Laredo Old Town and Santa María de la Asunción

Laredo's historic centre is made up of six streets (rúas) dating from the foundation by Alfonso VIII, at the foot of the church of Santa María de la Asunción: Rúa Mayor, San Marcial, Santa María, San Martín, Rúa de en Medio and Ruayusera. Among them are the Zarauz house, the Villota house with its cloister and the Peregrines house. The church, Gothic from the 13th century, holds the altarpiece of the Virgen de Belén, one of the most valuable ensembles of Flemish sculpture in Spain. The tourist office organises guided tours.

A royal port

Between the 13th and 17th centuries Laredo was the capital of the Four Towns of the Sea Coast and Castile's most important port, and you can see it in the layout: three streets running north to south, Mayor, San Marcial (or Carnicerías Viejas) and Santa María, crossed by three more running east to west, San Martín, de en Medio and Ruayusera (or "de abajo"). Isabella the Catholic and her family passed through here, and Charles V landed at Laredo on his way to his retirement at Yuste. The walls date from the 13th century and the town once had twelve gates, which were closed at the toll of a bell from the afternoon until dawn; those of San Lorenzo (or Bilbao), La Blanca and El Merenillo remain, among others.

What to see

The church of Santa María de la Asunción is the town's mother parish. Laredo Tourism counts it among the best examples of classical Gothic in Spain and describes it as the only Spanish Gothic church with four naves and four apses. Its most valuable piece is the altarpiece of the Virgen de Belén, from the 15th century, polychrome Flemish sculpture. The tourism agenda gives visiting times of 10:00 to 13:00 and 16:00 to 19:00, but they change with the season: confirm before you go.

The church of San Martín, documented since 1068, is the oldest in Laredo, Romanesque, with a bell gable with seven openings; it belonged to the Mariners' Brotherhood. The convent of San Francisco, from the 16th century, has been occupied since 1883 by cloistered Trinitarian nuns and has a cloister and a museum of sacred art. Among the houses, the Zarauz house, from the 18th century, with a Baroque coat of arms; the Villota house, from the mid-16th century, with a Herrerian cloister; the Peregrines house, from the 15th century, part of whose façade still stands, and the Alvarado house, where Hernando de Alvarado, one of Pizarro's captains, was born. The walk is rounded off by the Constable's tower, the town's old hospital, the Espíritu Santo chapel and the old Renaissance town hall.

How to visit

Laredo Tourism suggests a 2 km route with 24 numbered points, downloadable as GPX and KML; on foot, with stops, it takes an hour and a half. The guided tour "Get to Know Laredo" lasts two hours and leaves from Plaza de la Constitución; the next one is on 13 November 2026 at 11:00. Find out about the upcoming ones at the Laredo Tourist Office.

The Old Town is right next to the centre and to La Salvé beach, and Alameda Miramar, where the Battle of Flowers parades in late August, is alongside. To sleep close by, the Hotel El Ancla is 500 metres from the centre.