Burgos Cathedral was probably my favorite of the many cathedrals I saw on my trip to Spain this past May. The bright vaulted openness of the interior, and the exquisite design of its aisles and chapels made for a memorable visit. I was glad I went on a quiet weekday afternoon, since there were few visitors to distract as I wandered around staring at walls and ceilings. The cathedral offers an audio tour, which I recommend, since it helps give context to the Gothic and Rennaissance influences in the cathedral's architecture, such as the beautiful Chapel del Constable and the Golden Staircase, which serves to connect the main floor of the cathedral to the elevated street behind the cathedral. Burgos Cathedral was technically my first stop on the Route of Santiago de Compostela, and is inscribed twice on the World Heritage Site list as part of Spain's Camino Francés. Though the Burgos city center is not a World Heritage Site, it makes for a pleasant visit, and there are many tributes to local and national hero El Cid, who is buried in the cathedral.

Logistics: The cathedral is a short walk from the central bus station in Burgos, and makes for an easy stop when traveling between Madrid and cities in northern Spain, such as Bilbao.