Valladolid is a reasonably large industrial city to the northwest of Madrid. It is the capital of Castile-Leon and a major regional center. The city has an older core with some interesting buildings. However it has focused more on industry than tourism. Nowadays the population of Valladolid is near 322,000 inhabitants.
Valladolid airport is 15 minutes from the city center. There's a daily bus shuttle to the city at 5:15AM, 4:15PM and 7:20PM. Timetable changes at weekends and holidays (Bus info: ''+34'' 983230033). [http://www.ryanair.com Ryanair] offers direct flights to Valladolid from London Stansted, Milano Bergamo and Brussels Charleroi. [http://www.airfrance.com Air France] offers direct flights to Valladolid from Paris. [http://www.iberia.com Iberia] offers direct flights to Valladolid from Barcelona and Malaga.
The most common way to reach Valladolid by train is from Madrid (check the Spanish rail company, [http://www.renfe.es Renfe]). ?11-?30. There is a high speed Spanish train AVE that connect Madrid and Valladolid (200 km) in less than an hour. Purchasing the ticket by Internet in advance (at least 15 days) the price is 12? (Jan. 2008). There are train connections to other places.
[http://www.alsa.es Alsa] provides a regular bus line from Madrid. Fares are similar to rail (11-20?).
Valladolid has a good bus service, but you can easily get around the city center on foot.
The best cultural thing that Valladolid has is the polychrome wood museum (Museo de Escultura). Some of the sculptures are used during the Easter holidays when Valladolid becomes a famous city because of its religious traditions. You cannot miss it.
Next to the museum there is the San Pablo church with a beautiful facade. Not far away (3 minutes walking) you can find the Antigua church, representing the Romanesque style in Valladolid. You also have the San Benito church in the city center which deserves a visit.
One of the oldest and most interesting areas is the area beside San Martin Church. Really old, all the streets surrounding the area have a special charm.
The cathedral is unfinished because the architect Juan de Herrera was called to build The Escorial. You can see one of the main towers missing.
The main square is attractive, and hasn't suffered too much over the years. Nearby the market hall has an attractive design in iron.
There is a park between the railway station and the center called Campo Grande which is very attractive and worth a wander through. The park alongside the river is less impressive and not really recommended.
If you are able to visit the city in Holy Week, you will find and discover one of the most great religious traditions of Spain. In Valladolid, the Holy Week is deeply emotional. Its processions are normally in silence, only with music played by the very people who are in the procession. The art that you can see these days on the street is of incalculable value.
You can buy typical sweets of the city or the province, like "Mantecados de Portillo". You can buy, of course, the best wine of Spain, because in Valladolid there are the most famous wines in the world, like the "Vega Sicilia". But you have a lot of delightful wines at all prices. (See Drink)
In the city center, you can find many restaurants. Castilla y Leon is known for suckling pig and suckling lamb. In Valladolid, the suckling lamb is more famous, and there are restaurants where you go exclusively to eat lamb and the waiters ask you just for the drinks.
You can also find good places to eat suckling pig. Valladolid has been getting into the tapas culture in recent years. Unfortunately you have to pay for tapas everywhere in Valladolid. There are many cities in Spain where the tapas are for free with your drink. There is a tapas competition between Valladolid bars that is held once a year. It is so successful that the Council created a national competition in 2005. If you want to visit Valladolid for a weekend it is worth to check when the tapas competition will be held.
You get another good chance at the beginning of September when the festival takes places. All the pubs put bars in the street, and next to the Stadium you can find marquees from different Spanish areas where you can taste all the typical and famous Spanish dishes.
You find good tapas bars in the old part of the city center, but one favorite is in Calle Correos, behind the Council building. This pub won the tapas competition one year.