Did giants live here?? lol, these buildings are HUGE! my camera, which is wide angle couldnt fit most of these buildings in its lens, I had to keep stepping back and bumping into things (and people) WOW why arent these places shown around the world (not the usual venice rome paris etc) to get more people into these cities to explore and experience the HUGENESS and VASTNESS of these amazing establishments! (Many spanish tourists around but I didnt hear anyone speak english)

So, Valladolid.. The people here were interesting to me… blase is another word, they give you a sideways glance but that’s about all… the good thing is that you can do anything really without anyone batting an eyelid, e.g. a man was shouting at a lady in a park and she was screaming back and people were looking but it was like nothing was happening and just walk past…

MY ACCOMMODATION :

This was a fantastic hotel!! A newly converted old building that still has its old charm – I def recommend them! Smack bang right next door to the cathedral with awesome views of a Plaza and University

🇪🇸 REVIEW ~ “Zenit El Coloquino” : VALLADOLID / SPAIN

Booked via BOOKING.COM -> they have some check out DEALS here and also see how much this hotel is

The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Holy Assumption – The first sighting of the Cathedral where my hotel was right next to and there was a whole load of cool cafes and bars right around the cathedral
And this was the other side of the Cathedral!

It had so many different eras built into the one amazing building so much history here!

Lit up at night was just as beautiful!

There are a lot of old people but also young uni students and also noticed there were a lot of wheel chairs, walkers, walking sticks and dogs as well!Everyone seems to own a dog or a walking stick!

There are around 300,000 people here, it is a larger city, old town is small but he buildings, as I mentioned…. HUGE

LOCATION :

https://maps.app.goo.gl/65SUZyAE5WCvaH3Z9

Blue Dot is my accomodation right next to the massive Cathedral – Train Station is circled in blue – easy walk into town

1 thing before I start, I’ve had to change the way I explore… I’m still on Aussie time… Where everything closes early and people sleep at 9pm – here they awake at 9pm and its music blaring vino on tables tapas in mouths oldies out at churches and hanging with their old mates – it’s great! So because I like to explore architecture, I leave the churches to night time to explore!

Weather was cold around 10degres most of the time, sun was out every now and again but mostly cloud cover but there were random flashes of blue sky

PLAZA MAYOR

Valladolid Plaza Mayor was the first of its kind in spain and the Plaza Mayor in Madrid and other Plazas were modelled after Valladolid’s

Traders would come and sell their wares here

The City Hall in Plaza Mayor – beautiful building and even better lit up at night!

And at night! How beautiful is that!?
The churches are absolutely plenty here!
Ceilings are high and huge vaulted mostly and generally large pillars and columns line the insides and what I love is that each church has its own personality and is so different which is what I like about churches mostly, their art their architecture, their old world charm and own personality

PALACE OF SANTA CRUZ

Santa Cruz is now where the governing bodies of the university sits and also the historical library

Again, the door was open so I just walked in and I’m so glad I did cos I found a beautiful building with a gorgeous garden retreat inside

The interior courtyard
The sitting area

Built with a mixed gothic and renaissance styles the courtyard had fountains and seperate sitting areas under flowering pink.blos

UNIVERSITY OF VALLADOLID

Honestly! This is a university!? You should have seen me jump out of my skin when I walked into the foyer… It was a beautiful Palace once!

It’s one of the larger universities in Spain with around 30,000 students enrolled including international and with 2000 professors
Just the stairwell made me fall in love with this place!

The uni students were just meandering down the stairs not even realising the beauty they were walking on! I think a few thought I was crazy and looking around to see what I was taking photos of lol

Then I climbed up the stairs and saw all the beautiful painted tiles on the walls! And the stained glass windows! Wow
The detailing of the tiles on the wall

Another thing, I love how everything is so open and welcoming, there are no signs saying not to go in you can just wander into buildings take a look around and walk out there is no security or stop signs or ppl making you feel bad – I love this part of Spain so much!

Knights Academy

Like seriously what a building! A beautiful palace once now blocked in red on the map as a military zone (they always have the best buildings!)

This fantastic building is a military academy – the statue is monument of Jose Zorilla

The Royal order of the college of Cavalry moved to Valladolid in 1852

At the bottom of the statue sits this beautiful lady

It’s been said the original building was previously a prison and was burnt and this one was built

Literally every corner has a hidden past! This once ornate and beautiful column is stuck in a corner and peed on 😦

Church of Saint Mary Magdalene

Old man told me off in Spanish and wouldn’t listen to me when I said I don’t speak Spanish, kept going I just had to walk off! I don’t even know what he was going off about 🤣

Absolutely huge church facade and 2 massive doors! The doors were made for giants I swear

Said to be built in Isabelian and Renaissance styles

Again massive doors for giants…

The huge beautifully vaulted ceilings and beautifully painted art and altar
Made beautifully and so absolutely large and towering over the other buikding

VIVERO PALACE

Walked in beautiful green doors! have a medieval feel to them

This is a castle / Palace – and there is also a prison in this building somewhere! I didnt see it 😦

It shows Valladolids prominent and influential famlies and how they lived

Said to be built in 1440 by Alfonso Perez de Vivero and is built in Renaissance and Gothic styles

The courtyard area – the lower floor has stone pillars, the upper floor has brick pillars

Thank goodness for Google translate!

