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What to see in Zamora in one day. The best of the Romanesque capital

You will not be able to imagine what you can find in Zamora until you go. Because the beauty of everything there is to see in Zamora will surprise you. In any corner you will find a unique place being one of the cities with the most Romanesque monuments in Spain.

Visiting Zamora in one day is also possible since it is a small city in which all its monuments and places of interest are very close, although you will surely know little about it and you will want to return.

After reading this article you will wonder why Zamora is not among the main tourist cities in our country, because it well deserves to be.

A walk with the best things to see in Zamora in one day

The Castle of Zamora

Zamora - CastleThe tour with the best things to see in Zamora in one day can start at the Zamora Castle, one of the oldest places in the city, built in the 11th century, although very little of the original building remains. Today we can visit the almost complete moat, the parade ground, the homage tower and a large part of the walls.

Throughout its history, the castle has had a great defensive function for the city, without great fanfare. Your visit is complemented by the Baltasar Lobo Museum, a sculptor from Zamora, author of very interesting works.

After your visit, you can stroll through the adjoining gardens as well as enjoy the beautiful views of the Duero River from the surroundings of the Zamora Castle.

The Cathedral, the best thing to visit in Zamora

Zamora - CathedralNext to the Castle is the Zamora Cathedral, the main monument to visit in Zamora in one day. It is one of the best Romanesque cathedrals in the world, so its visit is essential.

Its main façade is not the typical one you can find in cathedrals, with towers and rose windows, but it certainly has its charm. From the outside of the Cathedral we must highlight its dome, crowned by a small dome and surrounded by other smaller domes, and the Torre del Salvador, visible from different points of the city.

From its interior we highlight the Cathedral Museum, its neoclassical altarpiece or the choir. After visiting the Cathedral, it is time to admire its Puerta del Obispo.

From the Cathedral to Plaza de Viriato

Zamora - CathedralNow it’s time to walk through the streets of the old town of Zamora admiring every corner and all the churches that you will find on your way. But first you have to go to the Mirador del Troncoso, located on the walls and from where you have the best views of the Duero River and its bridges.

From there we walk looking for the Rúa de los Francos where we can enjoy the Church of San Ildefonso or the Church of Santa María Magdalena, two of the beautiful Romanesque churches of Zamora. Of the first we must highlight its neoclassical façade while of the second we cannot miss the Romanesque sepulcher inside.

If we turn off along Calle de las Doncellas we will arrive at the Zamora Museum, where we can discover the history of the city as well as a great archaeological and fine arts collection.

Once again we will return to Rúa de los Francos, which leads to the beautiful Plaza de Viriato. In this square we can find the Old Hospital of the Incarnation (headquarters of the Provincial Council), the Parador de Turismo and the Statue of Viriato, the Lusitanian leader who stood up to the Romans.

Nearby is the Church of Santa María la Nueva, another of the 14 Romanesque churches to visit in Zamora.

From Plaza de Viriato to Plaza Mayor

Zamora - Plaza MayorAfter enjoying the buildings and atmosphere of the Plaza de Viriato, which is also of great importance in Zamora’s Holy Week, we will walk along the famous Ramos Carrión Street, where the first thing we can admire is the Ramos Carrión Theater, which stands out for its blue color and its modernist style.

We soon arrive at the Plaza Mayor, the nerve center of city life and the best thing to see in Zamora. There are several points of interest that we can see in this square, surrounded by bars and restaurants.

On the one hand, there is the Church of San Juan Bautista, another of the Romanesque wonders of Zamora, built in the 12th century and of which we must highlight its rose window. As a curiosity, the church is located in the middle of the square, tilted towards one of its sides, being able to completely surround it without leaving the Plaza Mayor.

Next to the church is the Merlú Monument, a typical figure of Holy Week in Zamora that consists of a couple from the Brotherhood of Jesús Nazareno in charge of gathering the rest of the brothers to begin the procession.

The other places of interest in the Plaza Mayor of Zamora are the Old Town Hall, and its arcaded façade, and the New Town Hall, located just opposite and also very pretty.

Other places to visit in Zamora in one day

Zamora - Troncoso viewpointFrom here we begin to walk through a more modern and much more commercial part of Zamora, although we still have some very important places to visit.

Among them is the Church of Santiago del Burgo, from the 12th century and located next to the Plaza de la Constitución Española, where the Government Delegation building is located.

The walk ends in the main park of the city, the Parque de la Marina Española, where you can relax after the intense walk through Zamora that you just did and before going to the Duero River and walking along its shore until you reach the Stone Bridge., which we recommend crossing to be able to see Zamora from a perspective that you will not be able to forget.

This one-day walk through Zamora can end at the Aceñas de Olivares, some old mills next to the river that date back to the 10th century and that can be visited to learn about the mechanism that produced wheat flour until they were abandoned in the 19th century.

You have many other places to see in Zamora, quite a few Romanesque churches that we have not mentioned, but this is the typical route that you should take to get to know the most important things.

You can find more information on the official Zamora tourism page.

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