The Segre river runs through Lleida, Spain.Hannah Sung/Supplied
When my husband Isaac was invited to take part in a film festival in Lleida, Spain, I thought, “Perfect! I will be your plus one.”
Being the tagalong spouse is one of my favourite ways to see the world. Details get magically taken care of – flights, hotel, even choosing a destination, which in our case have included locations off the beaten track in France, Brazil, South Korea and now Spain.
“You’re not going on vacation. It’s a work trip!” declared my 11-year-old daughter.
Well, yes, it’s a work trip – for Daddy. I, on the other hand, would have no responsibilities, the ultimate luxury.
Yes, I think we travelled all the way to Europe in search of a date night. How lucky we were to land in Lleida, pronounced “Yay-da” in Catalonian (and referred to in Spanish as Lerida, but never by locals). A small city of 140,000, one hour outside Barcelona by train, Lleida is the capital of an agricultural region, known for its medieval, multifaith roots and a thoroughfare for Spanish tourists heading for the hills to hike, ski and bike.
“You like boring stuff,” my daughter reminded me before I left. “I do,” I concurred. Museums, castles, convents, no schedule and the Spanish art of sobremesa, or lingering over long meals for hours. Lleida let me do all of the above and three days is the perfect amount of time to do it all slowly.
Three Days in Lleida
Hannah Sung in Lleida, Spain. A city of 140,000, Lleida is the capital of an agricultural region.Hannah Sung/Supplied
The high-speed train from Barcelona to Lleida runs on time and is remarkably easy. Hotel Zenit is less than a five-minute walk from the train station and has all the charm of a business hotel. It’s fine. If Lleida is, however, also the site of your long-awaited date night, the occasion might call for a stay at the Parador. Like many notable locations in the city, it is a modern rebuild of a very old building, in this case, a 17th-century convent. After a long day of walking, the dimly lit lounge, fashioned out of the former courtyard, is a perfect place to grab a dry vermouth with bar snacks.
If there’s still daytime left, walk along the Segre, the river that runs through Lleida. Get a great view from one of the many bridges that cross it before heading back to the downtown side to walk along the grass, or up on street level, alongside street art that co-exists with statues of Iberian warriors who fought the Romans 2,000 years ago.
Seu Vella, or “Old Cathedral,” looms over the city wherever you are.Hannah Sung/Supplied
Climb a path to the expansive Seu Vella, Lleida’s most majestic site and the heart of the city on a hilltop. In Lleida, no matter where you are, the Seu Vella, or “Old Cathedral,” looms over us all. The site was most recently a Catholic church, but also a military stronghold and mosque at various times over its long history.
Gastronomically, Lleida is known for snails, or caragols, and this city plays host to what may be the world’s largest snail festival every spring (the locals told us it’s a time to eat snails and “get plastered”). I was determined to eat caragols as the locals do (roasted with herbs, served with aioli) but after ordering it in the restaurant hotel, I could only bring myself to eat one. There were at least 50 on that plate. “I mean, if we’re gonna survive the apocalypse, you should probably get used to it,” Isaac said as he helped me out. “It’s gonna be this and grasshoppers.” I implore you – eat the snail dish. Love it, enjoy it. Don’t be me. I was coming off a bout of food poisoning and feeling sensitive. It was just not going to be the day for snails.
I tucked in with considerably more gusto at Zeke, a tapas bar decorated with loving images of the owner’s adorable dog, making me pine for my own sweet pup with a sudden wave of homesickness. I managed to choke down croquettes and a hot dish of peppers, calamari and shrimp, fried to perfection, and guzzle a few local beers. Everywhere we walked was within a half-hour’s stroll, a perfect way to end the evening.
I started my first full day in Lleida at the Museu de Lleida, hoping for a digestible, contemporary history of the city, but history is expansive here and the story of Lleida goes back to the Bronze Age, more than 5,000 years ago. The woman at the entrance greeted me warmly, handing me a laminated, spiral-bound book. Nothing is written in English, she explained. I peered through Google Translate on my phone as I learned that Lleida is a city built by the co-mingling of Muslim, Jewish and Christian peoples, with a history long enough that every one of these groups fell in and out of favour, with Jews being expelled in the late 15th century.
I was the only person in the museum besides a few security guards. Many museums and tourist sites are closed on Mondays and sometimes close for the day at 2 p.m., so plan accordingly.
I continued by wandering downtown streets, less pristine than those of Barcelona and stained by pigeons, while up high were the storks roosting in church bell towers, the sound of their clacking beaks occasionally ringing out.
I slipped into the New Cathedral, built in the late 1700s (everything is relative, I suppose). Inside, I took in the soaring stone archways and ornate wooden confessionals throughout.
Continuing on, emboldened by the welcoming nature of the locals, I poked my head into a building with cops, not curators, who greeted me. “Hello, what is this place?” I asked. It is La Paeria, Lleida’s city hall since 1383. “Go downstairs,” an officer entreated me, and I headed down stone steps, alone.
Underground, it was drafty. I explored, enthralled by the magnitude of lifetimes. When I learned that this basement was a prison in the 15th century, I clicked my phone closed, too spooked for further selfies, and headed back up. I didn’t want to learn more about how justice was meted out in the underground dungeons of this era.
Hungry, I chose a classic, bustling bakery recommended by friends. The window was filled with pastries and Spanish coca, flatbreads topped with ham, sausages, sardines and thinly sliced red peppers. I got a cream puff, a spinach pastry and a candied orange dipped in chocolate, all of it exquisite and eaten in one fell swoop.
Our foodie friend insisted we try El Sisè for fine dining but it’s only open on weekends, reminding me of the pace of a smaller city. Isaac and I instead met for a menu del dia, or daily menu served in courses, at the Michelin-rated L’Espurna. Even though I know it’s the Spanish way, I was astounded by how long people spend at the table, midday. The meal was exquisite, a feast of fish, mushrooms, cabbage and quince. I had no room to eat again for the rest of the day.
The pace of Lleida is slower than home and I loved it. Sit in a plaza. Walk along the river. Go to any of the museums, big and small, many of them free. Art is everywhere. So are castles and cathedrals, but it isn’t Disneyland. It’s a working town with a slightly worn quality that makes the durability of its historical sites feel all the more real and close. Go to feel the presence of history with every step, it’s perfect for putting your life in perspective.
