Burgos and León

Morning flight from London Heathrow to Bilbao. Transfer by private coach to Burgos to check in to our 4-star hotel. After some time to settle in and take an independent lunch, we travel by coach to Las Huelgas. Founded in 1187 by King Alfonso VIII and Queen Eleanor, this monastery features several impressive royal tombs and an unsurpassed collection of mediaeval textiles. Return to Burgos for a group dinner at the hotel.

Leave the hotel on foot to explore Burgos Cathedral, the city’s artistic jewel, featuring work by Simón de Colonia and Diego de Siloé, and the breathtaking Constable’s Chapel. Afterwards, we continue our stroll through the streets of Burgos, taking in some of the vestiges of mediaeval splendour before breaking for an independent lunch. In the afternoon, travel by coach to the stunning Miraflores Charterhouse, containing the stunning tomb commissioned by Isabella of Castile for her parents. The charterhouse represents the high point of the Hispano-Flemish artistic style. Return to Burgos for an evening at leisure.

By coach to Santo Domingo de Silos to visit the impressive monastery, a masterpiece of Romanesque art. With its roots in the 7th century, it was significantly renovated in the 11th century and is renowned for its magnificent two-storey cloister, which features many exquisite and profusely carved capitals. Coach transfer to Covarrubias for a group lunch before continuing to the Church of Quintanilla de las Viñas. The humble exterior of this 7th-century Visigoth shrine belies a wonderful interior, rich in carved friezes and capitals depicting angels, birds, vines, and fantastical beasts, as well as what is considered to be the earliest representation of Christ in Spanish religious art. Return to Burgos for an evening at leisure.

Bid farewell to Burgos this morning as we journey west towards León, taking in several sites en route. Our first stop is Frómista, one of the key buildings in the formation of Iberian Romanesque, richly sculpted with a repertoire of forms to become widespread in the peninsular'. We then head to Carrión de los Condes, where we will see the beautiful Romanesque Church of Santa Maria, notable for its highly decorative façade, and visit the Monastery of San Zoilo. An emblematic stop for pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago, this Cluniac monastery from the 11th-12th centuries was rebuilt in the 16th century, when its famed Gothic cloister was added. Travel on to San Miguel de Escalada to visit the monastery there. Founded by Cordoban monks in the 10th century, it is a wonderful example of the Mozarabic style. After a group lunch, we continue to León, checking into our hotel before enjoying an introductory walk through the centre of this picturesque city. The evening is free for your own activities.

Set out on foot to explore León’s star attraction, its spectacular cathedral. Once the royal palace of King Ordoño II, after he defeated the Arabs in the Battle of San Esteban de Gormaz in 917 AD, he had the palace rebuilt as a cathedral, a sign of gratitude to God for the victory. The cathedral was remodelled once more before construction of the third cathedral, in the Gothic style seen today, was begun in the 13th century. It is remarkable for its 130 stained glass windows, including three large rose windows that are considered to be some of the finest in existence. In the afternoon, visit the beautiful Basilica of San Isidoro, one of the most important examples of the Romanesque style in Spain. Inside, the Royal Pantheon, adorned with unusual Visigothic capitals and wonderfully preserved 12th-century murals, is particularly special. A group dinner in the evening marks our final night in Spain.

Check out of our hotel after breakfast and travel by coach to Oviedo. Just outside the city lies the Church of Santa María del Naranco, a wonderfully preserved example of Spanish pre-Romanesque architecture with an unusually tall and narrow form and many fine sculptural adornments. Continue to the Church of San Julián de los Prado. Another fine example of the pre-Romanesque style, it was the largest Christian structure in Spain up until the 11th century and its muraled interior is particularly lovely. Afterwards, enjoy a final lunch together before we continue to Bilbao airport for our return flight to London.