Castilla y León Guide

Castilla y León is Spain's central plateau and has 112 historical sites, nearly 400 museums, over 200 castles and 11 cathedrals and boasts many great cities including the medieval city of Segovia, with its Roman aqueduct and famous, fairy-tale Alcázar castle, thought to be an inspiration for the Disney version.

Castilla y León, often described as 'the most travelled, least visited' part of Spain, is one of the largest regions in Europe at 94,193 square Km, and is made up of the provinces of Ávila, Burgos, León, Palencia, Salamanca, Segovia, Soria, Valladolid & Zamora. All the provinces are well connected with the rest of Spain by a modern network of highways, main roads, and a broad railway network.

Castilla y León has a rich and varied landscape, a tenth of which has been designated as being of 'outstanding environmental value' and is protected by the REN (Red de Espacios Naturales, open space watch network) of the Regional Government.

There are five internationally acknowledged denominations of wine within the the region, Ribera de Duero, Rueda, Toro, Bierzo and Cigales to sample while visiting.

Also worth visiting is charming Burgos with its typical northern Castilian ambience and its dominating Gothic cathedral, and enchanting Salamanca with its little streets brimming with history and life, many palaces and churches and the beautiful Plaza Mayor.

There are also spectacular nature reserves, lovely river valleys and Roman antiquities to be discovered.

Map of Castilla y León