There are Spanish cities that demand your attention. Then there is Palencia, quietly sitting in the heart of Castile and León, seemingly content to let the crowds pass by on their way to Madrid, Bilbao or León. That may be its greatest strength.
Palencia is one of those places that rewards curiosity. It doesn’t shout. It doesn’t have the fame of Salamanca or the grandeur of Burgos. Instead, it offers wide streets, elegant architecture, green spaces and a wonderfully relaxed atmosphere that feels increasingly rare in modern Spain. The city is compact, walkable and refreshingly authentic.
The obvious place to begin is the Calle Mayor. Stretching for almost a kilometre through the centre of the city, this elegant, arcaded avenue is one of the longest main streets in Spain. Many buildings are in the modernist style. Beneath its covered walkways you’ll find cafés, shops, historic buildings and locals enjoying their daily paseo. You may even find a hidden second-hand goods market with discoveries to be made. It is the social heart of Palencia and the perfect introduction to a city that seems designed for walking rather than rushing. Look out for exquisite murals and mosaics as you wander.
One of the most distinctive aspects of Palencia is its relationship with water. The Canal de Castilla reaches the city after crossing much of the Castilian countryside, bringing with it a fascinating piece of eighteenth-century engineering. Originally designed to transport grain and goods across northern Spain, the canal today provides peaceful waterside walks, cycling routes and an unexpected splash of greenery on the edge of the city. The canal basin has become one of Palencia’s most attractive areas.
Overlooking the basin is the excellent Water Museum. Housed inside a former grain warehouse, the museum uses immersive displays, projections and audiovisual installations to explain both the canal and the importance of water to the region. Rather than feeling like a traditional museum full of display cases, it offers a genuinely engaging experience that brings the Canal de Castilla to life.
No visit to Palencia is complete without climbing to the Cristo del Otero. Standing high above the city on a hilltop, the enormous statue of Christ watches over Palencia with outstretched hands. At over twenty metres tall, it is one of the tallest Christ statues in the world and has become the city’s unmistakable symbol. Designed by the sculptor Victorio Macho (whose remains are entombed at the foot of the statue) and completed in 1931, it offers superb panoramic views across the city, the surrounding plains and the valley of the River Carrión. If it’s too hot, or just too far, the drive up is pretty easy!
Back in the city centre, the cathedral often surprises visitors. Officially known as the Cathedral of San Antolín, it is sometimes called “the beautiful unknown” because its rather modest exterior hides a vast Gothic interior. It ranks among the largest cathedrals in Spain and rewards anyone willing to step inside. Aside from the cathedral, Palencia has an impressive collection of churches, monasteries and historic buildings, many of which can be explored without the queues that characterise Spain’s more famous destinations.
Football fans should keep an eye out for the city’s two clubs, whose players proudly wear purple. The colours of the local side, CD Palencia Cristo Atlético and Palencia CF both form a distinctive part of the city’s sporting identity and add an unusual splash of colour to local football. They share the city’s Estadio Nuevo La Balastera and play in Group 8 of the RFEF 3rd Division, which is tier 5 of Spain’s football pyramid system.
All around the city we found a weird and wonderful collection of both murals and sculptures. Keep your eyes peeled as we can’t have seen everything!!
We stayed at the Hostal Serpol on the edge of town because it was cheap, cheerful, and easy to park! Nearby was the fire station which didn’t disturb us at all. It was an easy walk into the centre crossing over the railway line, but some may prefer to stay a little closer to the action. We also loved seeing the storks in their nests on our wanderings.
Perhaps the greatest compliment you can pay Palencia is that it feels entirely comfortable in its own skin. It is a city without pretension, one that values its heritage, embraces its waterways and welcomes visitors without trying too hard. In a country full of destinations competing for attention, Palencia remains content to be discovered rather than advertised. That is perhaps why it deserves a place on your Spanish travel list.
