Leon

NH Plaza Mayor, Plaza Mayor www.nh-hoteles.es/nh/es/hoteles/espana/leon is what it says, a hotel in the midst of the buildings of the lovely Plaza Mayor. It is an excellent conversion of one of the historic buildings into a hotel and has lovely public areas, the bedrooms are well appointed and if you get one facing onto the plaza you will be able to look onto the gorgeous square from your balcony.

The main area for bars and restaurants is known as the Barrio Humido, the wet quarter, around the Plaza San Martin,  but there are also some lovely bars around the Plaza Torres de Omana known as the Barrio Romantico.

In Leon the tradition is that you get a generous free tapas with each drink, sometimes with a choice.

Bar La Trebede, Plaza Torres de Omana, is a very popular and friendly bar on this busy square, the owners are very pleasant and the bar has a lovely atmosphere. Great selection of wines by the glass and plentiful free tapas.

La Bien Querida, C/ Del Pozo, between the Barrio Humido and the Barrio Romantico a very modern and smart wine bar with good tapas, it gets excellent reports for the main meals served either in the restaurant or on the terrace. The staff were not the friendliest I have come across but would return, perhaps it was just a bad day.

Camarote Madrid, C/Cervantes, like the one above between the two Barrios and has a wide range of different tapas not as typical Leon as many other places, so good to try. It is very popular, try the salmorejo cold soup from Cordoba. The wine list also has a good selection from many areas of Spain.

Mona Lisa Vinateria, in the Plaza Torres de Omana is a modern bar but with more traditional free tapas, worth a try if you can’t get a seat outside in the square at one of the many bars. Popular with a younger crowd perhaps because of the modern décor.

El Altar, C/ de las Platerias, Barrio Humido, a local bar worth stopping at, free tapas of a beef stew was excellent otherwise it is just a basic place.

El Besugo, C/Azbacheria 10, an old style Leon bar, nothing fancy but good old fashioned tapas, also in the Barrio Humido. This offers a menu del dia every day and it is good old fashioned home cooking.

Nuevo Racimo de Oro, Plaza San Martin in the heart of the Barrio Humido, a more upmarket choice but a lovely bar with excellent tapas and a very pleasant bodega bar in the cellar.

Meson El Tizon, Plaza San Martin is an old fashioned place with excellent staff and generous and good free tapas. Does a good meat and cheese platter.

There are also many bars in the Plaza Mayor itself where you can sit out and admire the square either in the afternoon or late at night The staff in both La Favorita and Sunset were friendly although later some of the bars are definitely for a very young crowd.

Ezequiel, C/Roa de la Vega 4, is a bit out of the way but if you are visiting the Parador try and stop of, it is a very smart grocers shops which also does meals and tapas. There are a number of other very popular bars just nearby.

Drink

There are a number of DO’s, designations of origen, in Castille & Leon, El Bierzo is in the northwest of Leon Province which produces red wines mainly from the mencia grape. This region is becoming better known recently so keep an eye out for these wines. Prieto Picudo is a local grape variety and it produces mainly red wines and some rose, give it a try as it is a really local Leon wine.

There area  number of buildings that you should see when in Leon, the Cathedral of course which is one of the most lovely in Spain, the Convento de San Marcos which is the Parador and the Basilica de San Isidoro. Casa Botines is a Gaudi designed building in the centre of the city.