TRAVEL

Burgos, Spain, abounds with history, art

Marcia Fine
Special for the Republic
Marcia Fine in front of the Cathedral in Burgos, Spain.

Driven by a passion to do research for a historical novel, my husband and I spent a week in Burgos, Spain, the capital of Castile in the north of the country.

We found more than enough to keep us busy. From our hotel, the Palacio de Burgos, in a 16th-century monastery in the city center, we could walk to all sites of interest except for the Castillo, a castle and fortress that documents the beginnings of the city.

Once inside and wearing the necessary hard hats, we trekked down 335 steps to visit a well. A magnificent feat of engineering built in 1475, it was the chief source of fresh water for the town.

The Museum of Human Evolution, which opened in 2010, is one of Spain's top 10 most-visited sites. Designed by award-winning architect Juan Baldeweg, it tells a great story and sits just 10 miles from the Sierra de Atapuerca, the location of some of the most important human fossils ever found.

The Burgos Cathedral, a World Heritage site that dates to 1221, has outstanding gilded galleries, altars, chapels and monuments, including the tomb of El Cid, a national hero. It is vast, so allot a full day to see it all.

We visited many other sites, including the Burgos Museum, the Printing Museum and the Museum of Marcelino Santa Maria, built into a monastery. The grand finale was a bus ride to the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao. Designed by Frank Gehry, it is a contemporary gem and a showcase for a remarkably complete exhibit of works by Georges Braque.

Named Spain's Gastronomy Capital of 2013, Burgos was a culinary delight as well as a treat for all the senses. This is a place well worth spending time

The writer lives in Scottsdale.

TELL US WHERE YOU'VE BEEN: To contribute to Your Travels, send a large, high-resolution JPEG attachment photo and a description or essay of up to 400 words to traveleditor@arizonarepublic.com. We'll contact you when your item is scheduled to be published.

Travel People