The scenic valleys and ridges
Burgos was founded in 884, and its
atmosphere of history and heritage is striking. It
is a town of many monuments and ancient buildoings, and a
charming example of Northern Castilian ambience.
The Gothic cathedral dominates Burgos,
but there are more important monuments, in a cultural sense,
such as the Cartuja de Miraflores or the Monastery of Las
Huelgas. Generally the town is quiet and clean, and after
your sight seeing tour or a walk through one of the parks
you may want to try out Burgos' exquisite cuisine.
You shouldn't miss visiting the outlying
regions round Burgos, where you will find many exquisite
villages.
Here are sonme possible excursions
El Camino de Santiago: The province
of Burgos is a great place to start this journey. The
first places to visit are Redecilla del Camino and
Belorado, with its square with arcades and the ruins
of its walls.
After crossing the beautiful mountainous
landscape of Villafranca to San Juan de Ortega,.
This is named after the Saint who together with Santo Domingo
de la Calzada was the most important architect of this route,
and built the town's church in 12th century. The itinerary
passes Olmillos with its 16th century castle and church,
Castrojeriz, with the impressive ruins of a medieval fortress,
and leaves the province at Itero, where you can see
the famous bridge with eleven arcs that was called "Ponteroso"
in medieval literature.
La Ruta de los Pueblos del Norte:
The peaceful "route of the northern villages" is a
quiet tip for the tourist who wants to discover medieval
Spain, far away from the rush of mass-tourism, as though
time had not passed by.
Among the most interesting places there are
Briviesca, with its old stone-bridge and Santa Casilda
Sanctuary 10 km from the village; Medina de Pomar,
a picturesque town with an impressive castle; Alcazar,
monastery and hermitage; Frias, a pure medieval village
dominated by its castle on a high rock; Puentearenas with
its 11th century Romanesque abbey; the palaces of Espinosa
de los Monteros and Sedano; the 12th century Romanesque
church of Moradillo de Sedano and the 11th century temple
of Rebolledo de la Torre.
La Ruta de Los Pueblos del Sur:("Route
of the Southern Villages") Quintanilla de las Viñas is
of high historical importance for its visigothic church.
Covarubias conserves traces of a very old history in
its palace, the impressive stone tower of Doña Urraca and
La Colegiata. Salas de los Infantes is famous for its
plateresque retable and the nearby Monastery of Silos with
an exceptional 11th century cloister. Peñaranda del Duero
and Lerma are other important towns in Spanish history. Most
interesting to visit are the ducal palace, built over an old
fortress, and the 12th century Colegiata.
Drivers new to Spain should take a
look at our driving
regulations page, and familiarise themselves with the
road rules. Then it's just a matter of getting used to driving
on the left.
|
The
villages and towns round Burgos are calm and clean,
and after a day's wandering in the many villages,
or sightseeing in the surrounding hill country,
you will find the evenings alive with music and
food.
