We wanted to stop somewhere to break up our drive across northern Spain from southern France to the Douro Valley, Portugal. Burgos looked like a sensible choice. We thought it would be a dusty sleepy town with little to do. Instead, we were surprised to find Burgos – an unexpected treasure in northern Spain!
Burgos Old Town
It was a hot summer afternoon when we arrived. A blast of 43-degree heat accompanied us to our accommodation in the city’s old town. We waited patiently in the shade of a shopfront for our host who arrived 30 minutes later.
After settling in and undeterred by the heat, we went to the Tourist Office. Outside, the streets were still empty. A helpful staff member loaded us with information on everything we could do in the city. She encouraged us to take advantage of the complimentary entrance to monuments on Tuesdays.
Plaza Mayor
Temperatures were still high so the best thing to do was find the city’s Plaza Mayor for a cool beverage. The Plaza is eye-catching with its colourful facades and arcaded buildings including the Town Hall. People had started to emerge for an evening walk and to gather in the square.
We found a tapas bar in the Plaza to enjoy a thirst-quenching Sangria. A light breeze encouraged us to remain there for our evening meal to enjoy watching people coming and going. However, an alternative had to be found. The bar’s kitchen was closed due to a staff shortage.
Leaving reluctantly, we settled for a simple burger and fries meal at Goiko (they offer vegetarian and vegan options) in another pretty plaza, Plaza Alonso-Martinez.
Plaza Santa Maria and Cathedral de Burgos
Lured by the soothing sounds of the handpan we walked to Plaza Santa Maria after dinner and stared in awe at the stunning Cathedral de Burgos. The Plaza was bustling with locals, Spanish tourists, and Camino de Santiago pilgrims.
The Gothic Cathedral was built between 1221 and 1567 replacing the original 9th-century church. Inside you’ll find numerous decadent chapels and ornate altarpieces. It is also the burial place of El Cid, a famous Castillian leader during the 11th century
The queue to enter was long including plenty of Camino pilgrims who had arrived after an arduous day of walking. The Cathedral is considered one of the five most emblematic churches on the Camino. We decided to forego a visit inside the Cathedral during this visit as we expected to return to Burgos when walking the full Camino de Santiago the following year. Instead, we enjoyed circumnavigating the Cathedral several times admiring its beautiful exterior during our stay.
The following morning, we arrived in the Plaza to find it transformed for the start of the Vuelta a Burgos, an elite annual cycling race. The Cathedral was even more stunning in daylight.
Castillo de Burgos
Our next stop was the Castillo de Burgos ruins located at the top of a small hill accessed from behind the Cathedral. The castle was built in the 9th century because of its strategic location. Today visitors walk to the Mirador (lookout) which provides panoramic views over the city, the Cathedral and beyond.
The 10-15 minute walk up to the Castillo is along pleasant paved pathways and a roadside surrounded by trees. At the halfway point preparations for the Vuelta competition were being made. The Vuelta cyclists traverse the hill as part of the race course.
Arco de Santa Maria
Returning to ground level, we continued through Plaza Santa Maria to the Arco de Santa Maria. It was one of the twelve original medieval entrances into the old town.
An exhibition space inside the arch hosts temporary art and cultural exhibitions.
The stone facade on the riverside is the highlight of the archway. The carvings represent some of the city’s noble figures and leaders in history.
Paseo de Marceliana Sana Maria
From the Arco, we continued through a tree-lined park, Paseo de Marceliano Santa Maria running beside the River Arlanzon. It’s a pretty spot shaded by trees and lined with bench seats where locals sit amongst statues of historical figures. It’s the perfect place to stop for a rest on a hot day.
Statue of El Cid and Puente de San Pablo
Further on, we found the legendary Spanish hero El Cid statue standing in the middle of Plaza del Mio Cid. Traffic circles the statue to access the surrounding streets and the grand Teatro Principal stands on one side. The theatre was refurbished and revived in 1997 after being in ruins for 50 years.
Puente de San Pablo was a short distance away and is one of twelve bridges crossing the Arlanzon River. Flooding of the river over the centuries has meant that the bridge has been rebuilt many times. On the walk over the bridge we were accompanied by statues of central figures related to El Cid called the Ciclo Cidian.
Museum of Human Evolution
The Museum of Human Evolution is on the other side of Puente de San Pablo. It holds archaeological finds from Atapuerca, where the oldest human remains in Europe were found. We decided to forego a visit and instead walked along the riverside path towards the Miraflores Monastery which is 4km outside of Burgos.
Monasterio de Santa Maria la Real delas Huelgas
Our morning walk the next day took us through leafy suburbs and to the Monasterio de las Huelgas. The monastery of Cistercian nuns is located 1.5km west of the city. Founded in the 12th century, it’s a beautiful tranquil Romanesque church and monastery complex. The museum houses medieval textiles and royal tombs. The Codex of the Huelgas, a rare musical manuscript dating back to the 14th century is one of the monastery’s prized possessions.
Across from Plaza del Compas, we loved the old homes and shopfronts on Calle Alfonso VIII. It felt like we’d stepped back in time. There was not a soul around when we walked along the street.
Exploring the famous Castilian vineyards
One hour south of Burgos is one of Spain’s greatest wine regions, Ribera del Duero. We drove through the countryside surrounded by vineyards to Bodega Portia, one of the area’s most renowned wineries. Much of the day was spent at the winery and vineyards sampling exquisite wines over lunch in their restaurant.
Whether or not you’re a wine connoisseur, we think it’s worthwhile visiting to see the extraordinary architecture of the wineries in the region.
Our accommodation
Our apartment advertised itself as “a special apartment in the historical centre of Burgos” It was large, modern, comfortable, clean and true to the description on a beautiful street lined with shops at ground level and apartments with glass-enclosed patios in the heart of the old town.
Where to sample the best tapas
Calle Avellanos in the heart of Burgos is lined with tapas bars. We thoroughly enjoyed our evening at La Comtienda and highly recommend it. We sat outside to journal over pre-dinner drinks where each wine or beer ordered was accompanied by tapas. For dinner, we went inside for a variety of delectable share plates.
Burgos – an unexpected treasure in northern Spain
Our perception that northern Spanish towns are sleepy towns with little to offer was changed by our stay in Burgos. Burgos is an elegant city with a historical centre filled with beautiful 15th and 16th-century buildings to explore, unique regional cuisine and exquisite wines.
With much still left to explore we were excited to be returning while walking the full Camino de Santiago the following year.
If you’re looking for a Spanish destination that remains undiscovered by international tourists, then Burgos is the city to visit. It’s a secret destination that only Spanish tourists know about.
We found Burgos to be an unexpected treasure in northern Spain!
