Ponferrada is a municipality in Spain, in the province of León, in Castile and León. On 1 January 2025 it had 63,186 inhabitants according to the INE municipal register (padrón), over an area of about 283.3 km².
With about 223 inhabitants per km², it combines a medium-sized town with residential districts, farmland and business areas. Of the 11 municipalities in the province of León with at least 5,000 inhabitants, it is number 2 by population.
As the crow flies it lies about 82 km west of León, the provincial capital. The nearest major city is A Coruña, about 180 km away.
Nearby, within a few dozen kilometres, are other destinations featured in our guides: Astorga (42 km).
To explore the area, use the map of neighbouring municipalities and the accommodation options in and around Ponferrada; all the municipalities in the province of León are listed on their own page.