Location: Burgos
Top Things to do in Burgos
Countries
Top 10 Things to do in Burgos, Castile and Leon
Burgos (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈbuɾɣos], UK: /ˈbʊərɡɒs/, US: /ˈbʊərɡoʊs/) is a city in northern Spain and the historic capital of Castile. It is situated on the confluence of the Arlanzón river tributaries, at the edge of the Iberian central plateau. It has about 180,000 inhabitants in the actual city and another 20,000 in the metropolitan area. It is the capital of the province of Burgos, in the autonomous community of Castile and León. Burgos was once the capital of the Crown of Castile, and the Burgos Laws or Leyes de Burgos which first governed the behaviour of Spaniards towards the natives of the Americas were promulgated here in 1512.
Restaurants in Burgos
1. Monasterio de las Huelgas
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,440 reviews
Reviewed By antoine4459 - Heemstede, The Netherlands
A must see for those who love art and history. And for everybody else. Pitty you may only take pictures outside and of the cloister because there is so much interesting things to see on the inside. And what is a real shame is that you can only enter with a guide (and a guard joining every group) who explains everything in spanish... There is no audio tour. Luckliy the stories weren't endless, like in many other places, and the guide was happy to answer questions in english, but you can't ask everything time and time again... And still there is so much to see. Make sure to check opening hours, and families of 5 or more can enter for free.
2. Cartuja de Miraflores
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,371 reviews
Miraflores was originally a hunting lodge built by King Enrique III at the beginning of the 15th century and then converted into a monastery by the Carthusian monks, who continue there today. The remarkable church is considered one of the principal monuments of the city of Burgos and contains a royal mausoleum that is the final resting place of King Juan II and his wife Queen Isabel, parents of Queen Isabel "La Catolica". Visitors can look forward to an extraordinary experience of silence, peace and beauty.
Reviewed By Discerning12385 - San Francisco, United States
I walked from Burgos Cathedral to Cartuja de Miraflores and enjoyed the scenery. The monastery has been wonderfully restored and has succinct details which explain the history of Burgos, Spanish royalty, and the Carthusians. Rich with history but not overwhelming. Great staff as well. An unexpected gift - upon leaving the sanctuary and entering the courtyard, the monks began to sing their afternoon prayers. Gorgeous!
3. Catedral De Burgos
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 6,861 reviews
Reviewed By VadimM67 - Murmansk, Russia
The model of construction for the Cathedral in Burgos was the Cathedral in Saint-Denis, although the architects were not from France. Simply French Gothic was an example of the genre in the XIII century, when king Fernando III decided to build this greatest Cathedral. However, the Gothic style is mostly outside. Renaissance and Baroque dominate the interior. The reason is trivial - the Cathedral was built for a long time and constantly rebuilt. The entrance is separate for Catholics through the Western portal, and for tourists from the southern side through the Puerta Sarmental for 8 euros. It's worth it! The main hit in the Catholic part of the Cathedral is the crucifix, which was allegedly made by Nicodemus, who removed Christ from the cross (in fact, the XIV century). Catholics believe that nails and crowns are the same , and hair and nails still grow, so every week they have to do a manicure. The other chapels are located in the tourist part of the Cathedral. We need to take an audio guide for a detailed introduction. I found the most interesting several chapels. The Capilla de la precentacion (#8 in the audio guide) is interesting with the hyperrealistic tombstone of the Capella's client, Gonzalo Diaz de Lerma, and the painting "the Holy family"by Sebastian del Piombo. Chapel of Santa Anna (#12), created by the German Juan de cologna, who built the spires of the Cathedral. The main masterpiece is the altar dedicated to the genealogy of St. Anna of Jesse, the father of king David. Gilles de Siloé created this altar. He also began creating an altar for the chapel of the Constable (#22). This is the burial place of the most powerful man in Castile after the king constable de Velasco. The tombstones of de Velasco and his wife, as well as the altar of the chapel are made in the Renaissance style. Of course you can't pass by Capilla Major. The altar of the chapel is made by the brothers Rodrigo and Martín de la Haya in the Mannerist style. In addition to the chapels, the Golden staircase is a masterpiece of the Cathedral. Escalera dorada was created by Gil de Siloé's son Diego de Siloé. It leads to the street, which is 8 meters higher than the floor of the Cathedral, but it is not visible because the doors are never opened. The center of the Cathedral is given to the main Shrine-the grave of the hero of Spain CID and his wife Ximena. CID (real name Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar) became a hero of the Reconquista a century after his death in 1099. Castilian biographers changed the biography of the Castilian knight retroactively. They changed the CID's capture of Valencia for themselves to a liberation for the king of Castile. Biographers kept silent about the campaigns of CID with the Moors against the Christians. Sid's wife Jimena was exiled from Valencia and she took her husband's bones and moved North. After visiting many places, the hero's relics were laid to rest in the Cathedral of Burgos in 1921 under a modest pink slab. The magnificent stalls of the choir Renaissance Plateresque work by Bigarny are located near the CID`s tomb. You need to get acquainted with the Cathedral Museum and two cloisters on the way out of the Cathedral. It's not as impressive as the main part, but it's still interesting.
