must30
Español
The Alcázar of Segovia on its rock at dusk, with the cathedral tower behind
A stretch of Ávila's granite wall and towers beside a tree-lined road
The openwork Gothic spires and the octagonal lantern tower of Burgos Cathedral
The long walls of Peñafiel Castle along the ridge above the town
Paired Romanesque columns framing the garden of the cloister of Santo Domingo de Silos

Things to do in Castile and León, from Ávila to Burgos

Updated Leer en español

Up next

Photo: Rafa Esteve, CC BY-SA 4.0

Ávila (walls; entrances at the Casa de las Carnicerías, Puerta del Alcázar and Puerta del Puente)

Walk on top of the medieval walls of Ávila

Check dates and prices

Photo: Carlos Delgado, CC BY-SA 3.0

Catedral de Burgos (Plaza de Santa María)

Find El Cid's tomb and the Papamoscas in Burgos Cathedral

Check dates and prices

Photo: Jebulon, CC0

Castillo de Peñafiel, Museo Provincial del Vino (Ribera del Duero)

Tour Peñafiel's ship-shaped castle and its wine museum

Photo: Hector Blanco de Frutos, CC BY 2.5

Abadía de Santo Domingo de Silos (Burgos province)

Hear Gregorian chant at Silos and see its Romanesque cloister

Photo: Jl FilpoC, CC BY-SA 4.0

Castile and León is Spain's largest region, the high plateau north of Madrid, a land of castles, cathedrals and walled towns. Three of its cities have their own pages: Segovia, with the aqueduct and the Alcázar; Salamanca, the golden university city; and León, with its stained glass cathedral and free tapas.

This page covers the main sights in the rest of the region. Ávila is still wrapped in its complete medieval walls; Burgos has a Gothic cathedral listed by UNESCO on its own, with El Cid buried under its lantern; outside Burgos, the Atapuerca dig is rewriting the story of the first Europeans. In the Ribera del Duero, Peñafiel's ship-shaped castle holds a wine museum, and in the hills south of Burgos, the monks of Silos still sing Gregorian chant beside one of the finest Romanesque cloisters in Europe.

Places in this region

6 things to do in Castile and León

We earn a commission when you book through our GetYourGuide links, at no extra cost to you.

A stretch of Ávila's granite wall and towers beside a tree-lined road

Walk on top of the medieval walls of Ávila

Ávila (walls; entrances at the Casa de las Carnicerías, Puerta del Alcázar and Puerta del Puente)

Half a day with the old townGo alone or with a tour

Walk on top of a complete medieval wall of granite, 87 towers around the old town of Ávila.

Check dates and pricesÁvila walls and Segovia in a day from Madrid
The openwork Gothic spires and the octagonal lantern tower of Burgos Cathedral

Find El Cid's tomb and the Papamoscas in Burgos Cathedral

Catedral de Burgos (Plaza de Santa María)

2 hoursGo alone or with a tour

El Cid's tomb under a star-vaulted lantern and an automaton that opens its mouth as it strikes the hours.

Check dates and pricesEl Cid day from Madrid with Burgos Cathedral entry
Archaeologists working on the layered red earth of the Gran Dolina site at Atapuerca

Visit the Atapuerca dig where the first Europeans were found

Sierra de Atapuerca, visits from Burgos (Museo de la Evolución Humana)

A full day with the museumTimed entry

Walk a railway cutting that sliced through caves full of bones, where Homo antecessor turned up in levels about 850,000 years old.

The long walls of Peñafiel Castle along the ridge above the town

Tour Peñafiel's ship-shaped castle and its wine museum

Castillo de Peñafiel, Museo Provincial del Vino (Ribera del Duero)

Half a day, a day with a wineryBook ahead

A castle so long and narrow it is called the ship of Castile, with a wine museum inside and vineyards all around.

Paired Romanesque columns framing the garden of the cloister of Santo Domingo de Silos

Hear Gregorian chant at Silos and see its Romanesque cloister

Abadía de Santo Domingo de Silos (Burgos province)

Half a dayNo booking needed

A two-storey Romanesque cloister with a tall cypress, and monks whose Gregorian chant became a worldwide hit in 1994.

The two tiers of arches of the Roman aqueduct over the Plaza de la Artillería in Segovia

Stand under Segovia's Roman aqueduct, then see it from above

Segovia

An hour at the aqueduct, a day for SegoviaFree

167 granite arches held together without mortar, reaching 28.1 metres, and it costs nothing to stand beneath them.

Plan your trip

  • Which destination for what

    For a day trip from Madrid with the most to see, Segovia. For a lively student city and the finest Plaza Mayor, Salamanca. For stained glass, Romanesque painting and free tapas, León. For walking on medieval walls, Ávila. For the great Gothic cathedral and human evolution, Burgos with Atapuerca. For wine, Peñafiel and the Ribera del Duero. For Romanesque art and chant, Santo Domingo de Silos.

  • Getting around

    The region is huge, so pick a route. Segovia, León and Burgos are on high-speed lines from Madrid, and trains also reach Ávila and Salamanca, which makes a rail circuit possible. For Atapuerca, the guided visits include the bus to the sites. Peñafiel, Silos and the villages need a car; distances between towns are long and buses are sparse.

  • How many days

    In must30's view, ten days cover the region well: Segovia and Ávila from Madrid, two days in Salamanca, a day in León, two in Burgos with Atapuerca and Silos, and a day in the Ribera del Duero. A week covers Segovia, Ávila, Salamanca and one of León or Burgos.

  • When to go

    Spring and autumn are the best seasons on the plateau; winters are cold, with frost and sometimes snow, and summer days are hot. Holy Week is a major event across the region. The Camino de Santiago crosses Burgos and León provinces, and 2027 is a Holy Year, so expect more pilgrims. Use the free slots: Burgos Cathedral on Tuesday mornings and the Atapuerca sites on Wednesdays with booking.

Questions travellers ask

Which city is the best base in Castile and León?

It depends on the route. Salamanca is the liveliest place to stay for several nights; Burgos is the base for Atapuerca and Silos; Segovia and Ávila are often done from Madrid. A rail circuit of Segovia, Salamanca, León and Burgos works without a car.

Can I walk on the walls of Ávila?

Yes, along a good part of the circuit, from three entrances: the Casa de las Carnicerías, the Puerta del Alcázar and the Puerta del Puente. Entry costs €8, or €5 reduced, and in winter the walls close on Mondays.

How do you visit Atapuerca?

Only on a guided visit with an official ticket, booked in advance, which includes the bus to the sites; it costs €8 and is free on Wednesdays with booking. Combine it with the Museum of Human Evolution in Burgos, which shows the finds.

Other places to go

Things to do in Spain

Photo credits (7)