If you arrive by train beware that if you look at the current guide books the station will look as if it sits in the centre of the city, however a new one has been built on the outskirts to accommodate the high speed rail link. There are however buses that run frequently between the station and the Plaza Espana and the times are displayed on a screen near the exit.
Everything you would want to see in Burgos can easily be done on foot and it is worth exploring the old part in some detail as apart from the amazing Gothic Cathedral there is lots to see and the area along the river is lovely.
Meson del Cid, Plaza Santa Maria 8, overlooks the Cathedral and the rooms in the main building can be expensive, however there is a modern annexe across the road and if you get a front facing room (some with balconies) you get a great view. As usual check out www.venere.com for great bargains on room rates.
Burgos has an amazing range of places to eat this should be a fairly good selection, and the norm in most bars is to be offered a small free tapas.
Meson Burgos, C/Sombreria 8, this is a Burgos institution with locals coming in for one thing and one thing only Patatas Bravas, which need to be tried at least once.
La Cabina Arandino, C/Sombreria, a big bar with a wide range of tapas and big portions when they arrive, very reasonably priced.
Cervecaria Morito, C/Somberia 27, has to be the best place in Burgos, it does Spanish Fast Food Burgos style to a packed bar every lunchtime and evening. The dishes with eggs, morcilla, potatoes and gulas is great, as are the toasted bread with solomillo and goats cheese. It doesn’t matter how much you have eaten you cannot resist more food and it’s cheap and really friendly staff.
Cantina de Tenorio, C/Arco Del Pilar 10, is a lovely bar and restaurant with a great different tapas of the day. It gets very poular but worth persevering, it does some great tapas to order as well as raciones at the tables which seem to be reserved most nights,
Ojeda, C/Victoria 5, (in Plaza de Libertad) this is a bar, restaurant (with an excellent reputation but pricey) and a fantastic delicatessen, the bar is perhaps the least exciting part although it is very smart in an old fashioned way.
Bar Polvorilla, Plaza de Libertad 9, fight your way to the bar and get the list of tapas to order and have a field day, the quality is as good as you would expect from such a smart place.
Casa Pancho, C.San Lorenzo 13-15, this is a very popular bar in a great street, it has a restaurant with a good menu del dia and a wide range of tapas , try the cojonudo which is either chorizo or morcilla (black pudding the speciality of Burgos) with a quail’s egg.
Los Herreros, C/San Lorenzo 20 is almost opposite Casa Pancho and has a really excellent menu del dia and also a great range of tapas at the bar.
Pecaditos Taberna, Plaza Mayor, everything 1 Euro, you get your list tick what you want and it all costs 1 Euro, no wonder it’s popular it’s cheap and it’s on the Plaza Mayor. They have a shop just a few doors down specilaising in local produce.
La Favorita, C/Avellanos 8, worth a visit but perhaps not as good as it looks.
In Vino Veritas, C/San Lorenzo 35, this was a real find, it is a very smart modern wine bar and restaurant with tapas to order that are works of art, you could just work your way through the menu, also the wines by the glass are excellent.
La Espuela Del Cid, C/Fernan Gonzalez 1 & C/Arco Pilar 10, this seems to be very popular with locals, they do an excellent value brochette of large prawns as a special.
Restaurant Gaona, C/Paloma 1, this has the best brochettes of solomillo that have been tasted in a long time. Popular with pilgrims because of it’s proximity to the Cathedral.
Burgos is on the Camino the holy route to Santiago de Compastela and as such is very busy with pilgrims stopping at the various special hostels, however they seem to go to bed early leaving you and the locals with the city at night.
The Cathedral is a must to visit, you confusingly buy your ticket from one office then climb the steps to the entrance, there is a part that is also free but you should really see the whole thing.
There is the castle above the city from which there is an excellent view and two famous monasteries which both require a bus journey to reach.
The area along the river is lovely for a walk and there are some lovely cafes.
Last Updated September 2009
