The Silver Route and its surrounding areas in the province of León

La Bañeza is in the south of the province, with some interesting Art Nouveau buildings. There is a street market every Saturday. One of the high points of the year is Carnival, with an exciting motorcycle race through the town.Astorga is well-known as a stop on St James’ Way and on the Silver Route. It is a beautiful walled town with a notable Cathedral and a Bishop’s Palace designed by Antoni Gaudí. Its Roman past is also visible in many places in the town.León is the provincial capital. It is a delightful city to explore on foot, and we recommend visiting the Cathedral, the Basilica of San Isidoro, and Casa Botines, an Art Nouveau building by Gaudí. To enjoy the atmosphere like a local, take a stroll in the Barrio Húmedo district, and stop in one of the many restaurants.La Pola de Gordón is a municipality including several villages in the natural setting of the Alto Bernesga Biosphere Reserve. The reserve is home to birds of prey like golden eagles and peregrine falcons, as well as Iberian wolves and brown bears.

Maragatería and the Gold Route: there are several places around Astorga that were once Roman gold mines. The most popular to visit are Castrillo de los Polvazares, Rabanal del Camino, Turienzo los Caballeros and Val de San Lorenzo. They are all within 25 kilometres of Astorga.El Bierzo, in the north-west of the province, is a great area to visit, with interesting small towns like Villafranca del Bierzo and Ponferrada, traditional stops on St James’ Way, with important heritage buildings. This area is about 100 kilometres from Astorga and boasts strikingly beautiful landscapes, such as Los Ancares and Las Médulas.The World Heritage site of Las Médulas is considered to be the largest open-cast mine of the Roman era. It is accessible from the village of Carucedo, about an hour’s drive from Astorga, and the mix of natural and man-made landscape is spectacular.