Spain – Leon – Part I (En)

León is a city with so much to see that I had to divide it into two parts. Apart from its magnificent architecture, such as the Gothic cathedral and the Basilica of San Isidoro, it also has impressive gastronomy, with numerous restaurants and tapas bars in the historic Barrio Húmedo.

Where to stay

There are three motorhome parking areas in León. We chose the one on Avenida de Peregrinos (42.60442, -5.584698 lat, long) because it’s next to a shopping centre with a Mercadona and a laundromat nearby, and because it allows RVs up to 8 meters in length. All areas cost €5 and are paid for via an app or at the parking machine in the area. I recommend placing the ticket on the windshield, as inspectors pass by several times a day. The areas have emptying and filling points for grey and black water, as well as trash cans. This area has 23 RV spaces, and the rest is a car park. The problem is that cars park in front of the RVs, making it quite difficult to leave. We left very early when there were no cars in front. This particular area has a park right next to it for walking dogs and is very close to the León Museum, a 5-minute walk away, and from there, another 10 minutes to the cathedral, etc. A motorhome mechanic passes by this area and leaves his phone number; it was handy for us, as you’ll see in the second part of the blog.

What to see

We first went to see the León Museum at the San Marcos Convent, since it was very close. To get there, you pass through a roundabout with a very cool little plane. The museum is free, and inside you can see the different rooms used in the convent, such as the prison where Quevedo was imprisoned for being a Knight of Santiago, the church with its two sacristies, designed by El Mozo in 1549, and the cloister, where the tombstones and graves of the Knights of Santiago are located.

From there, we went to see the 10th-century Romanesque Basilica of San Isidoro, famous for its frescoes and royal tombs. And the 13th-century Gothic Cathedral of León, with its towers and flying buttresses. We were able to enter the basilica chapel, but not the cathedral itself.

And going down the street, you reach the square where Gaudí’s Dragon House and the Old Town Hall are located. The square is very lively with tourists, a small train that takes you around the city, and bars and restaurants. In the square in front of the Old Town Hall, a lion is emerging from a sewer in the ground!

In the second part of the blog, we went to the historic Barrio Húmedo, famous for its bars and restaurants serving free tapas made with local products, which you can see in the next blog.