by Janis / 0 comments - Orginally published:28th January 2025
Medieval charm in Castile and León, Spain
We arrived at Astorga in the Castile and León region of Spain, which is the penultimate destination of our incredible Spanish road trip.
Our three-week tour of Spain began in Bilbao, arriving from the UK on a Brittany Ferries. We’ve mostly journeyed through the backroads of Spain and seen some stunning landscapes and towns along the way.
We’ve visited Pamplona, Zaragoza, Teruel, the Palm Tree Groves of Elche, Murcia, Cartagena, Mojácar, Granada, the windmills of Consuegra, the historic hill-top city of Toledo and Valladolid.
We have one day to explore Astorga, and then we hit the road again to Burgos, our final destination in Spain, prior to hopping back on a Brittany ferry to Portsmouth in the UK.
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Where is Astorga?
How to get to Astorga
- By Air
Start creating your own Spanish adventure and discover the delightful city of Astorga for yourself.
The closest international airports are Madrid and Bilbao; 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 Astorga?
Hotel Gaudi
The location of Hotel Gaudi honestly cannot be beaten. One step out of the hotel, and you have a magnificent view of Gaudí’s Episcopal Palace and Santa Maria Cathedral.
Our room was very comfortable, clean and perfect for a night’s stay, and the hotel had a very welcoming bar and restaurant. Chargeable parking was available opposite the hotel.
Pop your dates in the Booking.com search box and discover further options for all budgets.
A Brief History of Astorga
From the Gauls to GaudíThe charming city of Astorga is located in the province of León and boasts a rich and layered history, with its roots stretching back to ancient times. Incredibly, some artifacts found in Astorga date from the Bronze Age.
Roman mosaics in Astorga
It was after the Cantabrian Wars, when the Romans took control of Astorga under Emperor Augustus, that the ancient city walls were built, encircling the town. The Roman walls were later restored during the Middle Ages. Evidence of Roman thermal baths, sewer systems, and detailed mosaics remains.
The historic walls of Astorga
When visiting Astorga, you’ll undoubtedly stumble upon many weary pilgrims. Astorga is the crossroads of the Pilgrim's Road to Santiago de Compostela and the Ruta de la Plata, the ‘Silver Road’.
The Silver Road is the older of the two routes and dates from Roman times. The trail runs from Gijón on the coast of the Bay of Biscay to Seville in the south. The ancient route was used to transport metal extracted from the mines in the north to the seaports in the south.
Monumento al Peregrino
Albergue de Peregrino sign
The Way of Saint James, which leads to Santiago de Compostela, has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site and passes through Astorga after weaving its way across Europe.
Episcopal Palace of Astorga at night
There are two prominent buildings to be found within the historic walls of Astorga. The first is the magnificent Cathedral of St Mary, which was declared a National Monument in 1931, and the second is the astonishing Episcopal Palace of Astorga, which was built by the famous Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí between 1889 and 1913.
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 Astorga Cathedral
A majestic blend of stylesThe grand and elegant Lady of Astorga is the Cathedral of Saint Mary. This beautiful honey-coloured cathedral was built upon an 11th century Romanesque Cathedral.
Work began on the current Astorga Cathedral in the late 15th century, and the extensive design wasn’t completed until the early 18th century when the two stunning towers were erected.
Astorga Cathedral at night
Façade of the Cathedral of Saint Mary
The Cathedral of Saint Mary in Astorga was constructed in a combination of styles, in particularly Late Gothic, Baroque and Renaissance. The two main front towers are Baroque stylised, and the intricate main entrance is Gothic, which resembles Gothic Cathedrals in Germany.
Cathedral interior
Altarpiece in Astorga Cathedral
Within the Cathedral are many important artefacts, works of art, sculptures and a cathedral museum. When you step inside the grand cathedral, the vast pillars unfurl before you. Surrounding the central nave and the beautiful choir are many smaller ornate chapels for worship.
The main Chapel is home to a magnificent and majestic altarpiece, designed in Spanish Renaissance style by Gaspar Becerra in 1558.
Included in your Astorga Cathedral ticket price is a complimentary audio guide and a free VR experience.
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
Visiting the Episcopal Palace of Astorga
Another Antoni Gaudí masterpieceMy first impression on arriving at the intriguing old city of Astorga was how charming and modest it was when we were greeted with Antoni Gaudí’s breath-taking Episcopal Palace of Astorga; I was taken aback.
Episcopal Palace of Astorga
The Episcopal Palace of Astorga sits gracefully upon the ancient city walls with the Castile and León landscape stretched out beyond. Gaudí’s Episcopal Palace replaced the original palace, which was destroyed by fire on 23rd December 1886.
Antoni Gaudí was offered the commission by the new Bishop and also his friend Don Juan Bautista Grau and Vallespinós. The palace was designed in the neo-Gothic and Catalan Modernism styles, and the first stone was laid in June 1889.
Vaulted ceilings in the Episcopal Palace of Astorga
The Gala Dining Room
In 1893, Bishop Grau died, and due to disagreements between Gaudí and the Diocese, Gaudí resigned and would take no further participation in the construction of the building. The completion of the Episcopal Palace of Astorga was finally finished on 12th October 1913.
It is an extraordinary building built of granite stone and sits in harmony with the cathedral in its immediate vicinity. The Episcopal Palace is one of only three buildings by Gaudí constructed outside of Catalonia.
Chapel within the Episcopal Palace of Astorga
Aerial view of the Chapel
The palace has a resemblance to an enchanting castle, a grand Gothic temple and a majestic fortress with turrets and towers on four corners. The palace is built across four floors from the open arched basement, up through the stunning vaulted Throne Room and Chapel encircled with beautiful stained-glass windows, to the balcony high above.
Today, the palace houses a museum of religious art called Museo de los Caminos, which is dedicated to the Way of Santiago.
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.
Exploring the streets of Astorga
It’ll bring a smile to your faceWe loved discovering the historical streets of Astorga, from its charming, rustic, intimate squares to the grand and majestic Plaza España. I truly stopped in my tracks when I turned a corner and stepped into Astorga’s Plaza Mayor; it was stunning.
Astorga Plaza España
The 17th century Baroque Town Hall was so striking; its majestic facade is the work of Manuel de la Lastra. The two main towers stand on either side of the bell tower, and there is an attractive wrought ironwork balcony below. We couldn’t resist stopping here for a bite and a cheeky lunchtime beer.
Astorga town hall at night
Just north of Plaza Mayor is a modern town square, Plaza del Gral. Santocildes and just south is the Roman museum, ancient Roman ruins and mosaics. There are many historic churches to be found in Astorga, one in particular that caught my eye was Capilla de la Santa Veracruz.
Capilla de la Santa Veracruz
Just nearby the Capilla de la Santa Veracruz are the peaceful Synagogue Gardens, which sits high upon the city walls and overlooks the town below.
Charlie Chaplin street art
Another aspect of Astorga that we loved while exploring its historic streets and lanes was the incredible amount of stunning street art dotted all around the city. A piece of urban art that I particularly liked was Charlie Chaplin and a young child.
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