Spain – Palencia (En)

Palencia is a city in the Community of Castilla y León that dates back to the 11th century. A small provincial capital located halfway between Burgos and Valladolid. It has a historic, pedestrian and lively centre. Abundant green areas and an impressive cathedral, the third largest in Spain in terms of area.

Where to stay

We stayed at the ACYLA motorhome area (42.010553, -4.545727 lat, long) in front of a gas station. The area is free and at the gas station, they give you a paper with the information for the free Wi-Fi, and a code to enter the toilets, shower and laundry. Electricity is 4 euros for 12 hours, we put in 8 euros and we had it for two whole days! There is also a water loading and unloading area; you can even wash the caravan! The location is great since in 5 minutes of walking along the Carrión River and crossing a very cute stone bridge you reach the centre of the city. By the way, in front of the area, there is a super good restaurant, free tapas with drinks, wine for 1.50 euros and delicious portions for 4.50 euros, we ate there both days!

What to see

We walked with Asha through a park where dogs can run loose and play, next to the Carrión River and we crossed a very beautiful stone bridge and you are now in the centre of the city. The first thing you find is a square where the impressive Cathedral is located with a Gothic exterior and a Renaissance altarpiece with paintings by Juan de Flandes. We were only able to enter the false transept because they were saying mass and we couldn’t go inside, a shame because inside there is a painting by El Greco: the martyrdom of Saint Sebastian, a plateresque stone altarpiece, a collection of tapestries from Brussels and the main altarpiece, one of the best works of the Spanish Renaissance.

Then we walked through the main street of Palencia, which is Calle Mayor, full of shops and emblematic buildings. Among the most recognizable buildings on Calle Mayor are: the Palencia Casino, with its red façade and porticoed façade, the Council of Accounts of Castilla y León or the Colegio de Villandrando, the most colorful on Calle Mayor.

Next to Calle Mayor is the Mayor Square, a favourite place for locals to meet. It was built in the 18th century and constitutes the leisure, commercial and administrative centre of the city. There is the city’s neoclassical-style town hall and a statue of Victorio Macho dedicated to Alonso Berruguete made in 1963. The square is rectangular and has low porticoed buildings with cafes and restaurants.

Next to the Mayor Square is the Church of San Francisco, built in the 13th century in Gothic style, with later Renaissance and Baroque additions. It was formerly the seat of the Cortes of Castile in the 13th and 14th centuries and the residence of monarchs and high leaders of the church as they passed through the city.

Then we continue walking through the streets where we find the Provincial Council building, the food market, and the Convent of the Claras built around the year 1400 in Gothic style, and famous for being the place where Zorrilla tells the story of Margarita la Tornera. Until we reach the Church of San Lázaro, a proto-Gothic temple, whose construction began in the 13th century. It was originally a leper hospital founded by El Cid Campeador in the 11th century.

Then we went to have something to drink and they gave us free tapas, scampi and prawns from Huelva, delicious!

We finished our visit at the Church of San Miguel, next to the Carrión River, with a large tower with battlements that make it look like a fortress. Although there are no records, tradition says that El Cid Campeador and Doña Jimena were married there. We finished the day having other free tapas a serving of Serrano ham and another of bacon with peppers at the bar in front of the caravan area. Very cheap and very good. We ate again the next day since the portions were 4.50 euros!

We said goodbye to Palencia and went to Valladolid, just 30 minutes from Palencia, with a history dating back to the 15th century and known for its medieval religious sites, where I met my cousins which you can see in the next post!