Casa Mando
What to order: León cured meats to start and a spoon dish with pulses from the province.
geocalia
Day itinerary · 42.60° N · 5.57° W
León on a Sunday: stained glass, the Pantheon and Gaudí's house.
The cathedral at 9:30, before the Masses, the Royal Pantheon, an aperitif in the Húmedo, León cooking at Casa Mando and Gaudí's Casa Botines in the afternoon.
Leaving from
Part of LeónScenic train journeys in Spain
Add to my trip
Total time8 h
By car1 h 30 each way
Walking3 km · flat
DifficultyEasy
Cost€50–75 pp
Best timeMay · June · September · October
With childrenYes
With dogsIn the streets, yes; not in the monuments
The plan
The day at a glance
Any part can be swapped for another without spoiling the day.
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Leave Oviedo 1 h 30 by car
from Oviedo via the AP-66 and the Huerna; from Zamora via the A-66
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1
Cathedral of Santa María de León and Its Cloister
Stained glass and cloister · 1 h 30 · €8 · on Sunday closes at 11:30
- 8 min on foot
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2
Royal Collegiate Church of San Isidoro and the Royal Pantheon
Pantheon of the Kings · 1 h · €6 self-guided, €8 guided
- 10 min on foot
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3
The Barrio Húmedo and the Plaza de San Martín
Aperitif on Plaza de San Martín
- 6 min on foot
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4
Casa Mando
Leonese cooking · €€€ · on Sunday, midday only; booking
Calle Policía Nacional, s/n, 24003 León · +34 987 79 81 88
Restaurant €€€Book - 5 min on foot
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5
Casa Botines Gaudí Museum
Casa Botines Gaudí Museum · 1 h · €10
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Back home
in Oviedo around 19:00
Approximate cost
About €35–60 per person
Adds up the activities and meals in the plan at their published prices; travel and accommodation not included.
The route
Cathedral of Santa María de León and Its Cloister
Sunday in León has a catch: the cathedral closes from 11:30 to 15:00 for Masses and San Isidoro opens only in the morning, so you need to start early. With that sorted, the day works out neatly and on foot: the stained glass in the morning light, the Royal Pantheon, a glass of wine in the Plaza de San Martín, a long León lunch and Gaudí's Casa Botines in the afternoon. From Oviedo it is an hour and a half; from Palencia or Zamora, a little more, and from Burgos, two hours.
The day, hour by hour
7:45 · Set off. From Oviedo on the AP-66 and the Huerna; from Zamora on the A-66. Park in the Ensanche or near San Marcos and go in on foot.
9:30 · The cathedral. It opens at 9:30 and on Sundays closes at 11:30. An hour and a half for the nave and cloister, with light coming in through the apse windows. €8; free for under-12s.
11:15 · San Isidoro and the Royal Pantheon. Follow the wall for eight minutes. The museum includes the Pantheon, with its painted 12th-century vaults, the treasury and the cloister: €6 on your own or €8 with a guide, which on Sundays leaves at 11:30 and 13:00. It opens until 14:00.
12:45 · The Barrio Húmedo. Go down to the Plaza de San Martín and have a glass of wine or a small beer: in many bars it comes with a tapa.
14:00 · Lunch at Casa Mando. Five minutes away, beside the Plaza de Santo Domingo. León cooking: León cold cuts, pulses from La Bañeza and stews. On Sundays it opens from 13:30 to 17:30; book ahead.
16:00 · Casa Botines. In the Plaza de San Marcelo, opposite. On Sundays it opens from 10:00 to 19:00. An hour to go round Gaudí's building inside: €10, €13 with a guide.
17:30 · Head home. In Oviedo around 19:00.
With children
Under-12s do not pay at the cathedral or San Isidoro. If the Húmedo means nothing to them, add the Roman León centre, at Puerta Castillo, free and with a guided visit on Sundays at 11:00: do it then and leave San Isidoro for 12:15, because it closes at 14:00.
Time1 h 30
Change the route
With children, instead of the Húmedo: free guided tour of Roman León on Sunday at 11:00:
Roman León: The Wall and the Puerta Castillo Interpretation Centre
If you prefer San Marcos to San Isidoro: church and museum free, on Sunday 10:00 to 14:00:
San Marcos: Plateresque Facade, Church and Museum
If you like contemporary art: on Sunday it opens 17:00 to 20:00, €3:
MUSAC, Museum of Contemporary Art of Castilla y León
Where to eat
Where to eat?
Lunch is half the plan: book before you set off.
Hotel Real Colegiata de San Isidoro Restaurant
What to order: the weekday menu of the day, which includes D. O. Bierzo or León wine, water, bread and coffee.
Map
The stops, in order
With where to park at each one.
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
Getting there
By car or without one?
When to go
When to go to León
Any Sunday. The order matters: on Sundays the cathedral closes from 11:30 to 15:00 for Masses and San Isidoro opens only in the morning. Casa Botines opens on Sundays until 19:00.
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Best timeGood timeLow season
Tips
Worth knowing first
- 1Cathedral first
On Sundays it closes from 11:30 to 15:00. If you arrive late, leave it until after Casa Botines: it reopens at 15:00 until 19:00.
- 2Book Casa Mando
It is one of the few León-cooking restaurants in the centre with a kitchen open on Sunday until 17:30.
- 3San Isidoro before 14:00
On Sundays it does not open in the afternoon.
If it rains
The whole plan is indoors except the walk through the Húmedo. Add the MUSAC, open on Sunday afternoons.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
What is open in León on a Sunday?
The cathedral from 9:30 to 11:30 and from 15:00 to 19:00; San Isidoro from 10:00 to 14:00; Casa Botines from 10:00 to 19:00; the MUSAC morning and afternoon.
How much does the day cost?
Between €50 and €75 per person: about €24 in tickets and lunch.
How long does it take from Oviedo?
An hour and a half on the AP-66, about 125 km.
Is it a good plan with children?
Yes: under-12s free at the cathedral and San Isidoro, and Roman León is free.
More plans like this
Other days of walking and good food
geocalia.com/en/spain/castile-and-leon/leon/itineraries/cathedral-san-isidoro-and-casa-botines
Prices, opening hours and times are approximate: check them before you go. Each place has its own page on Geocalia.