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Valladolid, the vallisoletum

Valladolid is very famous for its snack competition (in spanish concurso de pinchos) occurring each year in mid june but don’t think that it is only about that, it has many other charms which make it attractive.

Even out of its festival period, the city is reputed for its excellent tapas that everyone can taste it in its many bars restaurants.

Other people can tell you that its celebrity is due by its international week of movie (SEMINCI) celebrated each year the last week of october or its Holy Week reputed for its perfect representation of the Passion but I prefer to keep in my mind the gastronomy part.

First, you have to know that the city was the capital of Spain between 1601 and 1606 during the reign of Philip III so don’t need to tell you that it has known a great period of aristocracy before that Madrid took back this official title. Campo Grande is the name of its park, in fact, it is a big garden where people can see peacocks and spot squirrels, it was really pleasant to take a walk because it is very nice, a great lung of fresh air although winter is quite cold, in summer is refreshing.

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The interesting thing is that there is almost always a statue or a fountain on each square, it is very easy to stumble on one of them like the statue of Miguel de Cervantes, the author of the book Don Quixote, at the university square or the “comediante” at the marti monso square and on the same place, the siren fountain. This square is a tapas place during night time and quite crowded, the many streets connected to it are also pinchos (another spanish word for snack) places, in fact it is located in the tapas area of the city.

To fight against the heat of the summer, the City Hall has created an artificial beach for its citizens and tourists where everyone is invited to swim because Valladolid is crossed by 3 rivers, the Duero, the Pisuerga and the Esgueva.

One of the funny legends that I discovered meanwhile visiting the San Pablo church situated on the san pablo square was that to baptize the king Philip II, people had to get him out of the Pimentel Palace, his birth place, through a window where was hung a chain because by going out from the main door, he should have been baptized in the San Martin church. On the same square, there is the Royal Palace too.

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Like said above, Valladolid was the capital of Spain on january 6th 1601, before this date, it was Madrid. This change was due to the persuasion of the first duke of Lerma, a nobility title granted by the king Philip III, which was Francisco Gómez de Sandoval-Rojas y Borja. During this period, a lot of majestic constructions have been done and for example the cathedral (calle arribas 1) has not been finished in time. The fact to move back the capital to Madrid on april 6 1606, all funds have been curbed that is why some sections are missing like the 2nd tower.

Near to it, a lot of places to take a drink and to immerse in the spanish entertainment culture and if you are lucky, you may have a table in front of the cathedral. Valladolid is one of those cities which still keeps the tradition to give free a snack (in spanish tapas) when people order a drink but normally only between 12h30 and 14h.

Nightlife is very friendly, people get used to be on the street talking and eating a tapas and later going to club. You can´t get bored, above all if you like food, there are a lot of many good places and the portion is quite big without spending a lot of money. Before to end, do you know the meaning of Vallisoletum ??? It was the name given to the city during the Middle Ages which is translated as valley of the sun or sunny valley. For more pictures, go to my photo website Concept RT.

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