Zamora (Spain)

Zamora is a city in Castile-Leon, Spain. The town of Zamora lies on a rocky hill in the northwest of Spain, near the frontier with Portugal and is crossed by the Duero river, which some 50km/30mi downstream reaches the Portuguese frontier. With its 24 Romanesque churches of the 12th and 13th centuries it has been called a "museum of Romanesque art". Get in By Plane The nearest commercial airport is Villanubla, located just a few kilometres out of Valladolid, the capital of the Castile-Leon region. Valladolid lies some 90 kilometres from Zamora. This small airport is served by flights run by Iberia, Air France and Ryanair. The low-cost carrier travels to and from London-Stansted airport, Brussels-Charleroi airport and Milan-Malpensa. By Road Long forgotten by all governments, no highways connected other capitals to Zamora until a few years ago. It is now possible to get to/from Valladolid (and therefore Madrid). The construction of other highways linking the town with Benavente, its neighbour Salamanca, etc. are now underway. Get around See Historical bridge over river Duero in Zamora Cathedral of Zamora: Romanesque dating back to the 12th century, taking only 23 years to build. Castle of Zamora: Built in the Middle Ages, offering magnificent views of the city. San Juan de Puerta Nueva church (12th century, featuring a stained glass circular window, symbol of Zamora); San Claudio de Olivares church (12th century carvings on the columns); Museo de Semana Santa de Zamora: Opposite the Santa María la Nueva church, devoted to the Semana Santa de Zamora processions which are celebrated with particular ceremony in Zamora. The museum displays a large collection of pasos, the figures which are carried in procession through the streets by various 'cofradías' or brotherhoods. Do Buy Eat The excellent raw materials used in the local cuisine really stand out. The pulses, the famous chickpeas from Fuentesauco or 'garbanzos', the exquisite cheese made from sheep´s milk, honey from Sanabria, asparagus from Guareña, peppers from Benavente, steak from Aliste, mushrooms, game, cold meats, cakes and sweets... Apart from the tasty roasts, also worth tasting are the rice dishes from Zamora. Traditional dishes include bacalao a la tranca (a cod dish), el pulpo a la sanabresa (an octopus dish), dos y pingada (two fried eggs with fried ham, usually served in Easter) and '"presas de ternera" (a veal dish). For dessert there is the rebojo Zamorano, a very tasty though hard type of bun, and "las natillas almendradas" (Spanish style custard with almonds). Drink The Toro wines (very dark, almost black, nowadays made using modern techniques - with a rapidly growing reputation for their taste and quality). Popular local brands include Colegiata, Bajoz and Fariña. Online Spanish-language store for Vinos de Toro. Sleep Get out This article is an outline and needs more content. It has a template, but there is not enough information present. Please plunge forward and help it grow!