Spain is a precious diamond in the crown of Europe. Besides its rich culture and mild winters, Spain also boasts artic, historic, and culinary treasures that have delights locals and tourists alike for centuries. One truly unique area of Spain highlighting all of these gems is the rich, fertile region of Valladolid. Located strategically between the confluence of the Pisuerga and Esgueva rivers, northwestern Spain’s largest municipality offers people worldwide an incomparable retreat with endless surprises.
Valladolid’s historical roots themselves offer an open-ended conundrum of wonder. Is the root of the name Valladolid aging back to the Celtics rightfully naming the region between the rivers Vallis Tolitum or “Waters Valley” or is the name of Valladolid truly coming from an Arabic expression of “Ballad Al-Walid” meaning Al Walid, a famous Islamic conqueror dating back to his rule in 705?
Any visit to Valladolid, Spain will fill you with endless delight. Even the most basic walk in those ancient streets or a visit to a local town square is an exciting dip into historical magic. Still, if you have the esteem joy and pleasure of visiting Valladolid on your next holiday, the following three sites are a definite must to truly fill your senses with all this diamond has to offer.
1- Valladolid’s World Famous Wine-Making Bodegas
Any visit to Europe will fill you with culture and history, and yet Spain’s Valladolid has a unique essence all of its own. Valladolid’s wineries are one-of-a-kind lush and robust charm due to the fertility of the Pisuerga and Esgueva rivers. The most famous of them all perhaps is the Duero River with over four hundred high-quality wine-making bodegas. Because of the richness of the soil the wine-making bodegas of this region bring to perfection wines ranging from soft, juicy wines to white wines; sparkling wines to the heavier aguardientes; and potent licorosos.
The wineries are not to be missed.
2- Cathedral Valladolid: The Unfinished Cathedral
Breath-taking and beautiful, with a bittersweet charm is the Cathedral Valladolid a clear memorabilia and powerful testament to the rich history and in-grained religiousness of this region. The unfinished cathedral dream’s constant construction parallels with the changes and ebbs and flows evident in the history of Valladolid herself. There are certain unique oddities and charms that make this particular structure stand out. Included in those is lower portion of the primary façade based around a Tetra-style triumphal arch and a construction error in the portal arch giving the rounded structure a uniquely pointed appearance. Following the Lisbon earthquake, the Cathedral Valladolid fell down in 1841 and was never fully brought back to its full splendor, hence the coined ‘unfinished cathedral’. The Cathedral Valladolid is a perfect combination of history, architecture, and religious shifts under one roof.
3- Castle Castillo de la Mota: A History Lesson Unfolding
Castel Castillo de la Mota is yet another unique and magnificent testament to the history and charm of Spain’s Valladolid. Castel Castillo de la Mota is one of the larger castles in the Castilla y León regions. It’s history is unprecedented in that today, we find evidence of construction dating back to the 13th, 14th, and 15th century. This 15th century Catholic Monarchs safe house was later in the 16th and 17th centuries, turned into a state prison that housed many culture-sculpting politicians and states men. The Castle Castillo de la Mota was restored in 1940 and transferred to the hands of Junta de Castilla y León, the Department of Culture and History. It is a rare joy to visit the Castle Castillo de la Mota and feel the presence of such detailed and intricate historical footage.
Spain is a traveler’s dream and Valladolid is a jewel that is not to be missed. Should you be fortunate enough to visit Valladolid, Spain, be sure your time is best spent by investing the energy in visiting Valladolid’s World Famous Wine-Making Bodegas, The Cathedral Valladolid: The Unfinished Cathedral, and Castle Castillo de la Mota: A History Lesson Unfolding.
Check out this great video about the region:
And more about the cities:
Avila
Segovia
Salamanca
Burgos- Segovia- Salamanca
Disclosure Note: This post was brought to you thanks to support from Turismo Castilla y Leon. For more information check out the regional Castilla y Leon Tourism Site, or find out more on Twitter, YouTube or Facebook