Circuit at your own pace on the Kingdom of León

1st Day. Origin - Zamora

Upon arrival at the chosen hotel we will check-in and get ready to enjoy the local culture.

We will take this day as free time to unpack our luggage and relax with a walk and a good overview of the city and its streets. After this free afternoon we will return to the hotel to be well rested for the next day with more action.

2nd Day. Guided Tour Zamora - Toro

After breakfast at the hotel today we will discover Zamora on a guided tour. Despite not standing out due to its size, it can boast of being the European city with the largest number of Romanesque temples, which has earned it the title of "City of the Romanesque" or "Pearl of the Romanesque".

Once the guided experience is over, we can go back to see what we liked the most or discover new areas. The route that we recommend starts from Santa Clara street where we can already appreciate both the aforementioned Romanesque of the Church of Santiago del Burgo to the modernism of Sagasta square. Thanks to the buildings in this square and several others that bathe the city, Zamora is included in the exclusive group of municipalities that make up the European Route of Modernism. Next we will find ourselves in the Plaza Mayor of Zamora, next to which is its most well-known street, Calle de Balborraz. Extremely steep, it was inhabited by artisans since the 10th century. Continuing through the historic center and passing through a multitude of churches and viewpoints over the Duero, we will arrive at the Cathedral of Zamora and its Castle, which are very close and offer spectacular views. We will eat in the city that has a large number of typical products and dishes for all tastes such as cheese, wine or Zamora-style rice.

In the afternoon, we will approach the nearby city of Toro, which is located on top of a hill above the Duero River. This town prospered during the Middle Ages both because of its border location and because of its wine production, which forged the popular quote by Alfonso IX, I have a Bull that gives me wine and a Lion that drinks it for me. The Paseo del Espolón that joins the Alcázar with its Collegiate Church provides beautiful views over the Toro plain.

3rd Day. Guided Tour Salamanca

New day in the selected accommodation. Once breakfast is over, we will prepare to explore Salamanca on a new guided tour. We will head south to go to the capital "charra". We will visit the historic center comfortably on foot. Some of the points that we will not miss are: the Plaza Mayor, one of the most beautiful in Spain, the famous Casa de las Conchas, the Old University of Salamanca, which is the oldest in Spain and the Hispanic world, and the third in Europe. , and the Cathedrals of Salamanca, the New and the Old, which rise together and have been declared a Historic-Artistic Site. But after the circuit there are many other lesser-known places such as Casa Lis, the Church and towers of the Clerecía or the Huerto de Calixto y Melibea that also deserve recognition.

At the end of our visit, we will return to our accommodation in Zamora to enjoy a well-deserved rest.

4th Day Arribes del Duero Natural Park / Sanabria Lake Natural Park - León

We will have breakfast at the hotel and after checking out we will choose between two proposals to spend the day in Nature.

With the first option we will go to the Portuguese city of Miranda do Douro. Here we will sail through the calm waters of the Duero on a guided river route in which we will be able to observe the spectacular vertical cliffs that delimit the border between Spain and Portugal. The great biological wealth means that the different seasonal changes offer a varied landscape throughout the year in this area recently integrated into the UNESCO World Network as a Transfrontier Biosphere Reserve.

Once the experience is over, we will walk and get to know the streets of Miranda do Douro, a city well known for its wonderful Portuguese dishes such as cod or Ossobuco.

With the second option, we will head to the Sanabria Lake National Park, whose jewel is Sanabria Lake, which can boast of being the largest glacial lake in the Iberian Peninsula. It is surrounded by forests on all four sides, the most abundant being those formed by Pyrenean oak. Here we will carry out an underwater interpretation of the glacial bottom of Lake Sanabria, aboard the first wind-solar catamaran in the world. Its glass deck allows you to observe the geology, fauna and flora of the lake. The best way to combine recreational science with sustainable tourism.

Later we will have free afternoon  to quietly walk the streets of Puebla de Sanabria. It is a beautiful stone town declared a Historic-Artistic Site and which always appears in all the rankings of the most beautiful towns in Spain.

Whatever our choice, we will end our day in León where our new accommodation awaits us. We will check-in upon arrival and relax for the night in the most comfortable way possible.

