He finally went to León

Updated 8/23/2026

León, 8/6/2026 - 8/8/2026

I'd mostly been taking the national roads as opposed to highways because you drive through bunches of small towns and villages and see things you never would from the highway. It's a totally relaxing way to go - you still go 60 miles an hour most of the time and you practically have the road to yourself!

That said, the ride from Burgos to León probably would have been about the same on the highway, and somewhat faster. This is what we call flyover country in the US - long straight roads for miles, with nothing but farms on either side.

León is smaller than Burgos, but I nailed the neighborhood for my accomodations again. The Barrio Húmedo is where the action is, tons of bars and restaurants, lots of people hanging out even at midday, right next to the Plaza Mayor and the cathedral. Suprisingly there seems to be more international tourism here than in Burgos, maybe because this is an important stop on the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage.

I think maybe I like it better than Burgos - the street layout feels more compact and maybe reminds me of Boston because there are lots of twists and turns.

Catedral de León

Burgos' cathedral is much larger and more elaborate but from the outside I think I prefer León's. There is an attached museum that inexplicably prohibits photography but I didn't let that stop me. There were a few paintings I didn't want to forget!

Closeup of one door set from Catedral de León

Left side of relief sculpture in Catedral de León

Right side of relief sculpture in Catedral de León — Pretty sick relief sculpture, similar to Burgos.

Choir seats in Catedral de León — And wood carving...

Stained glass and retablo in Catedral de León

Retablo in Catedral de León — Retablos, of course.

Stained glass in Catedral de León — Maybe the least bad of my pathetic attempts to capture the stained glass.

Last Judgement, late 1400s — *The Last Judgement,* late 1400s. Satan is loving all the lost souls he gets to feast on!

Last Judgement, more recent — *The Last Judgement,* a more recent version. Maybe informed by Tintoretto's epic version in Venice?

A modern work in Catedral de León — One of those nice modern paintings I mentioned.

Real Basílica de San Isidoro de León and its Panteón

Another church-turned-museum that prohibits photography... I'll be ranting about this practice in reference to El Prado. In this case it's probably because the entrance fee of €6 feels a little high given what you get in return. Apparently the Panteón is considered (by whom?) the Sistine Chapel of the 13th century but I'd venture to say at least a few places in Italy might have something to say about that, and the paintings would be better to boot (though still weirdly awkward in that typically medieval way).

Interior of the Real Basílica de San Isidoro de León

Retablo in Real Basílica de San Isidoro — The retablo is pretty sweet.

Mural in Real Basílica de San Isidoro — Painted mural from 1534. Oil paint on *mortar!* There's something about this one that I like but I can't put my finger on it.

Panteón of the Real Basílica de San Isidoro — The Panteón, basically a funerary area. It's in the basement of the basilica.

Casa Botínes

Atonín Gaudí was the architect of this building, and that's pretty much it's claim to fame. It's not nearly as spectacular or exaggerated as the Sagrada Familia church or his other work in Barcelona but given it was orginally businesses and apartments I guess that's appropriate. The museum is one of those here's a bunch of the old stuff from the building with a few rooms made up to look historically accurate type places, with plenty of history that only a Gaudí groupie would appreciate, so I was prepared to walk away completely nonplussed.

Casa Botines exterior 2 — Two sides, just for all my architecture geeks.

Bust of Antonín Gaudí — The man, the myth, the legend - Mr. Gaudí himself.

Then I got to the third floor and was pleasantly surprised. There you'll find a (full?) set of Goya's Caprices, a bunch of Dali's watercolor studies for illustrations for the Divine Comedy, and a small collection of some pretty nice paintings, both older and modern. Finally I got to see some art!

Goya's Caprichos (Caprices)

Caprichos by Goya: A caza de dientes — *Los caprichos 12: Out Hunting for Teeth* by Francisco Goya, 1797 - 1798.

Caprichos by Goya: Aquellos polbos — *Los caprichos 23: Those Actions (and Their Consequences)* by Francisco Goya, 1797 - 1798.

Caprichos by Goya: No hubo remedio — *Los caprichos 24: There Was No Choice* by Francisco Goya, 1797 - 1798.

