LEON REST DAY SUGGESTIONS THEN ON TO SAN MARTIN del CAMINO – 25 KM WALK.

With the best part of a day and a half to explore and enjoy this iconic Pilgrimage city, there are a variety of options to suit all interests.

Catedral de Santa Maria de Leon “ Step inside this Gothic gem into a Cezanne – like swirl of saturated colours coming through the stained glass” BB. Let’s hope the sun is shining.

“León’s 13th-century cathedral, with its soaring towers, flying buttresses and breathtaking interior, is the city’s spiritual heart. Whether spotlit by night or bathed in glorious northern sunshine, the cathedral, arguably Spain’s premier Gothic masterpiece, exudes a glorious, almost luminous quality. The show-stopping facade has a radiant rose window, three richly sculpted doorways and two muscular towers. The main entrance is lorded over by a scene of the Last Supper, while an extraordinary gallery of vidrieras (stained-glass windows) awaits inside.” WANDERLOG.COM

Specialty Museum – The Sierra-Pambley Museum is dedicated to the Leonese bourgeois elite of the 19th century and their lifestyle. The museum features original furnishings and fittings, such as patterned wallpaper, luxurious carpets and gilt-edged mirrors. The collection also includes paintings, sculptures, objets d’art and manuscripts.

Museo Catedralicio Diocesano de León is a small but very interesting museum inside the Leon Cathedral. It has a great collection of religious art, including paintings, sculptures, and stained glass. The cloisters are also worth exploring, as are the royal tombs in the crypt. You can visit the Cloister and at the same time you can see different works. There is even a little game inside investigation. You can also see the statues that should be on the façade of the cathedral but for one reason or another they are there and not on the façade. The good thing is that it is next to the cathedral and if you buy the joint ticket it will be cheaper. It is a mandatory visit if you pass through Leon. GOOGLE TRANSLATION

Farmacia Merino, Dra. María José Alonso Núñez (Translated by Google) You walk past it without noticing it, and yet this pharmacy is a work of art from 1827. You can go inside to admire this wooden establishment, of course by asking the pharmacists for permission. There is no word to write this work…..Compeed,Ibruprofen anyone?

El Escribano (Translated by Google) El Escribano is the most beautiful and interesting store in León. It is entering medieval Spain at the hands of Antonio Suárez Gordón.

Parque Del Cid It’s old full of trees, cozy, cool and shadowy in the scorching summer evenings, right in the centre of town, surrounded by nice bars where you can have a quick bite. I’d say go and enjoy it.

Daniel Alonso — Google review

Panteón Real Attached to the Real Basílica de San Isidoro, the stunning Panteón Real houses royal sarcophagi, which rest with quiet dignity beneath a canopy of some of the finest Romanesque frescos in Spain. Colourful motifs of biblical scenes drench the vaults and arches of this extraordinary hall, held aloft by marble columns with intricately carved capitals. The pantheon also houses a small museum where you can admire the shrine of San Isidoro, a mummified finger(!) of the saint and other treasures.

Basílica de San Isidoro Even older than León’s cathedral, the Real Basílica de San Isidoro provides a stunning Romanesque counterpoint to the former’s Gothic strains. Fernando I and Doña Sancha founded the church in 1063 to house the remains of the saint, as well as the remains of themselves and 21 other early Leónese and Castilian monarchs. Sadly, Napoleon’s troops sacked San Isidoro in the early 19th century, but there’s still plenty to catch the eye.

Museo de San Isidoro Incredible place in a beautiful city. The staff are so helpful and pleasant to talk to. They obviously take great pride in the place and want to share it’s history with visitors. They offer information in English for visitors to read .

For the evenings’ entertainment and delectation there is only one destination – The Barrio Húmedo is located in the Spanish city of León and is part of its Old Town. The name roughly translates as the ‘Wet District’, so called because of the number of bars and pubs located in the area. The Barrio Húmedo is a circular area in the centre of the city, running from Las Cercas street, up to Calle Ancha and across from La Rua to Caño Badillo street. At its centre sits the lively Plaza de San Martín,

I could not resist the temptation to include two places renowned for their food and drink, just to give a flavour of what to expect.

El Rebote

If you like croquetas (deep-fried croquettes), then you’ll love El Rebote, as it’s famous for them. Instead of regular croqueta flavours such as ham or mushroom, they have innovative varieties such as pizza, beef or even jalapeño chili pepper.

Plaza San Martín, 9, León, Spain

El Rincon Gaucho

This cute little bar offers a limited number of tapas options, which are all equally tasty. Try the traditional Leonese sopa de ajo (garlic soup). Thick and fragrant, it’s made from crusty bread and roasted garlic.

Calle de la Azabachería 1, León, Spain

San Martin del Camino, at the end of the next day’s saunter will come as a complete contrast to Leon with less than 400 inhabitants! “ Leaving Leon….you will cross the bridge over the Bernesga river , and pass a small tree- covered park,where hens and roosters roam. The Camino then continues west. This is perhaps one of the road’s ugliest,most industrial stretches, though the people along it are very nice. If you wish to skip the 7.7 KM of walking on pavement, the bus…with “ Virgen del Camino” noted on its digital sign,stops at the corner where Avenida de la Magdalena opens up after the first traffic roundabout,just after passing the park ( a hardware store, Ferreteria El Crucero, is across the street). You’ll see a small sign on the sidewalk and a large white BUS painted on the asphalt. Buses run every half hour. The bus drops you off on the Camino in La Virgen del Camino”. BB Useful and very detailed information

“La Virgen del Camino is named for the miraculous sighting of the Virgen by a local shepherd. His vision has been translated into sculptures several times by artists…the sculptures are stunning and bear a resemblance to La Piedad by Michelangelo, with the exception that Jesus is facing downwards.

“ When you get to the Basilica de la Virgen del Camino you will cross the busy road and continue on a small access road. In 300 metres you are presented with a choice between two routes . The painting of yellow arrows here is confusing, and there is zero official signage to indicate your options.” WP SR is more forthright, in his opinion it is the result of “ Disgraceful Competition” . The numerous signs have been painted by the owners of local businesses! WP recommends taking THE SCENIC ROUTE “ and it adds <3KM to your journey. It is considerably more pleasant and there are now plenty of services and albergues along the way “ . However, a look at the map shows that this route does not go through San Martin, our destination, but bypasses it by some distance . It would seem we should take the original historical path with the N 120 on the right. DECISIONS,DECISIONS….

JB’ s maps indicate a cafe/ bar in Valverde Casa Camino and BB describes two options further on in Villadongos del Paramo,” just before exiting town,there’s a good bakery and general store Hermanos Garcia to your right that sells provisions , including fresh baked goods,fresh fruits and vegetables,olives,cheeses and cold cuts…”

“ Villadangos del Paramo is known as the site where Queen Urraca of Leon and Castile fought a battles against her husband,Alfonso I of Aragon, in 1111” BB It’s a complicated story but well worth researching . “ Every August the the town people stage a re- creation of the famous battle called La Mantanza )

Not sure if the Covid masks are original!

BB tells us that we’ll “ next cross over the irrigation canal, Canal de Villadongos, followed by a wild wooded park ( you may ) get a glimpse a lot of bird life , including hawks, for nearly 2 kilometres before returning to run parallel with N 120, crossing to the left side of the road”.

SAN MARTIN del CAMINO “ is a quiet farming village …Nothing remains of the original 13 th century pilgrim town or the 17 th century hospice that stood right on the main street, calle real. The church is from 1963, though the bell tower survives from the 1600s” BB