Parador de Benavente Rey Fernando II de Leon

Spain - Zamora - Benavente

Luxury four star hotel in a restored twelfth century castle

The Parador hotel has been built on the site of the castle built by King Fernando II of Leon. The castle was destroyed in 1808 during the Napoleonic Wars.

Incorporated in the Parador is the old tower of the castle known as the "Torre del Caracol". This tower contains a beautiful room of the Parador with a much admired Mudejar coffered ceiling.

Beautiful gardens surround the parador where it is possible to sit and enjoy a glass of local wine.

The interior decoration is of classical style with the wall ornaments such as wrought iron lamps recalling the turbulent past of the castle.

The castilian bricks are featured with wood floors covered in rugs. The coffered ceilings are a special feature of this Parador.

The bedrooms are particularly pleasant. There are twenty nine twin bedrooms, 4 double bedrooms, 2 suites and three single bedded rooms.

The Parador restaurant, as usual, specialises in the regional cooking. Worth trying are:

"Bacalao a la tranca", a dish of reconstituted dried salted cod with eggs and peppers.
"Dos y pingada" fried eggs and bacon together with fried bread.
"Lechazo asado" which is roast lamb.
"Tocinillo de ceilo" which is a desert made with egg yolks and syrup.

Benavente has over the centuries been a favourite resting place for teavellers being the crossing point of the road from Madrid to Santiago de Compostela and the road from France to Pontevedra, Tui and Vigo.

Buildings in the town worth visiting include the Santa Maria de Azogue and San Juan del Mercado churches, and also the Piedad Hospital.

The main local festival is the ”toro enmaromado” (tied-up bull) which is held the day before the Corpus Christi religious holiday in June.

All the bedrooms have a private bathroom, a telephone, cable television and a mini bar.

The Parador has a conference room.

Animals are not allowed.

Directions

The Parador is in the town of Benavente in the southern walls. It is in Paseo Ramon y Cajal at the Jardines de la Mota. From both the A-6 motorway from Madrid - A Coruna, and the N-630 to Vigo and Pontevedra take the exit signed Benavente. There are signs to the Parador in the town.