Following the Ink: Prosa y Poesia en Castilla y Leon

by Andrea Calabretta
Each region of Spain boasts some literary significance, but Castilla y Leon--home to El Cid, Miguel Cervantes, Teresa of Avila, and birthplace of the Castilian language--is perhaps the most compelling province for a lover of prosa y poesia. I spent a week there, seeking out the magic between pages of old manuscripts and among streets lined with cobblestones.
The best place to begin a tour of literary Spain--and the most convenient arrival point--is the capital city of Madrid, whose imposing Biblioteca Nacional, the National Library, looms over Paseo Recoletos. Its collecti...