Hotels in Astorga

Cathedral and Gaudí Palace

The cathedral of Santa María and Gaudí's Episcopal Palace stand side by side, at the end of the town resting on the Roman wall. The streets in this corner are quiet at night and put both monuments on your doorstep, along with the Museo de los Caminos, housed in the palace itself. It is the area many cultural travellers choose when they come for one night and want to see the essentials without rushing.

The Camino de Santiago passes through here, so you will see pilgrims with backpacks first thing.

Best-rated in this area: El Descanso de Wendy, with a score of 9.3 from 1,756 reviews.

Plaza Mayor and the shopping streets

The Plaza Mayor, with the town hall and its clock featuring two figures in Maragato dress who strike the hours, is the centre of daily life. Around it are restaurants serving cocido maragato, pastry shops selling mantecadas and chocolate shops. Staying near the square lets you get around the whole old town on foot, as it is small, and find somewhere to eat without taking the car.

Outside the walls

On the avenues around the old walled area and on the roads out towards León and Ponferrada there are hotels and guesthouses with easier parking. They suit you if you are on a road trip and Astorga is a one-night stop. Getting to the upper town is a gentle uphill walk, and at night these avenues have less atmosphere than the square.

Maragatería villages

To the west, Murias de Rechivaldo and Castrillo de los Polvazares keep stone houses with large gateways, built by the old muleteers. They have rural houses and taverns serving cocido. They are a good option if you have a car and are looking for silence, clear skies and country walks, with Astorga a few kilometres away for sightseeing.