Cathedral of Palencia

Palencia is a city of 79,000 people (2018) in Castile and Leon. Palencia offers many well-conserved monuments and a postcard-worthy main street. It has many parks, each with their own characteristics and setting. And culinary secrets waiting to be discovered.

Understand

Archaeology Museum

Palencia is the picturesque capital of an eminently Castilian province of the same name. It doesn't feature in the main tourist trail in the region, and it cannot compare to the beauty of Salamanca, León, Burgos or Segovia or the museums and urban dynamism of Valladolid.

Two hills surround the city in its north-east area. On the closest stands the 30-metre high statue of Christ known as the Cristo del Otero, the fourth-tallest statue of Christ in the world.

The Canal de Castilla runs close to the city.

Climate

Summer in Palencia is a pleasure, but it ends early and there is cold weather from September. The winter is long and severe. The people of the city can be found outdoors and in the squares and plazas year-round.

Culture and politics

Palencia is known in Spain for being culturally insular. It is an aging city, as the youth tend to move to the larger surrounding cities. Immigration is a recent addition to Palencia, and it may bring some diversity to a city that has been a closed.

Palencia seems to be the forgotten city among the great Castilian For example, the city is in the shade of Vallodolid, which is close by and much larger. Some locals are upset by the windmills that have appeared in the surrounds of the city, spoiling the views of the Christ of Otero. At the same time, the citizens of this city of 83 000 inhabitants enjoy a great quality of life in this neat, quiet, green, wealthy and gastronomic city.

Get in

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.

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

Get around

Palencia has a bus service formed by 6 daily lines, managed by Palbus. The fleet is 18 buses. There are 26 stops with electronic panels with the arriving of the next buses. There is also a night bus, free Wi-Fi in all buses and intelligent systems with voice at the buses announcing the stops.

See

• The old city walls were more than 10 m high and can still be traced; the alamedas or promenades along them were laid out in 1778.

Cathedral of Palencia's apse

• 1 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 (serially so 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)
• 2 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.
• 3 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)
• 4 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.
• 5 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

• 6 Venta de Baños is a village 13 km south with the Church of John the Baptist, consecrated in 661 AD. That makes it 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.
• 7 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.

Saints Week in Palencia

Do

• Palencia has a substantial forest of 1,438 hectares (3,550 acres) 6 km away on a plateau above the city, known locally as the "Monte el Viejo" ("Old Mount"). This park is a popular amusement area for the locals.
• 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.

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.

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)
• 1 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.
• 2 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)
• 3 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 Aug 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.