Monasterio de las Huelgas, Burgos

I have visited several times this Cistercian women's monastery (11th century, with Cistercian architectural style) and attended one of its prayers; in particular the "prayer of Vespers", not in the church of the monastery, but in the chapel reserved for the community of religious, inside the cenobio. The cultural visit focuses on the monumental, magnificent part of the Monastery, all very well preserved, under the exquisite care of the National Heritage. The service to visitors is friendly and very professional. The interior lighting of the works of art exposed to the visitor is a little poor, and the explanation of them by the cicerone is shallow. They are very noticeaive of routine. The tour of the rooms is fast and strict and the scant questions of some tourists get vague answers. It is noteworthy how in the room where antique garments for liturgical use are preserved: casullas, dalmatics, storm layers, etc., as well as in the place where leccions, bibles, codices, etc. are preserved, the lighting is so poor that you can hardly distinguish details of sewing, embroidered with gold threads..., which leaves you feeling disenchanted. But, on the whole, it's a wonderful visit worth seeing. As a complement to it it is highly recommended to visit "the shop", well stocked and with curiosities worth taking as a souvenir. Javier Oruña

Even more than the other monasteries (of which Castilla y Leon abounds) Las Heulgas tells the story of the country, its rulers, architectural styles and contaminations with Arab culture, the Napoleonic robberies- The competent guides allow this. If you do not understand Spanish well, just ask for explanations in English