'''Leon''' is a city in Spain.

Get in

Bus

From Madrid: Buses leave from '''Estacion Sur de Autobuses''' at the metro station '''Mendez Alvaro''' several times a day, a round trip costs between 20? and 40? per person. [http://www.alsa.es/].

Train

Trains also leave depart from Atocha (Madrid south station) and from Chamartin (Madrid north station) to Leon several times a day. [http://horarios.renfe.es/hir/ingles.html].

Starting in 2008 it is possible to travel by train from Madrid in aprox. 3 hours thanks to a new generation of fast trains (ALVIA). For those landing in Valladolid there is a convenient fast train taking less than two hours to Leon.

There is also a direct train connection to Pontevedra and Barcelona.

Plane

Leon's [http://www.aena.es/csee/Satellite?cid=1048519503210&pagename=Estandar%2FPage%2FAeropuerto&SMO=-1&SiteName=LELN&c=Page&MO=0 airport] (La Virgen del Camino), is near the city, and has daily connections with Madrid and Barcelona. You can fly with Air Nostrum ([http://www.iberia.com Iberia]) or with [http://www.lagunair.com Lagunair]. Another option is to fly to Valladolid with [http://www.ryanair.com/site/EN/ Ryanair ]and then take a bus at the airport to Leon, the company [http://www2.alsa.es/portal/index.asp ALSA] operates daily direct services from Valladolid airport to Leon

Get around

Leon offers many leisure options. Anyone interested on outdoor activities can enjoy visiting the natural park of "Picos de Europa". For those interested on trekking and culture, Leon is one of the main stops in the [http://www.caminodesantiago.me.uk/index.html St James' way]

See

The city of Leon was founded by Romans, as a matter of fact its own name originates from the name Romans gave to the city "Legio VII". Tourists that come to Leon can enjoy many monuments such as the '''city walls''', the '''superb gothic cathedral''' or romanic monuments such as the '''Church of San Marcelo'''. As well as the cathedral with its superb stained glass (try to see it when the sun is streaming through) there are at least three must-see attractions;
  • The collegiate '''Church of San Isodoro''' (11th century) and the adjoining ''Pantheon of the Kings''' of Leon. The ceiling paintings in the latter are breathtaking.
  • The former '''Hospital de San Marcos''' is reckoned by many to be Spain's very best Parador.
  • '''The Casa Botines''' is one of the few buildings by Gaudi to be found outside of Barcelona.
  • '''MUSAC''', the new Museum of Contemporany Art
  • '''Palacio de los Guzmanes''', a 15th century palace.
  • '''Palacio de los Condes de Luna'''. It's on restoration works.
  • '''Roman Walls'''
  • '''Museo de Leon''', set IN Edificio Pallares , a 20th century building in Santo Domingo circus.
  • '''Fundacion Vela Zanetti''', the museum about Zanetti's paintings.
  • Do

    Buy

    From the Cathedral, to the Bernesga River, there are two of the main streets, Calle Ancha, and Ordono II, full of shops. In the middle of Ordono II there's Alcazar de Toledo street, with sucursals of Spanish shops. In La Chantria area, there's El corte ingles. If we take Bus 13 in Santo Domingo circus, we can go to the shopping centre.

    Eat

    The inhabitants of Leon do enjoy cook and eating out with friends and family, as a result the variety of restaurants and food specialties is large. Within the wide range of '''Leonese cuisine''' the following dishes are the most representative: '''Cecina''' (cured, smoked beef), '''morcilla''' (a superb variant of blood sausage), '''botillo''' (a dish of meat-stuffed pork intestine), garlic soup, el '''cocido leones''' (a mix of meat with vegetables and chickpeas, served after a vegetable-vermicelli soup) and '''mantecadas''' (a sweet).

    Another very important part of the gastronomy of Leon are the '''tapas''' that you can get in most of the many bars in the city. The most important thing about these tapas is that they are free unlike in most cities in Spain. It is a very common thing to do to go "de tapas" or "tapear" i.e. to go for a few drinks ("un corto", which is a very small beer, "una cana", which is roughly half a pint of beer or "un vino," a glass of wine) just before lunch but more normally as a light form of dinner.

    Any tourist visiting Leon will enjoy '''the ancient streets of "Barrio Humedo"'''. There it is possible to visit many bars in which tapas are served along with nice wines from "Tierras de Leon", "Ribera de Duero", "Vino de los Oteros" o "Vinos del Bierzo".

    You can also visit some villages near Leon with vineyards such as [http://wikitravel.org/en/Valdevimbre Valdevimbre]. There you will find '''caves that are as old as 300 years'''. Originally they were dug for wine cellars since they maintain nearly the same temperature year round. Today they are still used to make wine. Some of them have become restaurants or pubs.

    The oldest cave-restaurant was opened in 1979 and it is called '''La Cueva del Tunel'''[http://cuevadeltunel.blogspot.com/2008/07/bienvenido-la-cueva-del-tnel.html]. It has a typical decoration with an Indian touch. Sometimes one ventano (cave room) is converted into an Indian bazaar.

    In '''Los Poinos''' [http://www.lospoinos.com] you can find a mix between new cuisine and typical food from Leon.

    In any of the '''Cuevas restaurants''' you will be able to enjoy the typical food from Leon such as ''cecina'', ''callos'', ''morcilla'' (blood pudding), etc. all those traditional place will be accompanied by local wines as '''Pardevalles'''[http://www.pardevalles.es], Tampesta, Barcillo or Los Palomares (inside the new D.O. Tierras de Leon).

    '''Valdevimbre''' is 23 km from Leon and you can drive there or get a taxi for approximately 25EUR from Leon.

    Drink

    The region has many areas devoted to winery. As a matter of fact some of them are internationally recognized for their quality: "Ribera de Duero", "Vinos del Bierzo", "Rueda" and "Tierras de Leon" are some examples.

    There is a '''unique wine variety''' typical from Leon, the '''Prieto Picudo'''.

    Sleep

    Cheap

  • Hostal Tranches http://www.hostaltranches.com
  • Medium

  • Hotel Paris, set in Calle Ancha. 100 mts to Cathedral
  • Hotel NH Plaza Mayor. Set in the middle of Barrio Humedo. 300 mts to Cathedral
  • Luxury

  • Hostal de San Marcos. A great de luxe hotel set in a gorgeous 15th Century building. http://www.parador.es/es/tratarFichaParador.do?parador=102
  • Hotel Alfonso V, set in Santo Domingo circus, the centre of the town
  • Get out

    In Leon province:
  • Astorga
  • Ponferrada
  • Villafranca del Bierzo
  • San Miguel de la Escalada, 10th century monastry
  • Sahagun 15th century churches
  • Grajal de Campos: Medieval castle, church and palace
  • Valdevimbre[http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valdevimbre]
  • Outside Leon province:
  • Zamora
  • Oviedo
  • Salamanca
  • <!--Dmoz:Europa/Espana/Comunidades Autonomas/Castilla y Leon/Leon/Municipios/Leon/-->