Looking for the perfect way to experience the rich history and culture of Valladolid in just a few days? This 3-day Valladolid itinerary will guide you through the must-see landmarks, hidden gems, and culinary delights that make this charming Spanish city so special. From exploring stunning cathedrals and strolling through picturesque plazas to indulging in authentic tapas and local wine, Valladolid offers the ideal mix of history, culture, and relaxation for a memorable short getaway.

How To Travel To Valladolid

We stayed in Madrid at The Central House (which we can highly recommend) and took the Alsa Bus to Valladolid from Madrid’s Estacion Sur. The journey takes 2.5 hours and in 2024, it cost Euros 12.40 per person. Alsa Buses are our favourite Bus company in Spain. They are efficient, on time and the ticket prices are good value.

Alsa also have a bus service from Madrid – Barajas Airport to Valladolid.

You can book your tickets here

For train tickets from Madrid to Valladolid click here

You can book Central House Lavapies District Madrid here. It was a short Uber ride from here to the Bus Station.

Does Valladolid have its own airport?

Valladolid has its own airport.  All international flights fly into Madrid-Barajas Airport.

Airlines that fly into Valladolid Airport are Air Europa, Air Nostrum, Iberia, Ryanair and Vueling.

We use Skyscanner for all our flight bookings.

Related Reading: 2 days in Burgos Spain

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Day One Valladolid Spain

Arrive in Valladolid and settle into your hotel. Put on your walking shoes, sunscreen and take a bottle of water and start to explore Valladolid.  We suggest heading to the main square – Plaza Mayor.

# 1 Plaza Mayor

Plaza Mayor was originally called Plaza del Mercado after its bustling marketplace.  After a fire in 1561 Philip II ordered the Plaza to be reconstructed and renamed Plaza Mayor. In the 19th century, the Plaza became the cultural, political, economic and social centre of Valladolid.

In the square, you will find the statue dedicated to Count Ansurez the first lord of the city that was erected in 1903. The impressive Town Hall (Ayuntamiento) is located in Plaza Mayor.

There are a few restaurants and cafes around the square, they can be expensive and tourist traps.

#2 San Benito

A 4-minute walk to stop #2 The Monastery and Church of Royal Saint Benedict.

The Church was constructed in 1499 to 1515 from limestone taken from local quarries in the Gothic style.  In 1569 the facade was constructed in the Renaissance style by Rodrigo Gil de Hontanon. It is one of the oldest buildings in Valladolid.

In one of its cloisters behind the Monastery is your #3 stop – The Museum of Contemporary Spanish Art Patio Herreriano.

The museum is now home to over 900 works by Dali, Tapies, Miro and Chillida.

Address: Calle Jorge Guillén, 6. 47003 Valladolid-Spain

Opening hours:

• Open from Tuesday to Friday from 11:00 to 14:00 and from 17:00 to 20:00
• Saturdays from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. (uninterrupted)
• Sundays from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
• Closed on Mondays, Sunday afternoons, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day

#4 – Convent of San Agustin

Next door to the Museum is the Convent of San Augustin, the Municipal Archive, whose documents date back to the 12th century.

#5 Church of Saint Michael and Saint Julian

Address: San Ignacio 8 Valladolid

The church has a rich collection of sculptures, altarpieces and paintings.

Opening Hours:

• From Tuesday to Saturday: 11:15 AM – 1:30 PM and 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM
• Sundays and holidays: 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM
• Closed: Monday
• Closed in the afternoon: Sundays and holidays

#5 Palace of Fabio Nelli

The next stop of the day is to visit the

. Located in the Plaza named after the  historical Renaissance  building constructed in the 17th century – the palace is now home to the headquarters of the Museum of Valladolid.  It is worth spending at least half an hour wandering through the palace.

Address: Plaza Fabio Nelli

Entrance Fee: 1 Euro

Opening times:

Monday to Saturday 10 am to 2 pm, 4 pm to 7 pm (October – June), 5 pm to 8 pm (July to September)

Sunday: 10 am to 2 pm

#6 Plaza de San Pablo

The San Pablo Church located in the Plaza was built in the 15th century and has a Spanish-Flemish facade.

Opening times:

• Winter
  • Monday to Saturday: from 7:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m., from 12:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
  • Sundays and Public Holidays: from 7:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and from 6:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
• Summer
  • Sundays: From 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

• 

Also in Plaza de San Pablo are the Royal Palace and the Pimentel Palace. King Philip II lived in the Royal Palace during 1601 to 1606 when Valladolid was the capital of Spain. The Pimental Palace is home to the Valladolid Provincial Council.

Casa del Sol (The Sun House)

The building was constructed in 1540 for Don Sancho Díaz de Leguizamón the Mayor of the Court. Today it is owned by the State and is affiliated with the National Museum Colegio de San Gregorio.

Address:  Calle Cadenas de San Gregorio, 5

Day Two Valladolid Spain

#1 Mercado del Val

Mercado del Val was constructed between 1878 and 1892. It is the oldest preserved market in Valladolid and styled on Les Halles in Paris.

The market has four entrances:

• St. Benedict Street
• C/ Francisco Zarandona
• C/ Sandoval
• Val Square

Opening hours:

#2 Plaza Fuente Dorada

Leaving Mercado del Val head towards Plaza Fuente Dorada on your way to Valladolid’s Cathedral.

Plaza Fuente Dorada (Golden Fountain) was the original water source for the inhabitants of Valladolid drawing from the underground springs beneath. Throughout the year the Plaza hosts markets, events, performances and celebrations.

