely placed dollhouses—yeah, we don’t get it either. The establishment takes its name from the enormous fake tree that sits at the bar, illuminated by lighting reminiscent of a high school theater production. No matter how kitschy this bar may sound, it offers a great deal on beers and teas (€1.50-2.50).
On C. de San Juan west of C. Santander. Tea €1.50-2.50. Beer €2. Open M-W 5pm-midnight, Th 5pm-12:30am, F-Sa 5pm-4am.
ESSENTIALS
Practicalities
• TOURIST OFFICES: The tourist office has excellent maps that are necessary for navigating the city’s jumbled streets. (Pl. Alonso Martínez, 7 947 20 31 25 www.turismocastillayleon.com Open Sep 16-Jun 30 M-Sa 9:30am-2pm and 4-7pm, Su 9:30am-5pm; Jul 1-Sep 15 daily 9am-8pm.)
• TOURS: Contact the tourist office for guided tours of the centro histórico. (12:15pm €10, ages 7-14 €3.)
• CURRENCY EXCHANGE: Banco Santander offers currency exchange and ATMs. (Pl. de Mío Cid, 902 24 24 24 Open Apr-Sept M-F 8:30am-2pm; Oct-Mar M-F 8:30am-2pm, Sa 8:30am-1pm.)
• LUGGAGE STORAGE: The bus station offers storage. (C. Miranda, 4 947 28 88 55 €2 per day.)
• INTERNET ACCESS: Biblioteca del Teatro Principal has 30min. free Wi-Fi. (Paseo del Espolón 947 28 88 73 Open July M-F 8:30am-2:30pm; Aug M-F 8:30am-9pm; Sept-June M-F 9am-9pm, Sa 9:30am-2pm.)
• POST OFFICE: (Pl. Conde de Castro 947 26 27 50 Open M-F8:30am-8:30pm, Sa 9:30am-4pm.)
Emergency!
• EMERGENCY NUMBERS: 092.
• POLICE: (Av. Cantabria 947 28 88 39)
• HOSPITALS/MEDICAL SERVICES: Hospital General Yagüe (Av. del Cid, 96 947 28 18 00)
Getting There
By Bus
The best way to get to Burgos is by bus; the bus station (C. Miranda, 4 947 28 88 55) is 1 block south of the river and just across the bridge from the cathedral. Buses arrive from Barcelona ( 8hr., 5 per day 8:45am-11pm €35.), Bilbao ( 2hr., 12 per day 6:30am-8:30pm €11.50.), Carrión de los Condes ( 1¼hr., M-Sa 5:10pm €5.50.), León ( 2hr., 3-4 per day 10:15am-9:15pm €14.), Logroño ( 2hr., M-Sa 8 per day 9:30am-9:30pm, Su 4 per day 1-11:45pm €10.), Madrid ( 3hr., M-Th, Sa 16 per day, F 24 per day, Su 17 per day 7am-12:30am €16.), Salamanca ( 3-4hr., M-Sa 4-5 per day 9:30am-3:15am, Su 2 per day 9:30am-3:30pm €15-22.), San Sebastián ( 3hr., 6-8 per day 7:40am-12:30am €15.50.), Santiago de Compostela ( 7-9hr., 2 per day 2-11:15pm
€37-40.)
By Train
The new RENFE train station (Av. Principe de Asturias 902 24 02 02) is about 3mi. from the centro histórico. Trains arrive from Barcelona ( 6hr., 4 per day 9:20am-8:45pm €63-78.), Bilbao ( 3hr., M-F 4 per day 8:55am-5:10pm, Sa 3 per day 8:55am-2pm, Su 3 per day 8:55am-5:10pm €13-19.), León ( 2hr., 4 per day 1:12pm-12:14am €20-37.), Lisboa ( 11hr., daily 4:30pm €61.), Logroño ( 2hr., M 4 per day 7:36am-1:59am, Tu-Su 3 per day 4:06pm-1:59am €18-21.), Madrid ( 2-4hr., M-F 6 per day 8am-5:30pm, Sa 4 per day 8am-4:10pm, Su 3 per day 8:am-4:10pm €25-40.), Pamplona ( 2hr., daily 1:10pm €23.50.), Paris ( 10hr., M-F, Su 7:47pm €150.), Salamanca ( 2½hr., 3 per day 6:40am-12:35am €21-23.), and San Sebastián. ( 3hr., 5 per day 8:42am-10:40pm €21-27.)
