Palencia

Palencia is a city in Castile and Leon in northern Spain, with a population of 76,300 in 2023. It was industrial from about 1840 to 1960 and its centre is modern, but with several interesting old buildings and plazas. It now has its own university, and a campus of Valladolid university.

Understand

The Romans subdued this area in the 2nd century AD and created a walled garrison town, but it was small, and their best relics lie further out in villas. The walls were reinforced in medieval times but later taken down, so nowadays you would need to join one of the guided walks from the archaeology museum to know which lumps of graffiti-spattered masonry were Roman or modern or assaulted by Napoleon. Palencia for over 1000 years was a simple market town of little military value, but after the Moors were ousted in 921 it grew into a religious centre, with its cathedral rebuilt from 1172. It's south of the main pilgrimage route to Santiago from the French border, but subsidiary routes come this way.

The town industrialised from 1830 when the Palencia Basin coalfields were mined, drawing in settlers from other parts of Spain and beyond. By mid 20th century the mines and associated heavy industries were unprofitable, and only propped up by state subsidy. The European Economic Community (forerunner to the EU) banned such subsidy and exposed Palencia to the cold winds of competition, and it withered. Young people left for better opportunities elsewhere, leaving a grumpy conservative residue.

The town therefore had to re-invent itself through services, education, and the knowledge economy. An earlier attempt hadn't gone well: the University of Palencia was founded around 1208 but was never viable, with patronage and prestige flowing instead to Salamanca, and it folded in the 1260s. But 20th century Spain developed a network of universidades populares - vocational and technical colleges - and Palencia acquired one. It also has a campus of Valladolid University.

Palencia sits at 750 m on the Meseta Central, the plateau of northwest Spain, so winter is cold, as are spring nights, and summer is short. It can rain anytime.

The tourist information centre is at Calle Mayor 31, about 50 m south of the main plaza. It's open M-Sa 09:15-14:00, 16:00-18:30, Su 09:30-14:30.

Get in

42°0′54″N 4°32′6″W

Map of Palencia

By plane

Madrid-Barajas (MAD^IATA) is usually the best airport, for its wide range of flights and good onward transport.

Valladolid (VLL^IATA) 60 km south has only flights from Barcelona and Gran Canaria. León (LEN^IATA) likewise has a sparse service.

By road

From Madrid take A6 then A62 past Valladolid, 260 km.

E80 runs from Burgos, A67 from Santander, and N601 / N610 from León.

By bus

Four ALSA buses per day run from Madrid Estación Sur, taking 3 hr 30 min via Valladolid. Some start from Madrid Airport T4.

Palencia bus station is next to the railway station.

By train

Trains run every two hours from Madrid Chamartín, taking 90 min via Segovia and Valladolid. They may start from Valencia or Alicante, and continue to León, Oviedo and Gijon, or to Santander.

One train a day is direct from Barcelona, taking 7 hours via Zaragoza, Pamplona, Vitoria-Gasteiz and Burgos, continuing to Astorga, Ourense and Vigo, or to Santiago de Compostela and La Coruna.

42.0157-4.533911 Palencia railway station is on Plaza de Los Jardinillos, 500 m north of town centre.

Get around

Town centre is compact and walkable. Taxi Palencia is on +34 979 707070.

Palbus^{[dead link]} has six routes pottering around town and south to the university campus. June-Aug Bus 6 runs hourly to Monte el Viejo.

