Attractions & Activities in Castilla-León

Castilla-León became one region in 1983, when the regions of Castilla la Vieja and León were united. Both were central areas of medieval Spain, and the impression left by this era is still evident in many of the cathedrals, monasteries, castles and fortificated towns throughout the region, many of which have been preserved in perfect state. Apart from its great wealth of historical architecture, Castilla-León also offers nuemerous natural parks and kilometers of stunning scenery.

In the 1st century A.D. the Roman Imperial authorities began to exploit the gold deposits in Carucedo near the city of León, using a technique based on hydraulic power. After two centuries of working the deposits, the Romans withdrew, leaving a scarred landscape. The dramatic remnance of this pioneering technology are visible as sheer faces in the mountainsides and the vast areas of tailings, now used for agriculture.

The monumental Roman aqueduct running through Segovia is one of the region's best architectural relics. It stretches from the walls of the old town to the edges of Sierra de Guadarrama river and is about 2950 feet long. It is one of the best preserved aqueducts in the world and was constructed using 20,400 rough-hewn massive granite blocks which have held fast for 2,000 years without the use of mortar or clamps.

The archaeological site at Atapuerta, 15 kilometres east of Burgos, is split up into 3 sites spread out over 2km of an old railway cutting. Evidence of Early and Middle Pleistocene occupation as well as Homo Antecessor & Homo Heidelbergensis remains indicate that there were inhabitants at Atapuerta up to 800,000 years ago.

Guided tours are available in July, August and September.

One of the most stunning protected reserves in Spain is the Sierra de Gredos, between the provinces of Ávila, Caceres and Salamanca. This beautiful mountain range has peaks reaching up to nearly 2600m, starting at the Cerro de Guisando in the East and stretching some 135 km to the West. The Sierra de Gredos marks the border between the plains of Castille, where little villages are built in red brick around churches, and the Caceres white Moorish villages. The Gredos mountains are very accessible being approximately 2 hours from Valladolid. They are also within easy reach of Ávila, Salamanca and Segovia.

Plaza de la Reina Victoria Eugenia
40003 Segovia
Tel: +34 921 46 07 59 or +34 921 46 04 52
Fax: +34 921 46 07 55

The site of the Alcázar of Segovia, on the top of a rock shaped by the rivers Eresma and Clamores, is located in the old city of Segovia. The oldest records available of the Alcázar is a document dating from the early days of the 12th century (1122). It is probable that the fortress had existed before that during the Roman occupation, because granite blocks similar to those of the Aqueduct in Segovia have been found in the course of recent excavations.

Opening Hours
April to September 10am - 7pm
October to March 10am - 6pm
October: Friday & Saturday: Summer opening hours - Rest of the week: Winter opening hours

C/ Cadenas de San Gregorio, 1, 2 & 3
47011 Valladolid
Tel: +34 983 25 40 83
Fax: +34 983 25 93 00

The National Sculpture Museum in Valladolid has one of the finest and most important collections of religious wooden sculptures, as well as religious paintings, in Spain. This museum is housed within a splendid Flemish Gothic style building, one of the most outstanding buildings in Valladolid. The thirty rooms of the Museum, with beautiful timber ceilings, contain many fine works of polychrome carving and gilded sculpture made by artists from the 16th and 17th centuries including Alonso Berruguete and Gregorio Fernández.

Opening Hours
21 September to 20 March; Tuesday - Saturday: 10am - 2pm and from 4pm - 6pm
21 March to 20 September; Tuesday - Saturday: 10am - 2pm and from 4pm - 9pm
Sundays and holidays from 10ma - 2pm
Closed on Mondays and on the following local and national holidays: January 1st and 6th, May 1st, September 8th, December 24th, 25th and 31st.

Avenida de los Reyes Leóneses, 24
24008 León
Tel: +34 987 09 00 00
Fax: +34 987 09 11 11

The MUSAC, Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Castilla-León, located in the city of León, was created with the aim of becoming a "Museum of the Present" with the aim to developing contemporary art on a national and international level.

Opening Hours
Tuesdays to Sundays: 10am - 3pm / 4pm - 9pm
Closed on Mondays