Welcome to Burgos
The charming province of Burgos is home to much more than just its well-reputed morcilla. Its one-of-a-kind cathedral awaits for you, as is also the famous pilgrimage of Camino de Santiago. All the above, together with the beautiful mountains of Atapuerca, make Burgos a region with 3 of the most important world heritage sites protected by the UNESCO.
If you want to dig in your visit doing rural tourism in Burgos, you will see that this is a region with plenty of places of cultural interest, such as religious buildings, but also non-religious ones. One of them is the monastery of Santo Domingo de Silos, with an historical archive of great importance.
Another place that should check out is the gothic façade of the La Cartuja de Miraflores cathedral, of great artistic and historical value.
If it's nature what you have in mind, you mustn't forget to visit the watercourse of the river Ebro and the river Duero, offering great views to visitors who want to be in direct contact with nature, and is also the breeding ground of some of the best wines which have proudly attained PDO status.
Another name to write down is the Desfiladero de la Yecla, a sinuous rift made by the course of the river that, where you can follow its course between the narrow, rocky walls. This kind of landscape is a blessing to those intrepid tourists who are daring to get deep in the heart of the mountains of Peñas de Cervera.
What to see in Burgos?
Welcome to Burgos, one of the provinces in the region of Castilla y León more popular amongst visitors. Either because of its people, because of its history, because of the latent culture in every town of the province, or because of its renown gastronomy, the truth is that there isn't only one thing that makes it a province attractive to all kinds of tourism, offering a great variety of options for the daytime, as well as for night owls.
Burgos is a province open to be fully explored, and home to many legends, and to different civilizations whose story you will be able to decipher thanks to the many archaeological sites that have remained in the area.
This is the perfect destination for family trip, to travel with friends or as a couple, since it offers options to enjoy of your stay in every possible way.
What curiosities are there?
Burgos is the perfect destination for a weekend getaway, a place where nowadays, in small towns, you can still feel its air of magic, culture and old traditions, providing its visitors with impressive, postcard-like views. Because every corner of this province is full of history, and curious tales. You will see there's always new things to learn and discover here.
This is also a province home to three UNESCO protected, world heritage sites: the pilgrimage of the Camino de Santiago, the famous gothic cathedral, and time travelling through exploring the archaeological site of Atapuerca, one of the most popular in Spain.
And if you fancy staying in the present, we also recommend the buoyant historical centre of its capital, with plenty of options to have fun, will make the journey you're about to start, a very complete one.
Book online your ideal rural house in Burgos
Where can you sleep?
As it is often the case, finding accommodation in the capital of a region is usually never cheap, although we must tell you that Burgos isn't one of the most expensive ones. But if you have planned your trip and would like to visit the whole province, staying in the capital is probably a good choice. Besides, the capital will offer you many options to enjoy of its culture, and of a more active tourism tha if you decide to stay in a town or village where, one the other hand, if you're looking for peaceful and quiet stay, you will find it.
Lerma, Santo Domingo de Silos and its famous monastery, or Covarrubias, which has been declared Bien de Interés Cultural (cultural heritage) and is known as the cradle of Castilla, are some of the preferred destinations by visitors who, without necessarily staying in the capital, have found plenty of options and activities of tourist interest, to enjoy of a trip to this region.
If you would prefer to stay close to the city and its monuments, your best bet is staying in the historical centre, where you will find la Cartuja de Miraflores, the Plaza Mayor, the monastery of Huelgas, or the castle, amongst many others.
Although it is clear that, wherever you decide to go, you will be surrounded by options that will make sure enjoy of your stay and the tourism this region offers.
What to do in the area?
If you get bored in Burgos it's only because you want to, since this is a province of contrasts, of history and of great diversity.
You can't miss the chance this province offers to step on some of the most important landmarks of our history, ad for this reason we recommend that you don't forget to visit any of the monasteries that are found in this area, such as Santo Domingo de Silos, where nowadays you can still (and strongly recommend you do) listen to Gregorian chant during the services. Other monasteries in the area that we recommend are the one in Huelgas, or the San Juan monastery.
A chance to experience live history, right?
The cathedral, perhaps the most iconic of monuments, is another must that you can't miss during your visit, not only because of how impressive it is, but because you will also find here many peculiar and unexpected things, such as the friendly Papamoscas, that we are sure will not leave you indifferent.
Other curiosities you can find in the area are the signs left by the the prehistoric tribes in the mountains of Atapuerca. Not only will you be able to have a close look at these sings where they were originally made, but you will also be able to expand your knowledge on how these tribes lived and see reproductions of the tools and homes they built, in the Visitors' Center.
An ideal plan for a day trip.
What typical foods are recommended?
This is a province where, those who enjoy eating, will have a gastronomic experience they won't forget.
You will see that the average meal in Burgos is dominated by the presence of meat, since this is a province with a longtime tradition of elaborating it, and with a big meat industry.
The most popular dish of this province, no doubt, is its so famous morcilla, a black, blood sausage, that, regardless if you do it as a tapa or as part of your meal with some rice on the side, you won't regret trying.
Another meat dishes you shouldn't leave without trying are the cochinillo (suckling pig), or the lechazo (lamb), that are usually cooked in a wood-fired grill, making them excellent delicacies.
Other traditional dishes of this region you should also try are those which have beans or vegetable as their primary ingredient, such as the traditional olla podrida (“rotten” pot, a bean and meat stew that tastes better than it sounds).
Moving to daily local products, you will see the famous queso de Burgos is the most popular local delicatessen. And we mustn't forget about the wines of this region, one with deep-rooted, wine-producing tradition. Proof of this are the two PDO wines of Ribera del Duero, and Ribera de Arlanza, from Aranda de Duero, where you should also its sparkly cava while you're at it.
Nevertheless, there are many wineries open to visitors, where you will be able to try their concoctions"> Here are some options.
Where are the festivities?
If you want to enjoy spending a few days doing tourism, and take the opportunity to engage in one of the local festivities in Burgos, let us share with you a few options so that you have all the information to plan the perfect trip.
Easter is, no doubt, a date circled in red in most calendars of this area, in the busy capital as much as in towns like Aranda de Duero, with streets filled with devotion, tradition and religion.
The Fiesta del Judas celebrated in Villadiego since its restoration in 2002, is another date to write down, where we guarantee you will have lots of fun.
Other local festivities to remember are the Danza del Escarrete, in Poza de la Sal, during February, or the Fiesta del Capitán in Frías.
Last but not least, Santo Domingo hosts in the last week of January the Fiesta de los Jefes, where a theatralization is performed of the how the local people protected the town from being conquered, during the Muslim invasion.