Valladolid Local Attractions

Valladolid was captured from the Moors in the 10th century and by the 15th century it was the residence of the Kings of Castile and remained the capital of the Kingdom of Spain until 1561, when Philip II (who was born here) moved the capital to Madrid. It was made the capital of the kingdom again between 1601 and 1606 by Philip III , and it was during that time Cervantes published his first edition of Don Quixote. The Casa de Cervantes house-museum gives you a good insight into the way of life of a noble family in the 17th century through possessions and furniture from the time

Christopher Columbus died in Valladolid in 1506 in a house which is now a museum dedicated to him with various documents and artefacts relating to the discovery of America.

As a city that has experienced major urban growth over the last few decades, Valladolid offers a wide range of leisure and cultural opportunities with the National Sculpture Museum in San Gregorio College. This Flemish Gothic style building has an important exhibition of polychrome carvings made by artists like Alonso Berruguete or Gregorio Fernández.. The Museum of Contemporary Spanish Art in the Herreriano Courtyard (one of the cloisters of the former Monastery of San Benito) preserves more than 800 paintings and sculptures from the 20th century.

Monuments include the unfinished cathedral (designed by Juan de Herrera architect of El Escorial) , the church of Santa Maria la Antigua, the Plaza Mayor (the template for the one in Madrid and future main squares in the Castilian-speaking world) an the National Sculpture Museum, next to the church of Saint Paul, which includes Spain's greatest collections of polychrome wood sculptures. The façade of the Faculty of Law of the University of Valladolid is one of the few surviving works by artist Narciso Tomei , who is famous for the transparente in Toledo Cathedral.

If you are planning to explore the area outside of the city centre and play some golf or go to some of the more out of the way beaches then you might consider hiring a car There are a number of car hire firms based at Valladolid Airport who will be pleased to have a vehicle awaiting your arrival. This also cuts down on transfer costs for you and your family.

We also provide information on other sporting and leisure amenities in Valladolid including an Area Guide to Valladolid which contains information on Valladolid local attractions, golf courses in Valladolid, good places to shop in Valladolid and a list of recommended Valladolid restaurants