ABC Hotel Aduana

Lerma

by Carmela71

This city is between Bilbao and Madrid, close to the main road.

has an incredible amount of Churches, convents and historical buildings.

I would suggest also to stop at Its Parador a jewel in Paradores and one of the new ones.

For more information click on my Lerma page

CID SCULTPURE

by arlequin_g

In the square with his very name (Cid’s square) you can see the sculpture of this importan hero. Don’t miss Puente de Santa Maria (Santa Maria’s bridge), you just have to follow Cid’s sword direction and will arrive right to it. In this bridge you can see some more scultptures of people who was important in the hero’s life.

Cartuja de Miraflores.

by breughel

After the visit to the Cistercian monastery of Las Huelgas to the west we drove 3 Km back eastwards of the city centre to a wooded hill were was build starting in 1454 a monastery of Carthusian monks under the reign of King John II of Castile and his wife, Isabella of Portugal.
The monastery itself is still occupied by Carthusian monks and is not visited.

The church in plain Gothic with only one nave was built by architects Juan de Colonia and his son Simon. It is a must see as this burial place is one of the Gothic jewels of the end of the 15th century.
It contains the large gilded high altar by Gil de Siloé and Diego de la Cruz and the alabaster tomb of John and Isabella (also by Gil de Siloé), one of the richest of its kind in Spain. In a recess in the north wall is the alabaster tomb of the Infant Alfonso (d. 1468), decorated with luxuriant arabesques.
Isabel the Catholic, daughter of John II of Castile and Isabella of Portugal commissioned the altarpiece and tombs in this church.

Church is open: Monday to Saturday 10.15 - 15.00 & 16.00 - 18.00 h
Sundays & feast days 11.00 - 15.00 & 16.00 - 18.00 h
Mass on Sundays and feast days at 10.15 h

Free admission.

Burgos Province where my family comes from

by Carmela71

"My family place"

This is where my mothers family comes from, a little village south of Burgos province, close to Aranda de Duero. Since I was a child I used to spend summers here with grandparents. Later on when a teenager I did not enjoyed so much till I discover the village festivals, wines, new friends…. and my first love : - )

Burgos is the capital of the province but you will find many other villages that deserve a visit on my off the beaten track tips. Hope you enjoy them.

When we think in Burgos the first thing that come to our minds is the cathedral, an incredible gothic cathedral one of the bests in Spain.

Also a person comes to our minds, El Cid Campeador (better known as Charles Heston, but in real 500 years ago LOL)

But Burgos has more heritage apart of the cathedral, mainly religious one (remember that the Camino de Santiago crosses the city!), as the Cartuja de Miraflores or Monastery of Las Huelgas.

In my teenagers times I used to come often to Burgos to spend some days with my friend Cristina, but I have to say I did not visit many monuments, just a taste of the nightlife hehehe

Great memories .....