Holidays that you plan for holidays that have a lot of traditions are always better when you combine them with historic travel destinations. Christmas and even New Year’s Even can be spent in Spain, in locations that once were monasteries. Many do not even consider such an option but you might want to take a look since there are thousands of people that found such locations to be a great Christmas getaway.
Parador Corias – Where Modern Meets Ancient
Parador Corias appeared in 1032 and was founded by Benedictine monks. We are talking about a San Juan Bautista monastery that is located in Corias, in the northern part of Asturias. Nowadays this travel destination boasts so many different modern amenities. There are 2 main courtyards and various places that offer incredibly panoramic views of world renowned Asturian landscapes.
We are faced with a millennial history but this does not mean that the holiday accommodations are not modern. In fact, the exact opposite is correct. As a simple example, all guests have access to one fully equipped gym and even a very beautiful leisure pool. The hotel spa will help you relax and you can easily go for a special treatment so that you will feel like royalty, all at highly affordable prices that are not as rare as you might be tempted to believe when thinking about Spain holidays.
Since you will not stay for the Spanish Christmas holiday just a weekend and you will most likely also book for New Year’s Eve, you will want to know what you can do outside Parador Corias. You will surely love to visit the entire Fuentes de Narcea region, especially the Degana e Ibias Natural park, which currently occupies over 8,600 acres. This is truly a breathtaking area that offers wooded mountains together with a setting that can only be described as similar to a fairytale.
You will surely want to also learn about the local legends. Make sure that you talk to a monk about them. Ask about Busgosu, which is a mythical satyr protecting forests and consider one of the different hiking routes available for all possible skill levels.
Parador Monforte De Lemos – Wonderful Cloisters And Stunning Stonework
Parador Monforte De Lemos is believed to be among the first ever monasteries that were built in Galicia past Arab invasion. The origins are in the tenth century and in the seventeenth century the monastery was rebuilt. Visitors end up admiring the really stunning stonework, cozy bedrooms, charming cloisters and the overall magical air that is only more special during Christmas thanks to local customs. While in the area, you will surely want to also visit Lugo, a city that is beautiful and surrounded by Roman walls that are virtually intact. This is quite interesting as the walls were built almost 2000 years ago.
Parador Leon
The last monastery on our list was built in the sixteenth century. It has beautiful stone decorations on the façade and the roof is red tiled. The accommodations are also quite impressive with many different statues and carved stone arches. Nowadays there are hundreds of tourists that visit every single month and you will want to be among them. If not during Christmas season, at least during your next holiday in Spain.