By Air
The Aeropuerto de Burgos-Villafría (902 40 47 04 www.aena.es) is about 2½mi. outside the centro; flights arrive daily from Barcelona. ( 1½hr., 12:20pm. €62.)
Getting Around
Burgos is a small city with an almost entirely pedestrian centro histórico, so the best way to get around is to walk. For sites outside the centro, the bus system (€0.85) is quick and easy to use; most buses run through the Pl. de España to the northeast of the centro. Buses #25 and #43 go from the Pl. de España to the RENFE station; bus #24 goes from the Pl. de España to the airport. For taxis, call Radio Taxi (947 27 77 77).
carrión de los condes
979
Carrión de los Condes (pop. 2,328) is a tiny pueblo in the province of Palencia, the heart of Castilla y León. It’s the sort of place where you wake up to the sounds of church bells and roosters and spend the day meandering through the quiet streets under darting swallows and swooping storks. It is a mandatory stop—one of the most impressive—along the Camino de Santiago, and is renowned for its incredible Romanesque churches and the Renaissance cloister of San Zoilo across the river.
ORIENTATION
Rising above the surrounding plains and farmland, Carrión is located above its namesake Río Carrión, midway between Burgos and León. The Camino de Santiago runs est-west through the town and goes by most major sights, following the main roads and passing through the main plazas: C. de Santa Clara, Pl. Piña Merino (home to the bus stop), the beautiful Pl. de Santa María, C. de Santa María, Pl. Mayor (still “Plaza del Generalísimo” on many maps), and C. de Esteban Collantes, before heading across the river to the monastery of San Zoilo. Just follow the Camino up C. Santa María to get to the center of town from the bus stop. The northwest corner of town has several lovely churches but used to be the judería (Jewish quarter), hence the C. de Rabí Don Sem Tob. Interestingly, the Ermita de la Cruz was once the synagogue. Take note: on the tourist office’s map and the map at the Pl. de Santa María, North is oriented about 45 degrees to the right.
ACCOMMODATIONS
PENSIÓN EL RESBALÓN
C. de Fernán Gómez, 19
PENSIÓN
979 88 04 33
This pensión in the heart of the village offers little more than a bed, a window, and a lightbulb, but for these prices it’s a steal. However, don’t stay here if you’re looking for a good night’s sleep after a long day of pilgrimages or sightseeing—it’s right next to the main nightlife street, and what the local youth may lack in numbers, they make up for in volume.
From C. de Santa María heading toward the Pl. Mayor, turn right onto C. de Fernán Gómez. Shared bath. Singles €15; doubles €22; triples €27. Reception 8am-11pm.
CAMPING EL EDÉN
Parque Municipal
CAMPING
979 88 01 95
Sick of always having to take a bus or a 3mi. hike into town from the campsite? Not in Carrión: El Edén, right down by the river, is no more than a 2min. walk from the Pl. Mayor (though, to be fair, few things in this town are more than a 2min. walk from the Pl. Mayor).
On the southwest side of town. Follow C. de Enrique Fuentes Quintana down from the Pl. Mayor, then left through the park. Shared bath. Restaurant and bar. €4 per person; €3.50-4 per tent; €4 per car. Electricity €3.50. Reception 9am-10pm.
SIGHTS
Though small in population and area, Carrión is full of historic religious buildings put up over the course of the last millennium. Many of them, such as Carrión’s oldest church, the Iglesia de Santa María del Camino ( Free. Open in summer daily 9am-2pm and 4:30-6pm; in winter M-Sa 11am-1:30am and 6-9pm, Su noon-1:30pm.), lie on the Camino de Santiago, but a quick walk through town reveals churches, monasteries, and ermitas of all eras and architectural styles.
REAL MONASTERIO DE SAN ZOILO
C. de San Zoilo
CHURCH
979 88 00 50
Though the date of its founding is unknown, monks lived here as early as 948 CE. Throughout the Middle Ages it was a center of political and religious power, and a key point along the Camino de Santiago. The monastery features Romanesque elements dating to the 11th century and is perhaps best known for its glorious Renaissance cloister.
