Camino a Santiago: Rest day in León

Of all the city’s I’ve spent a rest day in so far in, León is the one that feels the most like an actual city. What I mean by that is that it’s not just a big tourist center, but a place where people live and work and play. Mind you, there are still a ton of tourists. But not just Pilgrims. I really enjoyed that about León. While I do like the pilgrim vibe, sometimes it gets a bit wearing and you want to see “normal” folks out and about. In the smaller towns we mostly stop in that’s not a thing because they are for the most part, what is known as ”empty Spain”; unsettled villages, populated by a handful of folks who make their living off of pilgrims walking along the Camino a Santiago.

Anyway, back to León. As in Burgos, I knew I would have to pick just a couple of places to focus my attention on rather than try and fail to see the whole city. Having done my laundry when I arrived yesterday (that on its own was quite an adventure), I could truly take advantage of the day, so after a late breakfast I set off for the historic center with three goals in mind: The Basilica de San Isidoro, its museum specifically, Gaudi’s Casa Botines and the León Cathedral.

The Basilica is very interesting. Tracing its roots back to the 10th Century there is a room within what they call the Sistine Chapel of the Romanic era. The frescoes are wonderfully preserved. Sadly no picture-taking is allowed, so you’ll have to believe me.

The Cathedral is simply stunning. I think it’s my favorite so far along the Camino. While the Burgos Cathedral is beyond impressive, especially on the outside, the stained glass in León is magnificent. What is somewhat mind-boggling is that back when it was being constructed there were probably nearly as many people involved in building the Cathedral as lived in the City. Reminded me a bit of the story behind Ken Follet’s book Pillars of the Earth.

Having taken longer in the Cathedral than I envisioned (I was kicked out before I was done), and already hungry, I decided it was time for lunch. Sarah and I had agreed to meet up and after a drink and tapa in the Barrio Romántico, we were back at our haunts from the previous night, this time looking for something more substantial. We randomly picked on one of the restaurants on the square based on which one had more clientele, and settled in for an enjoyable meal, in spite of the scorching heat.

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Accommodation: Parador San Marcos. Whether you stay here or not, the Parador has a historic section of what used to be the convent which is open to visitors and an absolute must when in León.

Pre-Meal drink: Vermutería Cervantes 10. Really enjoyed the ambiance here and the free tapa. Unfortunately their restaurant was only open for dinner, so we went elsewhere in search of a proper meal. I hear their food is excellent though.

Lunch: Mesón Jabugo. The food was good, but not exceptional. I think at this point I was starting to tire of the repetitiveness of Spanish Tapas in the Castilla y León area. I did however enjoy the location and service. My favorite dish was the fried calamari, which are much larger than what we are used to in the U.S.