Gastronomía y qué hacer
RESTAURANT/BARS:
What to eat...
The Parador´sgastronomy is based on
natural flavorful products found locally. The blood sausage with rice and Burgos
fresh cheese stand out, without forgetting the fresh river fish, such as trout,
as well as arriero-style soups and stews (made with garlic, peppers, onion and
often paprika), such as `ajo carretero` (a lamb stew with tomato, onion and
garlic) or `ajo pastor`, always accompanied by the traditional `Torta de Aranda`,
a round bread made with olive oil.
The lamb, roasted in a wood-fired oven slowly and with care, should not be
missed, nor should desserts from the palace´srecipe books such as the `Cañas
del Duque rellenas de crema de vainilla` (tube-shaped pastries filled with
vanilla cream), `Pastel de membrillo` (quince cake) and the `Dulcería en sartén`
(pan fried sweets).
The fields of the Ribera del Arlanza provide the area with some magnificent
wines that have a very distinct character; the tempranillo or `tinto fino`
grape, as it is referred to locally, is king in these delicious reds.
Typical festivals
* BAROQUE MONTH IN AUGUST: - Two-organ
concert at the Collegiate church, performed on instruments dating from the
year1615. - 17th-centrury theatrical performance in the Plaza Mayor. Conferences
and exhibitions.
* Local Medieval festivals in August.
Visits
* 22 Km away: Covarrubias, where one can
visit the Collegiate Church of San Cosme y San Damián (15th c.), the Church of
Santo Tomás (12th c.), and the squares of Doña Urraca and Doña Sancha.
* 31 Km from Lerma: 18th-century Monastery of Santo Domingo de Silos, where one
can enjoy listening to the GREGORIAN CHANTS sung by the monastery´smonks. The
nearby gorge of La Yecla can also be visited.
* In Lerma: Plaza Ducal, Convent of San Juan, Santa Clara Plaza, Convent of
Santa Clara, San Pedro Collegiate Church, La Piedad Sanctuary, Arco de la Cárcel
(entrance gate through the old medieval wall. 11th c.), Convent of Carmen,
Convent of San Blas.
* Burgos (36 km): Burgos´sold neighborhoods are dominated by the Gothic
cathedral that enchants with its many small towers and spires. Around the
cathedral, the Gothic churches of San Esteban, San Gil, San Nicolás and Santa
Águeda can be found. On the outskirts of town are the splendid Royal Monastery
of Las Huelgas and the Miraflores Carthusian monastery.
* Covarrubias (22 km): A lovely town founded by Count Fernán González in 987.
The collegiate church stands out as an important example of a Gothic church and
the best of the Burgos school. · Quintanilla de las Viñas (35 km): This town
features an 11th century Visigoth church. Not far away and worth a visit is the
Romanesque San Quirece abbey, founded by Count Fernán González.
* Sierra de Atapuerca (51 km): Important archeological sites are located in this
mountain range, with human remains dating back more than a million years, where
the first settlers of the continent of what we now call Europe lived.
* Sierra de la Demanda (45 km): This is a unique mountain range in the
southeastern part of the province. In the shadow of its majestic and forever
snow-capped peaks, a series of scenic and human elements converge to make the
area an attractive natural and tourist paradise. Glacial lakes and sites with
dinosaur prints and fossilized trees are also found here.
* Road to Santiago: The strategic geographical situation of what is today the
province of Burgos made it a necessary step on the pilgrim´sroad to Santiago,
traveled by people from all over Europe in search of the tomb of Saint James.