by Janis / 0 comments - Orginally published:3rd December 2024
In the heart of Castile and León, Spain
Our Spanish road trip adventures continue, and we’ve headed further north and arrived in the cultural city of Valladolid in the Castile and León region of Spain. This was going to be fun as English speakers were undoubtedly in the minority.
Our tour of Spain began in Bilbao, arriving from the UK on a Brittany Ferries. We’ve explored some magnificent places as we’ve journeyed through the backroads of Spain. We’ve visited Pamplona, Zaragoza, Teruel, the Palm Tree Groves of Elche, Murcia, Cartagena, Mojácar, Granada, the welcoming windmills of Consuegra and the historic hill-top city of Toledo.
We have a couple of days to explore Valladolid. Then we hit the road again and journey further north to visit Astorga and Burgos.
So, let’s explore Valladolid.
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Valladolid
Where is Valladolid?
How to get to Valladolid
- By Air
Start creating your own Spanish adventure and discover the delightful city of Valladolid for yourself.
The closest international airport is Madrid; search for your flights in one easy place with Booking.com and book your car rental all at the same time. This reliable travel search engine will scan for your favoured routes and chosen dates.
Where to stay in Valladolid
Sercotel Felipe IV
The hotel Sercotel Felipe IV in Valladolid is just a short stroll to Plaza de España and only a 10-minute walk from Plaza Mayor Square and Valladolid Cathedral.
The rooms are very comfortable and clean and perfect for a couple of nights’ stay. We chose to stroll out each morning for breakfast as we enjoy eating in local cafés.
Sercotel Felipe IV has an underground car park with access at the rear of the hotel; a daily charge is applied.
Pop your dates in the Booking.com search box and discover further options for all budgets.
A Brief History of Valladolid
A city of boundless cultureAlthough Valladolid has evidence of Roman settlement, it wasn’t until the 11th century that the city gained significant importance. In 1072, Alfonso VI gifted the Lordship of Valladolid to Count Pedro Ansúrez.
Valladolid was briefly the capital of Spain on two occasions, the first under the rule of Charles I in the 16th century and subsequently between 1601 and 1606 when Philip III came to the throne in the 17th century.
Plaza Mayor, Valladolid
The huge Plaza Mayor in Valladolid is believed to be the first Plaza Mayor of its kind in Spain. The present-day design from the mid-1500s became a model for future grand Plaza Mayors across Spain.
Valladolid also has one of the world’s oldest universities, which was established in 1241.
During the early 1600s, Valladolid was home to the famous author Miguel de Cervantes, who penned the renowned novel Don Quixote.
One hundred years earlier, the Italian explorer and navigator Christopher Columbus briefly lived in Valladolid, where he died in 1506. Columbus’s remains are now in a grand casket in Seville Cathedral.
Iglesia De San Benito
Present-day Valladolid has become a very popular city culturally, especially during Easter Holy Week when processions and parades are held through the historic streets. In addition, every October since 1956 Valladolid holds an International Film Festival, known as Seminci.
Majestic Plaza Mayor in Valladolid
In the heart of the old quarterOne of the first things I observed in Valladolid was that there appeared to be very few English-speaking tourists, which we love; it’s always great to be a fly on the wall. I’m certainly not saying that I don’t enjoy visiting famous landmarks and historic sites, but it is great to explore somewhere a little more homegrown.
Valladolid Plaza Mayor in the evening
Strolling into Valladolid’s bustling Plaza Mayor on a Friday evening was delightful, full of friends enjoying the balmy evening and children running around the pedestrian plaza with their families. It felt like a typical Friday evening in a Spanish city.
Valladolid City Hall)
Statue of Count Pedro Ansúrez
As mentioned, the Majestic Plaza Mayor in Valladolid is noted to be the first grand Plaza in Spain with closed arcades and colonnade and was used for markets and festivities.
The Market Square in Valladolid dates back to the 13th century. Although it was reconstructed in the mid-1500s, it became a model for future grand Plaza Mayors across Spain and South America, particularly Madrid, built in 1617 and Salamanca in 1729.
There are so many incredible places to discover in Spain and I love planning road trips. I often use the DK Eyewitness books, I find them extremely informative, easy to follow and the pictures and maps tempt you into searching for more.
We used a previous version of this book to plan our Spanish road trips, now you can grab the revised copy.
Exploring the streets of Valladolid
Stunning architecture and hidden gemsIt was such a pleasure wandering around the historic streets of Valladolid. As we stroll off the charming lanes of Plaza Mayor, we stumble upon the beautifully colonnaded streets of Calle Ferrari, Calle Cebaderia and Calle Vincente Moliner.
Calle Cebaderia
Beautiful styles on Place Fuente Dorada
The architectural styles all around here are stunning, including an eye-catching blend of Baroque Gothic and Renaissance. Many of the rich colourful buildings, have intricate bay windows and wrought iron balconies peering down onto the lively streets below.