See

42.011111-4.5369441 Palencia Cathedral, Plaza de la Inmaculada, ☏ +34 979 701347. M-Sa 10:00-14:00, 16:00-19:00, Su 10:00-13:00, 16:00-20:00. Flamboyant gothic cathedral, built from 1321 to 1504 and dedicated to San Antolín. Highlights are the west facade, the ornate chapels especially Capella El Sagrario, the stone choir screen, the pulpit, and the 7th century crypt with the saint's relics (the only remnant of the cathedral's Visigothic predecessor). These are sure to be authentic, as St Antoninus of Pamiers was unlucky enough to be martyred in at least four different centuries (and serially butchered in 303 AD) leaving bits aplenty to go round. Adult €6, conc €5, under 12 free. (updated Nov 2024)
Diocesan Museum of Sacred Art, Mayor Antigua 22 (200 m north of cathedral), ☏ +34 979 706913. Su-Th 10:30-13:30, F Sa 10:30-13:30, 16:30-19:30. Housed in the episcopal palace, this has several notable works of art, including a retablo of twelve panels by Juan de Flandes, court painter to Queen Isabella I of Castile. Adult €5, conc €3, under 12 free. (updated Nov 2024)
Church of San Pablo (St Paul) is on Plaza San Pablo, 300 m southwest of the railway station. It's mostly 14th-16th century. You can only admire the exterior of the associated monastery as this is still active.
42.0107-4.53272 Plaza Mayor is the main square, laid out in the 18th century. On its north side is Casa Consistorial, the Town Hall. The monument is to painter Alonso Berruguete (c 1486-1561), wrought by Victorio Macho.
Church of San Francisco is a 13th century former monastery at the northeast corner of Plaza Mayor. It's open Tu-Sa 17:00-20:00.
Calle Mayor is a pedestrian, 900 m street coursing from Plaza de León south past the main square to Parque del Salón de Isabel II. It's colonnaded and lined with fine examples of 18th-, 19th- and early 20th-century architecture.
42.0095-4.52963 Church of San Lázaro is the town's parish church. Founded circa 1075, it was originally beyond the city walls because it housed the lazareto or fever-hospital. It was rebuilt in 1508 and had structural repairs in the 1950s. It's open daily 10:00-13:30, 18:30-20:30.

Archaeological Museum, Plaza del Cordón 1 (200 m south of cathedral), ☏ +34 979 752328. Tu-Sa 10:00-14:00, 16:00-19:00, Su 10:00-14:00. Excellent display of the Celtiberian, Roman and Visigoth periods. Adult €1. (updated Nov 2024)
42.0085-4.53714 Puente Mayor was built across the River Carrión in the 16th century but doesn't look it, as it was widened in the 19th and carries traffic.
Puentecillas 200 m north of Puente Mayor is a footbridge, originally Roman but re-built as a 3-arch bridge in the Middle Ages. It links the cathedral district to a river island then the west bank of River Carrión.
Museum of Water, Paseo Dársena del Canal (west bank of Punta Mayor), ☏ +34 979 706523. Sa 10:30-14:00, 16:00-19:30, Su 13:00-14:00. Background exhibits on the water cycle and conservation, but this is mostly about the Canal de Castilla, completed in 1849 to carry grain to the ports. Construction took a century so it was nicely in time to be replaced by the railways. Much of it has been lost but sections have leisure use. Free. (updated Nov 2024)
Church of San Miguel is off C Mayor Antigua, 200 m southwest of Punta Mayor. It was founded in the 11th century, rebuilt in gothic style in the 13th, and extensively repaired and the tower added after the 1755 Lisbon earthquake. In legend El Cid married Jimena Díaz here circa 1075, in which case his corpse may come galloping out any minute to scatter the Moors.
42.0061-4.52895 Salón de Isabel II is the pleasant park marking the south edge of old town. It was laid out from 1830 over former monastery market gardens.
42.0283-4.52946 Cristo del Otero is a 20 m concrete statue of Christ erected in 1931, on a knoll (otero) north edge of town. At its feet is a small chapel, museum and grave of the architect Victorio Macho.

Further out

41.9607-4.57137 Monte el Viejo is a forested plateau 6 km southwest, a popular recreation area.
41.9208-4.47248 Venta de Baños is a village 13 km south with the Church of John the Baptist, consecrated in 661 AD so it's the oldest church on the Iberian peninsula. It's east edge of the village, open Tu-Su 11:00-14:00, 16:00-18:00.
42.4817-4.73669 La Olmeda Roman Villa is 60 km north near the village of Pedrosa de la Vega. It's an extensive 4th century mansion with fine mosaics. The site is open Tu-Su 10:30-18:30. Some of the findings are in a museum in an old church in nearby Saldaña.
La Tejada is a similar Roman villa near the village of Quintanilla de la Cueza. It's closed to visits in 2024.
A total solar eclipse on Wednesday 12 Aug 2026, starting at 20:29 and lasting 1 min 40 sec. The chances of a clear sky are 75%, but you need to find a spot with a clear view to the northwest horizon, where the sun will be setting.

