Lion for cuddly
** León is the city in the country with the most bars per inhabitant **. The men and women of Leon like to take care of and pamper the local product to the extreme. Everywhere there are small places to surprise the visitor.
have made of his old neighborhood a bacchanal for the senses . This territory is not suitable for softies. They say that one day the Roman god Bacchus came to try the local honeys and after a few wines he had to ask for mercy because that was too much. They are made of another paste. That's why we offer a quiet visit to the city, for those of us who are still a bit soft.
In the city with the most bars per inhabitant there is also room for tranquility
León already has AVE and this year it is the Spanish Capital of Gastronomy. We are two hours from the capital, perfect stop for a weekend: May was dedicated to cecina, June will be for confectionery and pastry, and July for cheese and honey. Think about rolling out of here.
Arriving at the train station they will tell us that the center is all straight. You can order a taxi or walk. It's a few minutes crossing the river Bernesga. Upon reaching the other side the first surprise. In the number 4 of the Plaza de Guzmán el Bueno is the 'House of the Pussy' that, believe it or not, They called it that because of how amazing and tall it seemed when you arrived in the city.
Continue along Ordoño II Avenue until you find the Santo Domingo Square. From there, all pedestrian district full of bars. It really wasn't a joke.
Until you get to the door of the hotel, a couple of references. The House Boots _(Plaza San Marcelo 5) _ is the work of the great Antoni Gaudí. And the Plaza Santa María del Camino, popularly known as Plaza del Grano, which has the original cobblestones (although they are now under construction, watch where you step) and a couple of terraces to watch the sunset.
Home Booties
After you drop off your suitcase, you might feel like a little walk. How about a tour of the Countess Sagasta Walk , next to the Bernesga, full of horse chestnut trees, to the ** Parador in Plaza de San Marcos ** and turn left to go through the quevedo park ? Or kick you Wet , walk the entire Calle Ancha until you see the Cathedral, and then rest your legs while having a local beer.
The two best options are just a few steps away. In the Four Lions Brewery _(Calle Sierra Pambley, 6) _ They make their own beer and, if you book in advance, you can take a guided tour of the factory. Wood and red brick seen in a place that looks like something out of New York's Meatpacking. Friends, two sliders (small burgers) and a pint of beer to spend hours with nothing to worry about is a good plan.
In Kadabra _(Calle Regidores, 5) _ offer craft beer and local product. Wooden tables and a secluded terrace where the world stops, with some charcuterie plates, some homemade pizzas and some pints to spend the afternoon and, why not, the whole night.
Breakfast, if it is healthy, better. A good option is to do it in the Central Park _(excerpt from Cine Mary Ordoño II, 17) _ with a bowl with cereals and fresh fruit.
Craft beer and local product
In León, the offer of establishments that are committed to local producers and more responsible consumption. Some of the organic suppliers have their own store.
A couple of examples are the Oh! my bio _(Burgo Nuevo Street, 22) _ or More than organic _(Lope de Vega Street, 3) _. The latter is a fairly large supermarket where even They give workshops and courses on nutrition.
The breakfast? Here please
If the visit to the city is to see a colleague, let him cook the Wild Alaskan Salmon with a Tritordeum Bread Roll . That and a wine from the area and you have a guaranteed contemplative day.
But that is yet to come. First you have to think about the morning. Finish the job with a coffee while you think what the next step is can take you far. A 40-minute drive away is the ** Faedo de Ciñera ,** a spectacular forest of century-old beech trees very well preserved that will make your Instagram pop.
Or, if you prefer, a few minutes away is the impressive Valporquero cave . You can buy tickets online and it is advisable to bring a coat because it is hot inside –and don't touch the stalagmites, do me a favor-.
On the way back, a good quiet plan to eat can be to sit in the Kamado Asian Food _(Calle El Paso, 7 - corner with Regidores) _ and enjoy dishes inspired by street food from different countries of the Asian continent. Or try your luck (you have to book in advance) at the restaurant LAV _(Avenida del Padre Isla, 1) _ and let yourself be carried away by the Tasting menu that Javier del Blanco masterfully offers with local products and at an undeniable price (35 euros).
Valporquero: don't touch the stalagmites, do me a favor
A short walk to get off the food can be a good excuse to see a couple of shops that are worthwhile. Highlight In the life _(Lope de Vega Street, 3) _ for the clothes chosen by the always cheerful Olga; the comic shop Elektra _(Calle Comandante Zorita, 4) _ which brings together a huge amount of geek culture in a few square meters; and the Sputnik bookstore cafeteria ** _(Legión VII Street, 3) _ for the selection of feminist books they have and that you can accompany with a mid-afternoon coffee.
For a contemplative dinner, two obligatory recommendations: the cooking _(calle de las Campanillas, 1) _, led by the chefs Yolanda Leon and Juanjo Perez that offer local produce (bought at the Plaza Mayor market on Wednesdays and Saturdays) with spectacular results that led them to achieve the Michelin star in 2009.
On the other hand, the becook _(Cantareros Street, 2) _ of urban cuisine and impossible deconstructions like the 'Güevo fried at low temperature' or the 'perfect' salmon. In both we recommend book early.
The drinks are taken chatting and for that there are four other obligatory visits. The Taxman Beatles Bar (Babia Street, 6), a temple of worship to the quintessential English pop group and good beers; and the Chelsea British Bar _(Calle de las Varillas, 5) _, ideal to increase the intensity of the music while listening to to Queen or the Rolling Stones at full speed with a gin and tonic.
If what suits you best is the national, the great coffee _(Cervantes Street, 7) _ offers live concerts every weekend . indie is in White card _(Calle Juan de Arfe, 10) _, where they serve freshly made popcorn with the cup. And yes, it also has small details that make it unique, like all the previous ones: there are a silver sofa at the back of the room and on one of the walls, full of paintings with pop references from the 80s and 90s, stay with Batman and his faithful friend Lady Gaga.
That said, those of León are made of another paste. We will have to go back. Quiet breakfast, mobile in airplane mode and thinking about the next visit. August is the month of beer…
And a walk through the Plaza del Grano?