Burgos: First Solo Adventure!
- Jessica Detwiler
- Apr 1
- 7 min read
With all the "risks" I've taken moving across the world by myself and setting a successful life up in a foreign country, until this past weekend, I had never taken a solo trip. It was a bucket list item for me in 2024, but I never felt ready, nor confident enough, to prioritize traveling solo over a trip with friends. The thought of going to a new place by myself, eating in restaurants alone, and having (potentially) hours go by without talking to anyone really scared me. Despite these fears, however small and irrational, I booked a solo trip to the city of Burgos in the region of Castilla y León a few weeks ago and I must say, I thoroughly enjoyed the time I spent by myself this weekend!
I arrived in Burgos after sunset on Friday and after checking into my very small and quiet hostel, I hit the town to start exploring. My roommate in Santander had warned me that Burgos is the "capital of cold" before I left, but I had checked the weather and decided that mid 50s didn't warrant bringing my winter coat. WRONG! I dearly missed my long puffer jacket all weekend and kept questioning why I didn't at least bring my scarf along.
Burgos is known for its plethora of medieval buildings and for its gorgeous gothic-style cathedral that is the third largest in Spain, behind Sevilla and Toledo. It is impossible to miss this massive structure that is nestled into a hillside right in the middle of the old town. I simply followed the spires I could see poking above the apartment buildings and restaurants and within no time I was right smack in front of this beautiful cathedral.
I took some pictures before wandering around on the hunt for some dinner. I settled on a cute, family run Italian joint and enjoyed a glass of white and veggie pasta dish while reading my book. Before calling it a night, I stopped in an adorable corner café for a slice of cheesecake and a decaf coffee. I discovered night one that eating out alone isn't nearly as daunting as it seems and having my book with me really helped! No better company than a good book sometimes.
Upon returning to my little four bed room in the hostel, I met my singular roommate: an older German woman who was doing the Camino. We talked a little bit but between the language barrier and both being tired, it was a pretty short conversation. I had chosen to stay in a hostel in the hopes of meeting some new friends, but it seems that Burgos is more of a stop on the Camino than anything. However, I ended up really appreciating the laidback and quiet nature of the city. It was exactly what I was looking for this weekend.
I started my Saturday off with a chilly but beautiful stroll along the park that encompasses the river that runs between the old and new parts of Burgos. Once I had worked up an appetite, I went to a small bakery and got a coffee and spinach pastry that was absolutely delicious! You can be hard pressed to find a meatless and savory breakfast in this country so I was very happy with this discovery.
I spent the rest of my morning wandering around Burgos and admiring the cathedral in the daylight. The plaza with the best views also happened to be the most sheltered from the wind so it was the perfect place to get some fresh air and take in such an amazing building.
When the sun itself was not cutting it in the warmth department, I decided to head to the Museo de la Evolución Humana (Museum of Human Evolution) which is one of the most well-known sites in Burgos. This area is home to the spot where the oldest human remains in Europe have been found and because of that, there are many archeological sites here. There is also an investigation center and a very well done museum to display these findings to the public.
I really enjoyed the many exhibits about our ancestors, the transition from hunters and gatherers to farmers, and the rich history of the anthropological discoveries of the area. The museum also provided the perfect spot (aka warm and full of natural light) to continue reading my book! I eventually packed it up and headed to a vegetarian restaurant called Cúrcuma (Turmeric) for a nutrient packed lunch. Although the whole menu looked to-die-for, I selected a roasted sweet potato loaded with zoodles (noddles made from zucchini) and other vegetables and seeds covered in a mustard sauce.
After my delicious lunch, I walked to Plaza de la Libertad to meet up with the tour I had previously booked. Since Anna and I had such a great experience with our free tour in Gijón, I used the same company to set one up in Burgos! And although it was a larger group size and the weather was very chilly, I had a similarly lovely experience and will definitely be looking to use them in the future.
Our guide, Javier, took us all around the most famous spots in the city including the cathedral (of course), the town hall, plaza mayor, the old theatre, and the complex of human evolution buildings. He was so enthusiastic and informative and it was definitely an hour and a half well spent!
One of the most interesting and impactful pieces of information he shared was about the town hall building. On the pillars beneath the building there are two red lines at about 6 and 8 feet high, respectively. Javier informed us that these lines mark the height of the water in the city during the two worst floods in the past centuries. I was struck by just how much water that must have been and what the destruction must have looked like.
Javier recommended that we visit the mirador del castillo (castle viewpoint) before leaving Burgos and since that was already on my list, I decided to head up there for sunset after the tour finished. The castle is unfortunately under construction at the moment but the view over the city is amazing and well worth the little hike up there! I caught the pre sunset glow and Burgos and it's surroundings certainly lived up to their beautiful reputation!
I took my time meandering back down to the city and stopped in a free art exhibit at the Centro de Arte on the way to warm back up. Although art museums aren't my first choice when visiting a new city, this exhibit was really interesting and showcased the work of several local artists and activists. I learned about this influential group while getting feeling back in my fingers before I continued on my way to find a bite to eat.
I settled on a typical Spanish tapas bar that was bustling with people just starting their Saturday nights. I had a wonderful glass of wine and a very subpar tortilla (living here for two years has exposed me to quite a number of spanish tortillas) before taking the rest of the evening to get caught up with Emma Sab on the phone. We chatted until it was time for me to call it a night and after introducing myself briefly to my new roommate, I fell fast asleep.
March 30th is the day that the clocks change here in Spain so knowing I was going to be losing an hour of sleep, I let myself sleep in a bit. Once I was up and moving, I checked out of my hostel and headed back to the cafe from the previous morning for breakfast. I opted for a Spanish classic of tomato on toast this time and it was delicious! Sometimes they are the classics for a reason!
Wanting to take full advantage of my day before my four o'clock bus home, I went directly to the cathedral to do a self-guided audio tour. The numerous chapels dedicated to different saints and different European royalty were all ornately designed and very impressive to see. I really enjoyed taking my time walking through the cathedral and learning about its long history and architectural prowess.
All the cathedrals I have visited in Europe have been beautiful, but the Burgos cathedral really struck me for its focus on natural light and intricate ceiling designs. There were various examples of these design features, but the one featured in the photo above was my favorite for its resemblance of a snowflake!
When I was finished with the cathedral, I took up a spot in the sun again to continue reading my book that had really sucked me in. Recently, I have been listening to audio books a lot more than reading and it was a nice change to have a paperback to completely lose myself in like I used to do when I was younger. Also, the combination of the fantastic storytelling of Kristen Hannah and a historical fiction novel kept me captivated from page one!
Once my parents had woken up in the US, I went for a lovely riverside stroll while talking to them. We are all getting SO excited for our upcoming bike trip that is only about three weeks away!! As always, it was great to talk to them and I cannot wait to see them so soon <3
For my last stop in Burgos, I opted for a sun soaked table at a café for a second go at white wine and tortilla. This time the egg and potato dish was perfectly done and it absolutely hit the spot. I also finally finished my book here and I really hope that none of the other patrons caught sight of my tears...it was a very emotional ending. I left my lunch spot feeling full and ready to nap on the bus ride home!!
Overall, I had a really relaxing and wonderful time exploring and experiencing life in a new city by myself! I was surprised with how much more enjoyable traveling solo was than I had previously thought. Although I don't have any more solo weekend getaways planned, I definitely won't be so quick to write off the idea in the future!
I will leave you all with one more (and potentially my favorite) picture of the stunning Burgos cathedral! Thank you for reading <3
That cathedral is stunning. What a cool adventure! xoxo