 Castile-Leon (Castilla y Leon in Spanish) is a region of Spain
composed of Leon with the provinces of Leon, Zamora and Salamanca,
and Castile with the provinces of Avila, Burgos, Palencia, Segovia,
Soria and Valladolid. It was formed by the union of two ancient
kingdoms: Old Castile and the Kingdom of Leon, which were separated
and reunited several times in the Middle Ages. It borders on
Asturias and Cantabria to the north, Aragon, the Basque Country,
and La Rioja to the east, the autonomous community of Madrid
and Castile-La Mancha to the southeast, Extremadura to the south,
and borders on Portugal and Galicia to the west. It is the largest
region in Spain with its capital Valladolid almost at its very
centre.
Aranda de Duero is located on the
Duero River in the province of Burgos, in the heart of the Ribera
del Duero wine-growing zone. Its nearest airport is in Valladolid,
around 60 miles due west. Aranda de Duero is at the junction
of several transport routes across Spain.
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Aranda de Duero is the capital of the Ribera
del Duero wine region. The town is unique for having wine cellars
that interconnect below the streets of the town centre. Wine
clubs celebrate special events in these cellars. There are some
Roman mosaics in nearby Banos de Valdearados that prove the union
between vineyards and wine in this region goes back 2,000 years.
Aranda de Duero lived a flourishing period in the late 15th century,
from its rich architectural heritage is the Isabelline-Gothic
church of Santa Maria, the church of San Juan Bautista with a
beautiful facade and the Palace of Verdugo.The medieval bridge
of the Tenerias offers a beautiful view over the river Duero.