4. Museo de la Evolucion Humana
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,993 reviews
Reviewed By FactotumDellaCitta - London, United Kingdom
Lying on the opposite side of the Arlanzón River from the cathedral is the airy glass structure of the Museum of Human Evolution. Just outside Burgos is the UNESCO-recognized site of Atapuerca, where rich deposits of hominid fossils and bones going back 1.3 million years were found. The museum is based on those findings and does an excellent job explaining evolution, in general, and hominid evolution, specifically. I wish we could've spent more time here.
5. Iglesia de San Nicolas de Bari
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 419 reviews
Reviewed By Pucela08 - Lawrence, United States
Situated on a terrace, steps from the main plaza of the Cathedral, the Church is an incredible gem. San Nicolás contains an amazing late 15th-century altar piece in honor of Saint Nicholas. The artistry is amazing, a visual treat designed to inspire spiritual meditation. The church itself is quite intimate, on a more human scale than the cathedral, with nice details and decorative elements. The ornate altar is the dominant attraction. But the other spaces should not be missed, especially the side altars. The afternoon I visited, the entrance was free (on Tuesday), and the visit was a bargain. It is close to the cathedral and worth the walk up the steps. It is a place to reflect, catch your breath, and process the spiritual.
6. Arco de Santa Maria
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 844 reviews
Reviewed By CharlieinTexas - Austin, United States
One of the entrances to the old city, and certainly an entrance to take. Very impressive during the day, but even more impressive at night. I thought I had a picture of it at night, but I guess I don’t ...
7. Paseo del Espolon
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 695 reviews
Reviewed By FredSG - Sydney, Australia
This is one of the most elegant landmarks of the city of Burgos. It is a beautiful tree-lined promenade filled with restaurants and people. It is lovely to just walk along this promenade set in between the perimeter of the old town and the beautiful River Arlanzon. It comes to like in the afternoon and evening when it fills up with locals having a drink or something to eat. It is a must see!
8. Historic Center of Burgos
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 536 reviews
Reviewed By CharlieinTexas - Austin, United States
This city, in particular, this area, has an amazing vibe. The pace is slower than in larger cities, but there is nothing small about this city. Lots to see. Take your time. Pictures I took are repetitive of the pictures already posted, so I will defer to the previous photos
9. Mirador del Castillo
10. Castillo de Burgos
Overall Ratings
3.5 based on 697 reviews
Reviewed By davidrE8820PS - Stockport, United Kingdom
Take the time to walk up to the mirador for fantastic views of the city, then go onto the castle. It's free to enter & the walk around the site is informative. Time it right & you can have a free guided tour around the tunnels that surround the 65m deep well that supplied the castle with fresh drinking water from an underground river. Do it soon, because there is a question mark from the Burgos city council as to whether they will keep funding this free amenity. There is a bar & toilets right next to the castle & you may need a cold drink after a walk from the city centre, although, you can also drive to the castle & there is adequate free parking nearby.
