Valladolid is located in the centre of the Iberian Peninsula 200 kilometres northwest of Madrid. You can find a wealth of treasures in this former medieval town where King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella married in the 15th century and where Christopher Columbus died, a broken man, in 1506. In 1527 Felipe II was born in the Palacio de Pimentel. José Zorrilla, who popularized the legendary Don Juan in his 1844 play, was also born in the city.

Beyond the modern buildings, factories and hustle and bustle of city life lie many reminders of a glorious era when Valladolid was the capital of Spain's powerful empire.

The city is rich in ancient churches, museums and monuments and is famous for its university which was founded in the 13th century and is the second oldest in Spain, after that of Salamanca. One of Valladolid's major claims to fame is that the people here speak the purest form of Castilian (the main Spanish language).

The Valladolid International Film Festival in October is Spain's major showcase for new international films and is one of the country's biggest and most prestigious festivals attracting some 80,000 visitors.

The city's famous Holy Week processions at Easter and a riotous fiesta in September also bring visitors from far and wide.

Places of interest worth visiting during your stay here include the beautiful cathedral, commissioned in 1580 by King Felipe II and finally consecrated in 1699. The Museo Nacional de Escultura (National Sculpture Museum) houses a magnificent collection of intricately carved and painted religious sculptures and the building itself is an impressive example of Spanish Renaissance architecture. The Iglesia de San Pablo has a spectacular facade, embellished with angels and coats of arms in Plateresque style. Among the other noteworthy churches are Santa María la Antigua, with its slim Romanesque belfry, and the Iglesia de Las Angustias, where Juan de Juni´s fine sculpture of the Virgen de los Cuchillos (Virgin of the Knives) is on display.

One of Spain's most famous sons, writer and poet Miguel Cervantes who penned Don Quixote, lived and wrote in Valladolid for many years and his former home has now been turned into a museum in his memory.

When you've exhausted the city's wealth of cultural and historic sights, relax in one of the excellent restaurants to be found here. You're in the "land of the wines" so make sure you sample a glass or two of Ribera de Duero, Rueda, Toro or Cigales - names renowned among wine connoisseurs worldwide.

Valladolid's 20,000-strong student population ensures there are plenty of lively bars and discos to keep you entertained until the small hours.