Things to do
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Basilica of San Isidoro
Painted vaults in the Royal Pantheon, beneath this Romanesque basilica, are the reason to come: twelfth century frescoes of the seasons, the shepherds and the farming year, still bright on low ceilings. The pantheon is seen with the museum ticket, which also covers the treasury and its agate chalice. Photography is not allowed in the pantheon, and the basilica church itself stays open for worship.
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Casa Botines
Gaudí designed this turreted granite building as a draper's warehouse and flats, one of his few works outside Catalonia. Inside, a museum covers the building and its architect, with rooms restored to their original layout and a collection of Spanish painting upstairs. A bronze Gaudí sits on a bench outside, and the museum visit takes about an hour.
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Episcopal Palace of Astorga
Gaudí drew this fairytale palace of grey granite for the bishops of Astorga, about fifty kilometres west of León on the Camino. It now houses the Museum of the Ways, with pilgrim art and religious sculpture, and Gaudí's stained glass and brick vaults upstairs. Astorga is an easy day trip by train or bus. Combine it with the cathedral next door and a plate of cocido maragato.
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Las Médulas
Red peaks and hollowed hills rise from chestnut woods here, the landscape left by Roman gold mining that washed away whole mountains with channelled water. Trails lead to the galleries and tunnels, and the Mirador de Orellán gives the classic view over the ridges. A car is needed, as the site lies in El Bierzo far west of León. Allow half a day, and come in late afternoon light.
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León Cathedral
Stained glass fills almost every wall of this Gothic cathedral, and on a sunny morning the nave turns red, blue and gold. The windows cover close to 1,800 square metres, so binoculars help with the upper rows. Allow over an hour, buy the ticket that includes the cloister, and check the timetable first, because visits pause during services.
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MUSAC
Glass panels in dozens of colours, taken from a cathedral window, cover the facade of this contemporary art museum on the edge of the centre. Inside, large white halls hold rotating exhibitions of recent Spanish and international art, so what is on changes through the year. It is a short taxi or a twenty minute walk from the old town, and the exhibition programme is posted on the museum's site.
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Museo de León
Archaeology, carved ivory and medieval art from across the province fill the provincial museum on Plaza de Santo Domingo. The prize is the small ivory Christ of Carrizo, a Romanesque piece set in its own case. Labels are mostly in Spanish. An hour is enough for the main floors, and the building sits on the route between the old town and Casa Botines.
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Palacio de los Guzmanes
Renaissance stonework frames the facade of this sixteenth century palace, which now houses the provincial government beside Casa Botines. The arcaded courtyard and the grand stair are the parts worth seeing. Access is mostly by guided visit, so check times with the tourist office first. The corner tower and the carved window grilles can be seen from the street at any hour.
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Parador de León
San Marcos, a former pilgrims' hospital beside the Bernesga River, now runs as a state parador behind one of the finest plateresque facades in Spain. Rooms are split between the old monastery and a modern wing, so ask which one when booking. The church and cloister sit at the end of the riverside walk from the old town. Book ahead for weekends and Holy Week.
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Plaza Mayor
Arcades enclose this square on all four sides, with the old town hall on one flank and balconies above that once served as seats for bullfights. Market stalls set up on certain mornings, and the arcade bars put out tables in the evening. It is a short walk from the cathedral, and half an hour covers the square and its arcades.
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Walls of León
Roman soldiers laid out the city inside these walls, and long stretches still stand, reworked in the Middle Ages with round towers. The best runs are along Calle Carreras and near San Isidoro, where a section of wall walk is open to visitors. Walking the outside of the circuit takes under an hour and passes the cathedral and the basilica.