Caprichos by Goya: Al Conde Palatino — *Los caprichos 33: To Count Palatine* by Francisco Goya, 1797 - 1798.

Caprichos by Goya: Hilan delgado — *Los caprichos 44: Splitting Hairs* by Francisco Goya, 1797 - 1798.

Caprichos by Goya: Mucho hay que chupar — *Los caprichos 45: There Is Plenty to Suck* by Francisco Goya, 1797 - 1798. This is how it's translated all over the interwebs but I think it's more like *one has to suck a lot.*

Caprichos by Goya: Soplones? — *Los caprichos 48: Tale-Bearers?* by Francisco Goya, 1797 - 1798.

Caprichos by Goya: Duendecitos — *Los caprichos 49: Little Devils* by Francisco Goya, 1797 - 1798.

Caprichos by Goya: Se repulen — *Los caprichos 51: They Spruce Themselves Up* by Francisco Goya, 1797 - 1798.

Caprichos by Goya: Tragala perro — *Los caprichos 58: Swallow It, Dog* by Francisco Goya, 1797 - 1798.

Caprichos by Goya: Ensayos — *Los caprichos 60: Lessons* by Francisco Goya, 1797 - 1798. My translation, could be wrong.

Caprichos by Goya: Quien lo creyera! — *Los caprichos 62: Who'd Have Thought It?* by Francisco Goya, 1797 - 1798.

Caprichos by Goya: Miren que grabes — *Los caprichos 63: Look How Solemn They Are* by Francisco Goya, 1797 - 1798.

Caprichos by Goya: Allá va eso — *Los caprichos 66: There It Goes* by Francisco Goya, 1797 - 1798.

Caprichos by Goya: No hay quien nos desate? — *Los caprichos 75: Won't Anyone Untie Us?* by Francisco Goya, 1797 - 1798.

Caprichos by Goya: Unos a otros — *Los caprichos 77: What One Does to Another* by Francisco Goya, 1797 - 1798. Or maybe better *What We Do to Each Other?*

The Divine Comedy Series by Dalí

These were for a proposed illustrated version of The Divine Comedy to celebrate Dante's 700th birthday. That project was aborted because of the uproar over the idea that a Catalán should illustrate an Italian book, echoing our current drama over cultural expropriation. To his credit, Dalí decided to finish the series anyway. There are a lot more than the few I show here.

The Divine Comedy (1) by Dalí — *The Divine Comedy (1)* by Salvador Dalí, 1959 - 1963.

The Divine Comedy (2) by Dalí — *The Divine Comedy (2)* by Salvador Dalí, 1959 - 1963.

The Divine Comedy (3) by Dalí — *The Divine Comedy (3)* by Salvador Dalí, 1959 - 1963.

The Divine Comedy (4) by Dalí — *The Divine Comedy (4)* by Salvador Dalí, 1959 - 1963.

The Divine Comedy (5) by Dalí — *The Divine Comedy (5)* by Salvador Dalí, 1959 - 1963.

Some pretty nice paintings

Cabeza de un hombre by Oliva — *Head of a Man* by Eugenio Oliva, circa 1879.

A los Toros by Martinez del Rincón — *Going to the Bullfight* by Serafín Martinez del Rincón, circa 1880.

Cultivando la Huerta by Vives — *Farming* by Manuel Benedito Vives, 1891.

Regimiento de caballeria by Cusachs y Cusachs — *Cavalry Regiment* by José Cusachs y Cusachs, 1899.

Puerto de Pasajes by Sorolla — *Port of Pasajes* by Joaquín Sorolla, circa 1904.

Gitanas by Pla y Rubio — *Gypsies* by Alberto Pla y Rubio, circa 1905.

Pescando a mano by Navarro Llorens — *Fishing by Hand* by José Navarro Llorens, circa 1900.

Beduino Muerto by Navarro Llorens — *Dead Bedouin* by José Navarro Llorens, circa 1900. This one's *just* this side of what would be too abstract for my taste. Love it!

La Siega by Vela Zanetti — *The Harvest* by José Vela Zanetti, 1976. It's like, expressionist and muscular. Great!

La Vendimia by Vela Zanetti — *The Grape Harvest* by José Vela Zanetti, 1976. Pleased to make your acquaintance, Sr. Vela Zanetti.