Charm on the streets of Valladolid
Heading towards Valladolid Cathedral along Calle Cascajares, not only will you discover more striking architecture, but in this bustling area of Valladolid, you’ll find some lively cafés and tapas bars overflowing with locals in the evenings.
Calle Cascajares in the evening
Calle Cascajares
When exploring Valladolid, you must seek out Passage Gutiérrez, which is an elegant Parisian-style shopping arcade. It was built in 1886 and sheds a little light on the architectural styling of the 19th century.
The Pasaje Gutiérrez features a beautiful glass-covered roof and central dome, with ornate ironwork, and an incredibly stylish interior. It is stunning to see, and it’s full of charming boutiques.
Passage Gutiérrez
Passage Gutiérrez at night
When visiting any town or city, Gary and I love heading to the local covered food market or mercado. The Mercado del Val in Valladolid didn’t disappoint; we always find that these tempting markets offer the perfect insight into local dishes, delicacies, and specialities of the region.
The original rectangular Mercado del Val was built between 1878 and 1882; it was inspired by “Les Halles” in Paris and constructed entirely of iron. The Val market was fully renovated in 2016.
Mercado del Val
Every November, Valladolid becomes the tapas capital of Spain and hosts the National Pinchos and Tapas Competition and the World Tapas Championship. Local residents and visitors are able to sample the delights of over 60 finalists in and around Valladolid’s city bars.
Tourist Information
If you’re planning to explore Spain, ensure you check out the Visit Spain official tourism website. It's overflowing with helpful information covering every region of this beautiful country from north, south, east, and west.
Visiting Valladolid Cathedral
And its many churchesValladolid has many historic places of worship, and the most prominent one is Valladolid Cathedral or the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Holy Assumption.
Valladolid Cathedral
Construction of the unfinished cathedral began in the late 16th century based on the design of the architect Juan de Herrera. This was prior to Valladolid briefly becoming the capital city of Spain. Once given this status the plans for the cathedral changed immensely, and it would have been the largest cathedral in Europe if the plans had remained in place.
Façade of Valladolid Cathedral
Inside Valladolid Cathedral
The capital was subsequently moved to Madrid, and lack of funds meant that the grand plans of the cathedral had to be significantly reduced and modified, ultimately only around 45% of the project was completed.
Valladolid Cathedral is stunning to see, especially the elaborate Renaissance façade, which was completed in 1730 by Master Churriguera.
Santa María la Antigua Church
While we were exploring Valladolid, we discovered a few more historic churches; the first was Santa María la Antigua Church. Elements of this church date from the 12th century and were settled on Roman remains.
The striking ancient 13th century tower remains, topped with a primitive pyramid-shaped spire. The main Gothic church was rebuilt in the 14th century on the initiative of Alfonso XI of Castile and can still be visited today.
San Pablo Church
National Sculpture Museum
Another stunning church in Valladolid is San Pablo Convent Church, which has an incredibly intricate façade blending Gothic and Renaissance styles. The church was constructed between 1445 and 1468, and further restoration and renewal were undertaken in 1616. Both King Philip II and Philip IV of Spain were baptized in San Pablo Convent Church.
Just behind San Pablo Church in the College of San Gregorio is Valladolid’s National Sculpture Museum. The entrance to the museum is a work of art in itself. The museum is a treasure trove of Spanish sculpture from the Middle Ages through to the 19th century.
Tempted to?
Discover more of historic Spain and tour its picturesque countryside in the north, or head south to explore the Sierra Nevada National Park just south of Granada.
You can do it all on a road trip; Rental Cars searches multiple well-known car hire brands and discovers the deals that suit you the best.
There are so many incredible places to discover in Spain and I love planning road trips. I often use the DK Guides,
I find them extremely informative, easy to follow and the pictures and maps tempt you into searching for more
Discovering more of Valladolid
From Campo Grande to CervantesWhen visiting Valladolid, I highly recommend exploring Campo Grande Park; it is a beautiful park to visit and provides welcoming shade from the glorious Spanish sunshine.
Campo Grande Park
Campo Grande is in the heart of Valladolid and is the city’s largest park. The park has a wide variety of birds, including pheasants, swans and peacocks.
Many tactile statues are dotted around the bustling park, along with delightful ponds and fountains, and it even has a little boating lake.
Cavalry Academy
The park is triangular in shape, and if you head to the northern point, you’ll arrive at Plaza de Zorrilla and the Cavalry Academy. The Cavalry Academy was built in 1852 and was initially intended to be used as a prison. A devastating fire in 1915 destroyed the building, and in its place, a grand Renaissance-style palace was built in 1927.
House of Cervantes and Museum
Just a short hop from Plaza de Zorilla is the House of Cervantes and Museum. The museum is dedicated to the Spanish author Miguel de Cervantes, who wrote the famous tale Don Quixote. Don Quixote, written in 1605, has become one of the best-selling novels of all time.
Statue of Miguel de Cervantes
The museum is located in Miguel de Cervantes’s home, where he lived in Valladolid from 1603 to 1606, during the time when Valladolid was the capital of Spain.
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