What to see in León in a weekend
![](https://www.barcelo.com/guia-turismo/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/barrios-de-luna-i.jpg)
León is the ideal city for a weekend visit. The city brings together culture and excellent gastronomy, is the perfect size, and enjoys enviable natural surroundings. If you’re planning a trip to the city, in this article we suggest an itinerary for a weekend in León, so that you won’t miss a thing.
Itinerary day 1
10.00 - 10.15
Plaza del Grano
We begin our weekend in León with this attractive square, Plaza del Grano (or to give it its official name, Plaza de Santa María del Camino), a corner of medieval León that serves as a good introduction to this historic city.
10.15 - 11.30
Plaza Mayor
Every Saturday throughout the year, the Plaza Mayor rediscovers its original purpose, and holds a market where you can find all kinds of food, including products from the land, poultry, cold meats and much more. The perfect place to wander on a Saturday morning, stopping for a coffee along the way. Make sure you admire the building that dominates the square, El Mirador, a famous balcony from which public figures watch the celebrations taking place in the square.
11.45 - 13.30
Catedral de León
If we follow Calle Mariano Domínguez Berrueta for a few minutes, we come to Plaza la Regla, home of the fabulous cathedral of León. This is the city’s most important historical monument, so you really must go inside.Take your time (a guided visit is recommended), and enjoy this Gothic jewel and its famous stained-glass windows.
13.30 - 14.00
Calle Ancha
From Plaza de Regla, we can take Calle Ancha, one of León’s best known streets. As it is Saturday, the street will be buzzing, full of all kinds of traditional shops. Take time to explore it for a while before lunch.
14.00 - 15.30
Comida en Ezequiel
Also in Calle Ancha, you will find one of León’s most iconic restaurants: Ezequiel. Seize the opportunity to have lunch here, and try the excellent selection of cold meats and other traditional dishes.
16.00 - 17.30
Colegiata de San Isidoro
After lunch, we could make our way to the Colegiata de San Isidoro, one of León’s most important monuments — thanks to its historical value, and the fact that it houses the former Kingdom of León’s Royal Pantheon. It is worth paying the admission fee to visit both the Pantheon and the museum, and to admire the murals that have earned the place the sobriquet of the ‘Romanesque Sistine Chapel’.
18.00 - 19.00
San Marcos
The remarkable convent of San Marcos is noteworthy for the extraordinary beauty of its Renaissance façade. This former pilgrims’ hospital is now a National Parador [state-run,luxury hotel], a building that typifies León’s traditional architecture. In front is a large square with a monument to the pilgrim as, many years ago, pilgrims would rest here on their way to Santiago de Compostela before continuing over the nearby bridge across the river Bernesga, the Puente de San Marcos.
19.30 - 21.00
An aperitif with views at Nimú Azotea
Before the evening gets underway, we suggest a relaxing drink at Nimú Azotea, the bar on the tenth floor of the Barceló León Conde Luna hotel. A splendid place to enjoy views of León from above. And if you are also staying at this hotel, the perfect refreshing break before going out for the evening.
A night out in Barrio Húmedo
There’s only one place to make for on a night out in León: the Húmedo neighbourhood. Bars, taverns, pubs, the odd nightclub... and an amazing, vibrant atmosphere. We recommend you try one or two of the tapas taverns (such as El Jabugo, Los Cazurros or El Gaucho) before sitting down to dinner in one of the restaurants — perhaps Rúa 11 or La Bodega del Húmedo.
Itinerary day 2
10.00 - 14.00
Astorga
On the second day of our weekend in León, we head to Astorga, one of the province’s most emblematic cities. A 40-minute journey by car, the capital of La Maragatería offers some interesting attractions for a Sunday morning visit. Plan to visit the cathedral, the Plaza Mayor [main square], and the Episcopal Palace — one of only three works by Gaudí outside Catalonia.
14.30 - 16.30
Castrillo de Polvazares
Our next stop is the lovely village of Castrillo de los Polvazares, a magnificent setting for Sunday lunch. This village has an incomparable charm; its extremely well-preserved rural architecture has been designated a Site of Historic and Artistic Interest. You could try restaurants such as Las Termas or Casa Maragata. Note that you will need to reserve in advance, as this tiny village is very popular with visitors.
17.30 - 19.30
Barrios de Luna reservoir
We suggest you spend the afternoon and then enjoy the sunset at the Barrios de Luna reservoir, located to the north of the city of León. This reservoir is now a veritable inland sea, with extremely photogenic scenery. It is crossed by a great work of engineering, the Ingeniero Carlos Fernández Casado bridge, which opened in 1983, and was for several years the suspension bridge with the longest span in the world.
21.00 - 23.00
Cena en Casa Mando
Our weekend in León ends in the best way possible: with dinner at Casa Mando, one of León’s most prestigious restaurants. Located next-door to the Barceló León Conde Luna,this restaurant with one Repsol Sun offers traditional local cuisine with dishes such as black pudding, croquettes, cod in pil pil sauce, León-style pig’s trotters with chickpeas, or locally- reared sucking pigs. Without question, a glorious end to our weekend in León.