Do

Teatro Principal is 100 m southeast of Plaza Mayor, at Burgos 3.
Cinema: Cines Teatro Ortega is 200 m south of Plaza Mayor at Colón 2. Multicines Avenida is 1.5 km south at Av Valladolid 10.
Sports centre: the municipal sports pavilion is on Av Obispo Barberá, on the riverbank 1 km north of the cathedral. Isla Dos Aguas complex is on the south river island, cross by C Ponce de León. There's half-a-dozen fitness centres downtown.
Football: Palencia CF plays soccer in Tercera Federación, the fifth tier. Their home ground Estadio Nueva Balastera (capacity 8100) is on Lola de la Fuente, two km east of town centre.
Plaza de toros, the bullring, still occasionally hosts bullfights as well as rock concerts and other exhibitions but is little used. It's on Av Campos Góticos by the inner bypass.

Buy

Carrefour and Dia are downtown, but the biggest supermarkets are on the inner bypass Av de Casado del Alisal.

Eat

Local specialties: chief of these is lechazo, suckling lamb roasted slowly in a wood oven and served with salad.

Menestra de Verduras is mixed vegetables cooked with chopped pieces of Spanish ham, onion, garlic and spices.

Sopa de ajo is a traditional winter garlic soup, made with bread mixed with paprika, water and garlic and cooked slowly. A raw egg is often added before serving.

Morcilla is a black sausage made from pig's blood. It's often flavoured with pork fat, onions, herbs and spices, plus rice.

Breads include fabiolas, roscas and panes.

Rice pudding and leche frita (a mix of milk, sugar, flour and cinnamon with a jelly-like texture) are favourite desserts.

Restaurants in town centre include Casa Pepe's, Sibuya Sushi Bar, Ajo de Sopaas, Habana Cafeteria, El Perejil, Terra, La Barra de Villoldo, La Traserilla, La Parrilla de Don Jamón and Los Candiles de Toño.
Nothing at all to eat if you're a Priscillian. This cult originated in Egypt and took hold in Palencia in the fourth century AD. It was "dualistic", teaching that God only created the sunny positive aspects of the universe, with a separate "dark creation" for the rest. Obvious heresy, though Zoroastrianism was on similar lines, and modern physicists are toying with the idea to explain anomalies in the observable universe (or in theological-speak, "effing the ineffable"). The heretics were hunted down but this may not have been necessary, as the Priscillians reckoned all food came from the dark creation and should be refused.

Drink

Bars include Carpanta, El Gatonegro / Black Cat, Gastropub Y un Cuerno 2.1, El Lupulo Dorado Microbrewery, Lounge Tribeca, La Cripta, Pharaon and Blue Velvet.
Wine: Palencia is within the Castile and Leon DO region. Notable domains are Ribera del Duero, Toro and Arlanza.

Sleep

Hotel Eurostars Diana Palace, Av Santander 12 (200 m east of railway station), ☏ +34 979 018050. Clean friendly central place. Parking is a tight squeeze. B&B double €100. (updated Nov 2024)
42.0135-4.53461 Hotel Alda Centro Palencia, Eduardo Dato 2, ☏ +34 979 050516. Budget chain with basic but comfy central rooms. They have two other hotels in town. Double (room only) €90. (updated Nov 2024)
Colón 27 is serviced apartments available for short stays.
Hotel Castilla Vieja at Av de Casado del Alisal 26 is comfy enough but is no castle.
42.0139-4.5212 AC Hotel Palencia, Av de Cuba 25, ☏ +34 979 165701. Just off the inner bypass but walking distance to centre. Double (room only) €130. (updated Nov 2024)
42.0209-4.53093 Hotel Palacio Congresos, Clara Campoamor 13, ☏ +34 979 100761. Clean and comfy, walking distance to centre. B&B double €90. (updated Nov 2024)

Connect

As of Nov 2024, Palencia and its approach roads have 5G from all Spanish carriers.

Go next

Burgos has a magnificent cathedral.
León has a well-preserved old centre.
Valladolid is industrial but with interesting museums and churches.

This city travel guide to Palencia is a usable article. It has information on how to get there and on restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please feel free to improve it by editing the page.