León

The ancient capital of Castile-León sits on the banks of the Bernesga River in the high plains of Old Castile. Historians say that the name of the city, which was founded as a permanent camp for the Roman legions in AD 70, has nothing to do with the proud lion that has been its emblem for centuries but is instead a corruption of the Roman word legio (legion). The capital of Christian Spain was moved to León from Oviedo in 914 as the Reconquest spread southward, launching the city's richest era. Walls went up around the old Roman town, and you can still see parts of the 6-foot-thick ramparts in the middle of the modern city. Today, León is a wealthy provincial capital and prestigious university town. The wide avenues of western León are lined with boutiques, and the twisting alleys of the half-timbered old town hide the bars, bookstores, and chocolaterías most popular with students. As you're wandering the old town, look down occasionally and you just might notice small brass scallop shells set into the street. The scallop is the symbol of St. James; the shells were installed by the town government to mark the path for modern-day pilgrims.