What to see in León ?

León derives its singularity from the contrast between a Gothic cathedral with 1,800 square metres of medieval stained glass and street life unfolding in the tapas bars of Calle Ancha. The former capital of the kingdom of the same name, the city carries its Romanesque stones without turning them into a museum — the Basílica de San Isidoro houses frescoes from the eleventh century that few travellers bother to seek out.

Spring and early autumn offer reasonable balance between crowds and weather, the Castilian summer being frankly brutal. Two days suffice to cover the historic centre on foot, without rushing. León is easily reached by train from Madrid in two hours. Don't concentrate your time around the cathedral: the real pulse of the city lies in the Barrio Húmedo, from 7pm onwards, when locals begin their evening rounds.