5th León - Las Medulas - Ponferrada - León

We will have breakfast at the accommodation in León and then we will leave for an excursion to Las Médulas. It is an impressive landscape environment due to the Roman gold exploitations. They are considered the largest open-pit gold mine in the entire Roman Empire and were declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1997. The system used to extract the gold considerably altered the site, resulting in an unusual landscape of reddish sands that once Once the mine was abandoned, it was covered again by native vegetation: oaks, brooms, holm oaks...

On the way back to León we will stop in Ponferrada. It is the second most populous city in the province and it is a good place to try the gastronomy of the area. The botillo is undoubtedly its star dish, but its roasted peppers and chestnuts also stand out. In addition, the capital of El Bierzo has a good number of monuments to enjoy, such as its Templar Castle, which began to be built in the 12th century and is today one of the best preserved in Spain, its Clock Tower or the Basilica Nuestra Señora de la Holm oak.

When we are ready we will return to León to spend the night in our accommodation.

6th León - Astorga - León

After breakfast at the hotel today we will explore León on a guided tour. We will start with its cathedral, an exceptional Gothic temple that stands out for having one of the largest collections of medieval stained glass windows in the world.

Later we will see different places in the city such as the Casa Botines, the work of the Catalan architect Antonio Gaudí, the Palacio de los Guzmanes or the Convento de San Marcos, which today houses the Parador de Turismo.

To eat, we recommend going to the well-known neighborhood of El Húmedo to discover the different bars and tapas, something very typical in León. The most popular pintxos and tapas are cold cuts, spicy chips, croquettes or blood sausage.

Once we finish we will approach the monumental Astorga. It is a city forged over two millennia beginning with the settlement of Roman military troops. We will tour the town feeling its long history in every corner, from its museum and Roman route to its urban art murals, passing through its Plaza Mayor, its cathedral or the Episcopal Palace. This last work by the Catalan architect Gaudí provides today the most characteristic image of Astorga.

Finished our walk through Astorga we will return to León to rest properly.

7th León - Origin

We have breakfast and check - out at the hotel to leave it. If you chose to rent the car, it will be left in the indicated place.

We wish you a safe journey back and that you have enjoyed these days in Castilla.

• In case of traveling with your own car, the meeting point will be the first accommodation booked in Zamora.
• Check-in: Since 12:00 a.m., at your choice.

• It is advisable to always wear comfortable clothing and comfortable shoes in any type of experience and visit. Some of the routes are longer than others and it would be a good idea to plan departure times well in advance.
• Be careful on the road, the trip and visits are enjoyed more calmly and on time.
• There is a possibility of change this itinerary if you wish in case you come with your own car.

• 7 days / 6 nights in bed and breakfast basis 

• 3 nights in Zamora

• 3 nights in León

• Guided tour of León

• Guided tour of Zamora

• Guided tour of Salamanca

• Arribes del Duero Environmental Cruise or Sanabria Lake environmental cruise

• Free Cancellation Insurance (up to 30 coverages)

* The circuit includes one of these two activities to choose from: Arribes del Duero Environmental Cruise or Sanabria Lake environmental cruise

**The price does not include the entrance to the Cathedral of León. If you wish to make a visit inside the guide will help you get the ticket at the beginning of the tour

HOW TO FORMALISE YOUR RESERVATION

Our travel agency advised to book minimum 15 days in advance for a better management. It remains feasible to book this gateway although is made less than 15 days. However it is advisable to do it with more time in advance.

A deposit of 60€ will be required so as to formalise the reservation.

Once your reservation has been formalised, shortly after, our team will be in contact with you to specify all of the details. Once the reservation is finalised, we will send you all the information for your compliance.

Once all the services have been booked and confirmed, the client must make full payment minus the deposit paid in advance, 15 days before the beginning date. In case the reservation has been formalised less than 15 days before starting date, the client must paid in full the total amount

NO CANCELLATION FEE up to 7 days before beginning date. In this case, we will refund the total amount paid as deposit. Up to 7 days before the start date, there is no cancellation fee. In the unlikely event that it gets cancel, the deposit will get refund in full.

If you require any further information, please contact us via email info@getingalicia.com or mobile/whatsapp (+34) 639 935 925  

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