Follow the well-marked Camino de Santiago: from the Pl. Mayor, head northwest on C. de Esteban Collantes, then left at C. de Piña Blasco, and across the bridge and to the right. €2, pilgrims and groups of over 20 people €1.50, ages 9 and under free. Open daily 10:30am-2pm and 4:30-8pm.
FOOD
For standard but inexpensive meals, hit the bars near the bus stop and along the Pl. Mayor. Otherwise, get your grub on at eateries along the Camino.
RESTAURANTE LA CORTE
C. de Santa María, 34
CASTILIAN
979 88 01 38 www.hostallacorte.com
Across from the Pl. de Santa María next to the affiliated hostal, this traditional Castilian restaurant has an affordable menú and a salty but filling sopa castellana. Stop here for breakfast as early as 6am to try the cafe, pan tostada, and fresh orange juice (€3) before an early trip to the Camino.
Up C. de Santa María 1 block from the bus stop. Entrees €6-17. Menú €10. Breakfast €3. Open daily 6-10am, 1:30-4pm, and 7-11pm (closing times approximate).
BAR ABEL
C. de Esteban Collantes, 15
BAR
979 88 03 25
This welcoming bar is where locals come to hang out before their siestas. Don’t worry, though: they won’t make you feel left out, even though you’re the only one who doesn’t know that story about Don Ronaldo and the donkey.
2 blocks north of Pl Mayor, up C. de Esteban Collantes. Menú €11, Sa-Su €17. Open daily 1-3:30pm, F-Su also 8:30-10:30pm.
NIGHTLIFE
CAFETERÍA CARRIÓN
C. de Esteban Collantes, 8
BAR, LOUNGE
If this establishment’s name were in English instead of Spanish, it would sound quite unappealing. Fortunately, the false cognate doesn’t seem to drive away any of the locals. Most get their cañas and kalimotxos at the bar and take them out to the street, but some stay in the smoky and surprisingly large drinking space to play cards, futbolín (foosball) or billar (pool) before heading out to the discotecas.
1 block north of the Pl. Mayor on C. de Esteban Collantes. Beer €1.50. Kalimotxos €2.50. Open M-Th 9am-1am, F-Sa 9am-2am.
ADARVE
Pl. de los Regentes
CLUB
If you can pick your way through the sometimes menacing crowd of jóvenes outside (approach from the Pl. Mayor rather than C. de Fernán Gómez, where the botellones and lucha libre tend to take place), this disco-pub is where Carrión’s nightlife can be found. The party pours out onto the Plaza de los Regentes in front, and often down the adjacent streets. Watch out for flying bottles: smashing is the preferred method of glass disposal, as recycling hasn’t completely caught on yet.
From C. de Santa María, take C. de Fernán Gómez one block north, then left at Pl. de los Regentes. Or (the more dramatic route) from Pl. Mayor, go through the arch to the right of the Iglesia de Santiago, down the narrow alleyway past the museum, which leads right to the Pl. de los Regentes. Shots €1. Beer €1.50. Open M-Th 10pm-2am, F-
Sa 10pm-3:30am.
ESSENTIALS
Practicalities
• TOURIST OFFICES: For information and brochures on the area, head to the office across from the bus stop (979 88 02 50 Across from the bus stop. Open Sept-June Sa-Su 10am-2pm and 5:30-7:30pm; July-Aug daily 10am-3pm and 5-7:30pm.) or in Pl. Mayor. ( In the Museo de Arte Contemporáneo. Open Tu-Su 11am-2pm and 5-7pm.)
• CURRENCY EXCHANGE: Banco Santander (Pl. Primer Marqués de Santillana, 4 Open M-F 8:30am-2:30pm.)
• INTERNET ACCESS: Cafetería Yadira ( Across from Bar España and the bus stop. €1 for 20min.)
• POST OFFICE: (C. José Antonio Girón 979 88 03 45 Open M-F8:30am-2:30pm, Sa 9:30am-1pm).
Let's Go Europe 2011: The Student Travel Guide Page 207