Valladolid Travel Guide, Spain

Valladolid Travel Guide – Geography and Population

Valladolid is a city located in Spain and it is the capital city of the province of Valladolid which belongs to the autonomous community of Castile and Leon. It is located on the Pisegura River and, as most Valladolid travel guides will tell you, it is right in the middle of the famous Ribera del Duero red wine making region.

The name of the city is thought to come from the Arabic expression meaning “The city of Walid”, this being how it was called during the Moor occupation. It has a population of 322.000 and the urban area is estimated to have about 400.000 inhabitants. Valladolid is just 160 kilometers away from Spain's capital, Madrid, and 260 kilometers away from the city of Bilbao.

Valladolid Travel Guide – Culture and Architecture

The city well deserves the title of capital of the historical province of Castile, as it has an impressive heritage of aristocratic buildings and religious monuments. The University building hosts some of the first examples of Spanish Renaissance and the city is also home to the Casa de Cervantes, the place where the famous Spanish author lived between 1603 and 1606 and where he is said to have finished his masterpiece, Don Quixote. Valladolid also hosts a Christopher Columbus museum with original documents related to the discovery of America. Recent decades saw Valladolid grow architecturally and lots of modern buildings emerged in the city centre, now forming an eclectic and colorful scenery.

Valladolid Travel Guide – City Specials

As you can read in most Valladolid travel guides, the city has some traditions that are very well kept and give it specificity among other Spanish towns. First and foremost Valladolid is home to the oldest international film festivals, Seminci, which was founded in 1956 and goes on prestigiously to this day. The Easter holidays are another important landmark in the city culture, as the Semana Santa is when impressive processions are organized that offer a sophisticated and baroque display of traditional Castilian religious sculptures. These processions are quite spectacular and all the locals gather to walk through the city centre baring allegorical figures and costumes to commemorate the death of Jesus Christ. Among the local cuisine specialties you’ll find lavish dishes comprised of fish, young lamb, wild mushrooms and sheep cheese, all of which mix together with the exquisite wines from Ribera del Duero.