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/].
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.
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
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]
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.
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'''.
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