Down the hill, the careworn, stone Romanesque Iglesia de Santa María del Mercado looks out over a delightful square that feels like a cobblestone Castilian village plaza. Opening hours can vary but it's the exterior and the setting that most appeals.
Iglesia de Santa María del Mercado
León
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
0.3 MILES
León's 13th-century cathedral, with its soaring towers, flying buttresses and breathtaking interior, is the city's spiritual heart. Whether spotlit by…
1.07 MILES
León's showpiece Museo de Arte Contemporáneo has been acclaimed for the 37 shades of coloured glass that adorn the facade; they were gleaned from the…
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0.41 MILES
Attached to the Real Basílica de San Isidoro, the stunning Panteón Real houses royal sarcophagi, which rest with quiet dignity beneath a canopy of some of…
26.35 MILES
Proof that Astorga does not exist solely for the virtuous souls of the Camino comes in the form of this quirky private museum. Chocolate ruled Astorga's…
Monasterio de San Miguel de Escalada
13.24 MILES
Rising from Castilla's northern plains, this beautifully simple treasure was built in the 9th century by refugee monks from Córdoba atop the remains of a…
0.25 MILES
Antoni Gaudí's contribution to León's skyline is the castle-like, neo-Gothic Casa Botines (1893), though the zany architect of Barcelona fame seems to…
26.63 MILES
Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí left his mark on Astorga in the fairy-tale turrets and frilly facade of this palacio. Built in the 19th century, it now…
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26.69 MILES
The cathedral’s striking plateresque southern facade is created from caramel-coloured sandstone with elaborate sculptural detail. Work began in 1471 and…
Nearby León attractions
0.16 MILES
On the west side of the charming Plaza Mayor is the late-17th-century, baroque old town hall.
0.18 MILES
At the eastern end of the old town is the beautiful and time-worn 17th-century Plaza Mayor. Sealed off on three sides by porticoes, this sleepy plaza is…
0.23 MILES
Close to the main entrance into the old town, the ayuntamiento (town hall) occupies a charmingly compact Renaissance-era palace.
0.24 MILES
León's recurring Renaissance theme finds expression in the splendid Palacio de los Guzmanes (1560), where the facade and patio stand out. The latter is…
0.24 MILES
Don't miss the fabulous Farmacia Alonso Nuñez at number 3. It dates from 1827 and, aside from the displays of anti-wrinkle creams and condoms, the…
0.25 MILES
Antoni Gaudí's contribution to León's skyline is the castle-like, neo-Gothic Casa Botines (1893), though the zany architect of Barcelona fame seems to…
0.26 MILES
Spread over four floors, the exhibits in this well-presented city museum begin with stone artefacts in the basement, thereafter journeying through the…
0.3 MILES
This stately house dates from the 19th century and was built by Segundo Sierra-Pambley, who founded one of the first schools in the region in 1887. The…