Castilla+y+Leon+(West+and+Valladolid)

This is the itinerary for a seven day trip around Castilla y León West. This includes León, Zamora, Salamanca, Avila and Valladolid. Once in the region, the tour will be traveling by bus between all the different stops. Enjoy!

Day 1: Arive in Zamora. Today will be a lighter day to give you time to recover from travel. Zamora won´t appear to be much at first, but you will soon change your mind after spending some time in the old city, this is where a lot of our time in Zamora will be spent! There are lovely historic sites and a great museum where you can learn about the Semana Santa, which elaborately celebrated in Zamora!

10: drop off luggae at hotel-Parador Condes de Alba y Aliste and freshen up 11: visit Catedral and Museo Catedralicio 2: lunch 3: visit city walls and castle 5: Museo de Semana Santa 7: hotel to freshen up and rest 9: dinner at Restaurante El Rincón de Antonio (1 Michelon Star)

Day 2: Arrive in Salamanca where we will spend the day getting our bearings. This is by far one of the area´s largest and most lively cities. It is important to appreciate the magnicient architecture that sets Salamanca apart.

8:30: breakfast at hotel 10: bus to Salamanca 11:30: arrive and check into hotel-Microtel Placentinos 12: visit Museo de Salamanca 2: lunch 3: visit University of Salamanca 4:30: go on walking tour of the city 9: dinner at Mesón Cervantes-eat outside! 11: drinks atr Delicatessen Café

Day 3: This morning will consist of mostly free time in the city of Salamanca. You can visit the places that interested you most on the walking tour. There is simply too much to do in Salamanca and we could never tour all the attractions therefore it is necessary to chose what you would like to see most.

9: breakfast at the hotel 10: free time to see what interests you most 2: meet for lunch 3:30: return to hotel and leave for Sierra de Francia, specifically La Alberca 5:30: arrive and check into Hotel Doña Teresa 6: visit Plaza Mayor, explore the small allies of the city, and enjoy the small bars and art galleries in the area 9: dinner at a small local restaurant

Day 4: This day will consist of visiting Peña de Francia and then a bus ride to Avila. You will have the chance to enjoy breath taking views from Peña de Francia. Avila has been considered the epitome of Old Spain. It is is a very historic city, surrounded by high walls with eight monumental gates. It is also a deeply religous city with many chrches and convents.

9: breakfast at hotel 10: visit Peña de Francia and monestary on top 12: bus to Avila (stop for lunch on the way) 4: view Puerta del Alcazar and the 12th century walls 5: see Convento de Santa Teresa and the museum 9: dinner at Restaurante Reyes Católicos for hearty local cusine on the interior patio

Day 5: Today we will see a bit more of Avila before heading to Valladolid. This city has very impressive museums and a huge student popluation which means it has a very active night life. It is also considered Spain´s capital in waiting and is the capital of Castilla y León.

9: breakfast at hotel 10: tour of Basílica de San Vicente 12: bus to Valladolid 2: lunch 3:30: explore Vallodolie by bike 6: check into hotel-El Nogal and freshen up for dinner 8: grab a drink at Café Continental and enjoy the amazing terraces 9:30: dinner at El Kaballo de Troya

Day 6: This town is a wonderful mix of old and new. It is an important stop along the Camino de Santiago. The Catedral is one of the most beautiful in Spain. This will be a wonderful city to end your journey.

9: breakfast at hotel 10: visit Plaza de San Pablo and see Iglesia de San Pablo and Placio de Pimentel and any exhibitions 12: bus to León 2: lunch 3:30: check in and freshen up at hotel-La Posada Regia 5: visit meseo de León 8: dinner at El Tizón 10: drinks and live music in one of the many bars

Day 7: This morning will be spent enjoying the sights of León. Sadly, this is the last day of our journey so after lunch you will be getting on a bus back to the airport.

9: breakfast at hotel 10: visit Hostal de San Marcos, a pilgrim´s hospital then enjoy the surrounding area including the riverbank and Puerta de San Marcos 12: visit the Catedral 2: lunch 3:30: bus to airport

Basic Information about the area:

This is a very rich region of Spain that has a lot to offer any tourist. The transportation system is very developed with extensive rail and bus lines. This allows for easy travel within the area and from other national and international destinations.

There are a mix of small towns and big cities with attactions outdoors that fit all ranges of activity level. For the more active visitor there are opportunities to ski, hike, mountain bike and ride hourses. For the less active visitor there is golfing, fishing and the chance to attend a fútbol game. There is something for everyone!

Tourism makes up a big part of the economy. The area saw an influx of tourists in the Ninties and that level has been sustained. There are many attractions such as museums, castles and other historic sites. There are four World Heritage Sites in the area of interest: the Old City of Avila, the Old City of Salamanca, Las Medulas and Satiago de Compostela. Some of these sites will be visited on our tour.

The economy in the region is strong. The main exports are vehicles and automobile chassis. In León steel makes up a very large chunk of the exports, while Zamora is a large wine producer. This region also has fertile lands, the most fertile being in León. Castilla y Leó West is the leading producer of cerals and vineyards. This accounts for ten percent of empolyment in the area.

Sources:

@http://www.conocerzamora.com/inicio.htm

[|http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castile_and_Le%C3%B3n]

Lonely Planet´s __Spain__

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