León

León's cathedral glass by morning and the Barrio Húmedo by night

Two days are enough for León. The first goes to the cathedral's stained glass, San Isidoro's Royal Pantheon and an evening of free tapas in the Barrio Húmedo; the second to Gaudí's Casa Botines, the Convento de San Marcos by the river and either MUSAC or a train out to Astorga.

Start at the cathedral as soon as it opens, ideally on a bright morning, and give the windows a slow hour. Cross to the Museo Sierra Pambley opposite if a guided tour is running, then walk west along the old Roman wall to San Isidoro for the Royal Pantheon and its library of early manuscripts. In the evening, wander into the Barrio Húmedo and let the free tapas set the pace.

On day two, see Casa Botines on Plaza de San Marcelo, then follow the river path to the Convento de San Marcos. Have a coffee in the parador to see the interior. Spend the afternoon at MUSAC for contemporary art, or catch a train west to Astorga for its cathedral and Gaudí's bishop's palace.

Cecina, cocido maragato and Prieto Picudo wine in León

The best meal in León is often a tapas crawl through the Barrio Húmedo, where each wine or caña brings a free plate of morcilla, cecina or croquettes. Save lunch for cocido maragato, served backwards from meat to soup, and drink a red made from Prieto Picudo, a grape grown almost nowhere else.

Around Plaza San Martín and Plaza Mayor, each wine or caña comes with a small plate, so three drinks in three bars can stand in for supper. Typical bites are slices of morcilla, cecina (smoked cured beef), croquettes and fried potatoes with sauce. Mesón Jabugo on Plaza San Martín is generous with its servings, and La Somoza Tradición, a block west of Plaza Mayor, sticks to the classics.

Lunch is the time for heavier food. Cocido maragato, from the Maragatería country around Astorga, is served backwards: meats first, then chickpeas and cabbage, with the noodle soup last. La Casa del Cocido on Calle Serradores serves little else and opens only at midday. In the cold months look for botillo, pork casing stuffed with ribs and tail and simmered for a long time, a dish built for snowy weather.

To drink, ask for a red from the Tierra de León DO, made from Prieto Picudo, a grape grown almost nowhere else. The vineyards cluster around Valdevimbre, 24 km south, where several wineries run their own restaurants.

Day trips from León to Astorga, Las Médulas and San Miguel de Escalada

Three day trips stand out from León: Astorga, about 50 km west by train, for Gaudí's Episcopal Palace and cocido maragato; the gold-mine landscape of Las Médulas, a full day by car; and the 10th-century church of San Miguel de Escalada, a half day about 30 km east.

Astorga is the easy one. Trains heading west towards Galicia stop there, and the town, about 50 km away on the Camino, packs a lot inside its Roman walls. Gaudí's Episcopal Palace, a turreted fantasy in pale grey granite, stands beside a cathedral that mixes Gothic and Baroque. This is the home of cocido maragato, so plan the visit around lunch, and look into the chocolate shops; the town grew rich making chocolate in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Las Médulas takes a full day and a car. Near Ponferrada, roughly two hours west, Roman engineers brought down whole hillsides with channelled water to wash out gold, leaving jagged red peaks among chestnut woods. The site is on the UNESCO World Heritage list. Walk up to the Orellán viewpoint for the overview, and wear proper boots.

For a half day, drive about 30 km east to San Miguel de Escalada, a 10th-century church built by monks who came north from Al-Andalus, with a long porch of horseshoe arches facing the fields. Opening hours are short and change with the season, so check before you set out.