Explore Castilla y León and La Rioja
- Salamanca
- Ciudad Rodrigo
- Sierra de Francia
- Zamora and around
- Valladolid and around
- Palencia and around
- Along the Río Duero to Soria
- Soria and around
- Logroño and La Rioja Province
- Burgos
- South and east of Burgos
- The Camino de Santiago: Burgos to León
- León
- Astorga
- Castrillo de los Polvazares
- Ponferrada
- Las Médulas
- Villafranca del Bierzo
The Río Duero long marked the frontier between Christian and Arab territory. It meanders right across central Castile, between Zamora and Soria, with the eastern section in particular, from Valladolid, marked by a series of spectacular castles and old market towns, some restored as tourist attractions, others crumbling to dust. This part of the river is also at the heart of one of Spain’s greatest wine-producing areas, the Ribera del Duero. It’s a fine route to follow by car (N122), stopping off for lunch in rustic posadas and for walks in the beautiful surroundings. You can make the trip by bus, but if you do, realistically, you’ll only be able to see the major towns of Peñafiel and El Burgo de Osma.
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El Burgo de Osma
El Burgo de Osma
There’s more of the almost absurdly picturesque Río Duero scenery at EL BURGO DE OSMA, once a very grand place boasting both cathedral and university. Today, there are gleaming town walls, a lovely riverside promenade and ancient colonnaded streets overhung by houses supported on precarious wooden props. It’s quaint and gorgeous in equal measure, and while the dominant cathedral is the only actual sight, the town rewards a leisurely stroll up the arcaded main street to Plaza Mayor. On summer nights, as the temperature drops, the families of El Burgo use the main square, with its cafés and tree-shaded benches, as playground, exercise yard and social club. Out of town, there are easy drives to all sorts of fascinating destinations, from canyon park to mighty fortress, which makes El Burgo well worth a night’s stay.
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The wines of the Ribera del Duero
The wines of the Ribera del Duero
Some of Spain’s most celebrated red wine comes from the demarcated region of Ribera del Duero (wriberadelduero.es), including the country’s best-known and most expensive wine, Vega Sicilia. Around 170 wineries are found along the Duero, with many of the bogedas concentrated between Peñafiel and Aranda del Duero, 40km to the east. If you’d like to make winery visits (not all are open for tours, including Vega Sicilia), the comprehensive website is a good place to start – some wineries require advance reservations, though many have shops that are open to casual buyers mornings and afternoons. Bodegas Alejandro Fernandez (wpesqueraafernandez.com) makes its fabulous Tinto Pesquera at Pesquera de Duero, 4km north of Peñafiel, while the acclaimed Señorio de Nava (wsenoriodenava.es) is based at Nava de Roa, 13km to the east.
