A road trip to Castilla y León – what to do in Burgos in 2 days

It’s hard to believe that it’s been already one month since our road trip to Castilla y León! In this post we shared with you one day itinerary in Zaragoza, because this is where we did a stop half way to Burgos and we think the city really deserves a visit, even a quick one. Today we are coming with ideas of what to do in Burgos, which was our final destination. 

Burgos is a small city but has a lot to offer, especially if you love nature. We had almost 2 complete days to get to know Burgos, because the rest of the time we were visiting other places out of town. 2 days were totally enough to visit the city with no rush and here it comes what we did and what we suggest in case you are heading to Burgos.

Burgos is similar to Zaragoza because everything is accessible on foot, so we barely used our car in the city. Our friends were living about 20 minutes walking from the centre and the road we took to the old town was truly beautiful because it continued along the Arlanzón river, surrounded by trees, ducks and flowers. We also crossed Parque Isla on the right side of Arlanzón, which surprised us with a great botanical variety, as well as several monuments and fountains, and then continued with Paseo del Espolón, the most central and popular promenade in Burgos considered the “living room” of the city.

Once we got to the centre, we found ourselves in front of an enormous and beautiful Arco de Santa María, one of the twelve medieval gates the city had during the middle ages. I have to say the gate is very impressing when you stand there and feel like the smallest human being ever.  This arch connects the Santa María bridge, over the Arlanzón river, with the Plaza del Rey San Fernando.

Once you cross the gate, you literally travel back in time. The old town of Burgos is one of the best preserved I ever seen and the Cathedral gives you a very warm welcome, emerging from above the buildings. Speaking of the Cathedral of Burgos, you have to know it’s the first Gothic Cathedral built in Peninsula. It was raised in 12th century, inspired by Notre Damme and other French temples, and previously there was actually a Romanesque cathedral right in the same place. It was a shame we could’t visit the interior because of pandemic restrictions, but if you have an opportunity to enter inside, you should not miss it. 

Our next step was Mirador del Castillo, a beautiful view point from which you will have the entire town under your feet. It was definitely my favorite place in Burgos because we came back twice! To get to the view point you can simply follow the steps or take a taxi. We went for the second option because Edwin still could’t force his knee too much. There are two bars up there, which unfortunately where closed when we arrived, and both are great option to take a break and admire the view with a coffee or drink. 

We spent the rest of the afternoon exploring bars in the old town, especially trying tapas  and local drinks in different places because I have to admit that the prices in Burgos were a real heaven from us. When you are used to live in such an expensive city as Barcelona, patatas bravas for 2.50 euros are a really nice surprise! In the late evening we came back to the Mirador del Castillo because I was craving for these views at night. The city was beautifully illuminated and the bar was finally open so we could sit down in the terrace having the Cathedral and the entire old town shining bright from the bottom. I think it was the best way to end up the day and we really suggest to visit the view point both in a daylight and at night.

Our second day in Burgos started with Cartuja de Miraflores, a monastery built on a hill about three kilometers from Burgos and a real jewel of Elizabethan Gothic art. Again, we couldn’t enter inside because of the pandemic, but we decided to discover the trails nearby, because the monastery is situated in the middle of the nature and many people come there to practice sport. What I also loved about Burgos is the fact that everyone there is doing something outside – riding a bike, practicing nordic walking, jogging or simply walking. I’ve never seen so many people practicing sport at the same time.

There was a very nice bar hidden in the woods where we stopped for some tapas and drinks and then we headed to the river. It reminded me those road trips to the mountains when there is barely no people and you literally breath nature. It was such a pleasure to walk along the river, watch families having picnic and simply enjoy the tranquility of this place.

If you are interested in monasteries, there are two more out there in Burgos – Monasterio de las Huelgas Reales and Monasterio de San Pedro de Cardeña, the second one situated about 10 km from the city. 

We preferred to enjoy the river so we stayed there until midday and then we came back to our favorite Mirador del Castillo, but this time we visited the ruins of castle as well. Nowadays it is an Interpretation Center and a recreation park with streets dedicated to illustrious poets of the city, but it was still a nice experience to visit the ancient walls and towers and to take a look at the city from another perspective.

That would be all when it comes to our itinerary in Burgos. For us 2 days were more than sufficient to enjoy the city, but if you’re planning to stay for more time, there is definitely a lot to do – from interesting museums and beautiful parks to delicious local cuisine. If you are a real meat lover like Edwin, Burgos is definitely a place for you with all different varieties and especially its famous morcilla!