There are many escape routes and tunnels in the palace, I wish I had the time to explore more to find them!

Residential buildings on outskirts of the city

It’s a small win! I know! But I was wondering why the tellers were giving me dirty looks everytime I bought fruit 🤦🏽‍♀️ label label label

HOUSE OF THE SUN

To me it looks like this building has sort of sunk into the ground! The door looks small and columns look short and compared to other HUGE builings in the city this one looks short and stunted, and there are these little tiny windows right on ground level which is wierd in itself, anyways, just my opinion!

Look at the detailings of the buildings! There is a little boy up there and you would miss it if you werent to look up!

Jose Zorilla outside his musem – I like how they have random lifesize sculptures just scattered around the place

PIMENTEL PALACE

This beautiful building blends Gothic and Renaissance – there are gorgeous little detailed sculptures and a coat of arms on the building and you can see the different architctural elements that are mixed in a unique way on the facade

The Palacio holds immense historical significance as a testament to the power and influence of the Pimentel family, who were among the most prominent noble families in medieval Spain

Inside is a courtyard and art galleries

This palace was the residence of the family and they have been one of the influential families of the area and hosted parties and events in their palace

Piazza Del Val – how about all those colourful homes!

iglesia de la veracruz or penitential church of Santa Vera Cruz – So many churches in Valladolid! and after 7pm they are basically full of locals attending mass, its really nice to see mostly the older generation hanging out

This church is property of the penitential brotherhood of Santa Vera Cruz the oldest brotherhood

Beautiful buildings on Calle de las Angustias
Huge and imposing Calderon Theatre
Church of Our Lady of Angustias
Palace of Mr. Butrón
OMG these cookies!!! Ive forgotten what these wonderful bites of goodness were called but dang they were good! They are sweets made in Valladolid and popular in this area

CHURCH OF SAN PABLO

This former Dominican convent has a huge and impresive gothic style facade with intricate detailed statues all over the place! Is in Isabeline style

The church is a huge single nave with high vaulted ceilins

Check out the details of the facade sculptures! Reminds me of the churches / cathedral details in the UK, they are very similar to these

An old postcard pic of Church of San Pablo

Colegio de San Gregorio

This college is attached to the church of Saint Pablo and you can tell as the intricate details around the door way are very similar

There are Palaces on nearly every corner! it just shows what a rich and prosperous city this was in the hey day…

Convent of Santa Brigida
This was a Hugggeeee bottle and a hugeeee glass! Every glass of wine I’ve tried here has been fantastic

Just on Piazza of Santa Brigida

Palace of Fabio Nelli
Church of Santiago Apóstol
French church
Recommended these 3 wines and they were all brilliant!

Castillo de la Mota – a symbol of powr and control! Look at that staunch building!

This is an old castle and played an important role in Valadolids history – it served as a royal residence, a prison and military garrison – today Castillo de la Mota stands as a well-preserved example of medieval military architecture

Elegantly dressed middle aged people walking around with their dogs

More residential homes

A vino tinto with a view of the Cathedral

Heaps of people on bikes and scootes – traffic knows how to dodge and weave them!

Beautiful apartment buildings on Calle de Claudio Moyano
Cool sculptures and artwork scattered around the city
penitential church of Nuestra Señora de las Angustias

Restaurant with a view!

Cool Art Nouveau cafe !

Church of Our Lady Queen of Peace – A very modern church and minimalist

located in the Plaza de España in Valladolid that belongs to the Capuchin Order

The interior is vey basic and moden with a modern looking altar artwork and a cross on the ceiling which im not sure if upside down or not!? sorry, but IMO, give me an old world building ANY DAY over this

This was happening around 9pm at the Church of Saint Mary the Ancient near my hotel

I think its the “brotherhood” doing some sort of penance or initiation or something they were hitting the large white pole on the ground really hard a few times and they were wearing the black pointy hats – from what I read its an easter tradition of the brotherhood – “Semana Santa” i guessing which happens around Easter

Night time in Valladolid is just as beautiful as during the day – the colours are so vibrant and everyone is out and about even in the cold weather