#3 Valladolid Cathedral

Address: C. Arribas, 1, 47002 Valladolid, Spain

Opening hours:

• From Tuesday to Friday: 10:00 am – 1:30 pm and 4:30 PM – 7:00 PM
• Saturdays: 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
• Sundays and holidays: 11:45 AM – 1:30 PM
• Closed: Monday
• Closed in the afternoon: Saturdays, Sundays and holidays

The Cathedral was designed by Juan de Herrera in the 16th century. At that time Valladolid was the capital of Spain but the Royal Court moved to Madrid and there were not enough resources to finish the building. Originally the plan was for the Cathedral to be the largest in all of Europe. There are great views over Valladolid from the South Tower.

There is a cost to enter the Cathedral. In 2024 the general entrance fee is 3 Euros. To visit the Tower it is 12 Euros.

#4 Plaza de la Universidad

Close to Plaza de Santa Cruz is the Plaza de la Universidad, which has a statue of the Spanish writer Miguel de Cervantes.

The University is impressive and dates back to the 18th century and is a fine example of Baroque architecture. The park in the square is a popular gathering place for students.

#5 Plaza de Santa Cruz

In Plaza de Santa Cruz you will find one the Palacio Santa Cruz one of the oldest surviving buildings from the Spanish Renaissance period. The construction started out as Gothic style and then changed to Renaissance.  It dates back to the 15th century.  The Palace is now the seat of the Vice Chancellor of the University of Valladolid.

#6 Campo Grande

The triangular park in the centre of Valladolid stretches to 115,000 sq metre and was laid out by Mayor Miguel Iscar in 1877.  The park borders streets Acera de Recoletos, Paseo de los Filipinos and Paseo de Zorrilla. As you wander around the park you may be able to see peacocks, turkeys, doves, pheasants and pigeons.

Plaza de Zorrilla has an impressive fountain and a bronze statue  of poet Jose Zorrilla.

Day 3 Valladolid Spain

Option One

Take a day trip outside of Valladolid for wine tasting.

Tour #1 – Concejo Bodegas

Concejo Bodegas is a family winery with deep roots in the area, dedicated to producing quality red and rosé wines, based on its own vineyards with a unique soil characterized by being the most chalky of the Duero Valley. All the vineyards of Concejo Bodegas are organic, with productions that no year exceed 5,000 kg per hectare, cultivated with respect for the environment and basically have two origins.

Includes:

• VISIT CARREDUEÑAS:
• Guided visit in the Pisuerga countryside where you will discover the secret of these wines. The visit will begin in the vineyard, at the door of the winery, then you can see an audiovisual in which they will explain all the secrets of how they make wine in Concejo Bodegas.
• VISIT UNIQUE 4X4:
• From the door of the winery in 4×4 vehicles will visit three different landscapes that mark the personality of their wines and that manage to excite the participant. In each landscape you will taste a wine characteristic of the place.
• Comfortable shoes are recommended. In Pico del Águila they will taste their Carredueñas Crianza, in Barrio de Bodegas a red Burro Loco and in Cortados del Pisuerga a Carredueñas Rosado. On their return to the winery, they will taste their
• Burro Loco rosé and they will taste a tapa made in their restaurant El Sueño del General, a conito de bonito encebollado (tuna with onions) and a sweet. (tour description taken from Get Your Guide)

Book here:

Option Two

Tour #2 Private Rivers of Light Route Walking Tour

Embark on a private walking tour of Valladolid by night or day. Follow its ‘Light Rivers’ route – a stunning lighting project that symbolically reintegrates the Esgueva River into the city, transforming it into a light path that goes through and links different areas of Valladolid city centre. Start your route of Valladolid outside its city walls, continuing on to the main cathedral, university, and the Church of Saint Mary the Ancient. Marvel at the monuments’ shadows and highlights created by the special lighting. Continue through the Royal Palace of Valladolid, the official residence of the Kings of Spain, then onto the Colegio de San Gregorio and the Façade of San Pablo Church. End your tour at the first Plaza Mayor in Spain, where you can taste, at your own expense, the five denominations of origin in wines and some fantastic tapas. (tour information taken from Get Your Guide)

Book here

Option Three

Wander across the Poniente Bridge to the Isabel la Catolica Bridge over the Pisuerga River.  On the left bank between the two bridges is the Francisco Sabadell Rose Gardens.  It is one of Valladolid’s oldest gardens and is stunning when the roses are in full bloom.

Want some retail therapy? Visit the covered shopping arcade Pasaje Gutierrez, located between Castelar and Fray Luis de Leon streets.

Where To Stay in Valladolid Spain

We stayed in the Ele Enara Hotel in Plaza Espana Valladolid.

Address: PLAZA DE ESPAÑA, 5. Entrada por CALLE MONTERO CALVO, 30 (150 metres from Campo Grande).

We chose the 4-star Ele Enara Hotel for its location in Plaza de Espana close to all the sites that we wanted to visit. It is housed in a 19th-century building that has had a refurbishment.  The 55 rooms are centred around an internal central courtyard.

We booked a double room (18 sq m)  with ensuite, air-conditioning, flat screen TV facing onto Plaza Espana. There is parking available underground.

We could not fault our stay at the Ele Enara Hotel and would definitely book a return visit.

Book here

For more accommodation options in Valladolid Spain click here

Where To Eat in Valladolid Spain

For breakfast and lunch we enjoyed El Mercado del Trigo a few minutes walk from Ele Enara Hotel.