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Rocío Jiménez
Friday, 2 May 2025, 15:52
As spring marches on, the days grow longer and the temperatures become more pleasant, so increases the desire to organise a getaway because, let's face it, travel is life. What's more, you don't need to leave Spain to find some truly impressive destinations as this country is home to a good handful of hidden gems that escape the notice of many travellers. For those who prefer nature, or for those looking to discover charming villages, here are five weekend getaways to whet your appetite before the longer summer break.
In the north of the province of Burgos, in the area known as Merindades, there awaits the curious traveller the karst cave complex of Ojo Guareña that, with its almost 100 kilometres of rocky terrain, is the largest cave system on the Iberian peninsula and one of the ten largest in the world. Here you can visit several sites over a weekend and try a few different hiking trails such as the one that leads to the Salto de la Mea , a beautiful waterfall that is best enjoyed following the winter thaw or in rainy season. It is a 12-kilometre route that passes through the Hoz ravine, the Trema gorge and the villages of Cornejo and Hornillalatorre. There is also the Sendero del Hayal de Quintanilla , about 11 kilometres long, or the Caminos de la Sonsierra , a circular route of about 16 kilometres that passes through Redondo and Santa Olalla before reaching Espinosa de los Monteros.
Merindad de Sotocueva is the overall municipality that bears the namesake to this area and that enjoys protected status as a 'natural monument' of Spain (declared as such in 1996). It is made up of 26 villages, so you can also plan to visit some of its other points of interest - for instance, the anthropomorphic tombs of Villabáscones, the tower of the Velasco family and the church of Santiago in Quisicedo, or the ethnographic museum of Merindad de Sotocueva in Quintanilla. However, it is undoubtedly the cave of San Bernabé that is the highlight of this place and certainly its main attraction. The visit, which lasts about 45 minutes and includes a ten-minute slideshow, consists of a tour of about 400 metres of visitor galleries and the chapel of San Tirso that was excavated at the cave entrance. Inside, the town hall has created a special events space used for such as the local saint's day pilgrimage with the saint's font and the gallery of the Silos, as well as a set of anonymous cave paintings dating from 1705 and 1877, which recount the martyrdoms and miracles of the area's patron saint.
For the slightly more adventurous visitor there is the Palomera cave . Here the visit consists of a speleo-passage (typically a narrow passageway with a variable ceiling height) and is recommended only for people in good physical condition and over 12 years of age. Inside you can see different chambers such as the Edelweiss room, the Sima de las dolencias chasm or the wax museum room where different aspects of the karst formations and the microfauna that inhabit the cave are explained.
To sleep: El Prado Mayor, located in Quintanilla del Rebollar at about 10 minutes from the Ojo Guareña Natural Monument, is a typical 16th-century farmhouse of the area that has been restored and converted into a beautiful B&B with eight rooms of three categories (single, double and suite), living room with fireplace, porch, garden and orchard. Prices for a double room start at 82 euros plus 11 euros for breakfast (per person).
In the province of Guadalajara you can find a very special trip that includes different villages with a common denominator: their rather unusual architecture. In all of them the houses have a dark, almost black tone on the outside walls due to the use of clay, wood and black slate that abounds in the surrounding mountain range that gives them shelter and insulates the villagers from both the cold and the heat throughout the year. In total, there are 14 towns and villages located in three valleys, 125 kilometres of hiking trails and one of the largest natural parks in Spain, which includes the Hayedo de Tejera Negra , one of the southernmost beech forests in Europe with World Heritage Site status. There you can do one of two circular routes on foot: the Senda de Carretas, of medium-low difficulty and six kilometres long, or the Senda del Robledal that, with its 17 kilometres, is for more experienced hikers.
There are different options for touring the area to visit the different villages. One of the most outstanding is the itinerary that starts in Tamajón , the gateway to the area and home to some remarkable buildings, including the 13th-century Romanesque church of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción. The route continues through the hamlets of Campillejo that, due to its location at the foot of the Ocejón Peak, is surrounded by nature in all its splendour. Next is El Espinar , where the presence of white quartzite crosses embedded in the façades of several houses and its beautiful parish church are its most striking features. Roblelacasa is the starting point of the route that leads to the Cascadas del Aljibe, a series of rather impressive, natural waterfalls. Another must-see in Robleluengo is an outstanding example of Romanesque architecture: the church of San Pedro that presides over the main square.
The next stop is the main village in the local area, Campillo de Ranas . Here, the houses adapt to the orography of the terrain in irregular groupings that tuck into the hillsides and make for a pretty striking sight. The last stop on this particular trip is Majaelrayo .
Not to be missed is the village of Valverde de los Arroyos , another of the most unique villages in this part of Spain, where you can admire its two-storey, slate-built houses, the main square with its fountain and the parish church of San Ildefonso.
To sleep: Accommodation in this area is limited, so it is important to check in advance to avoid problems. What you can find are, above all, rural houses such as Casa del Sol, a charming accommodation located in Campillo de Ranas which has 3 double rooms with ensuite and a suite with ensuite bathroom with a hydro-massage bathtub. It can be rented as a whole for between 5 and 8 people for 620 euros or by room from 80 euros per night.
Between the towns of Cedeira and Cariño, in the province of La Coruña, are the cliffs of Vixía Herbeira that, at 613 metres above sea level and with a gradient of over 80%, are the highest in continental Europe and the summit of A Capelada, a mountain range that runs parallel to the Atlantic Ocean. The best place to admire this landscape in all its splendour is its viewpoint, the Garita de Herbeira , an old lookout point dating from 1805. As well as passing through this natural beauty spot, the weekend is a good time to visit several of the villages in the area.
The first visit should be to San Andrés de Teixido , a village of barely 50 inhabitants and a handful of houses wrapped in a halo of magic and mystery. Its sanctuary, a place of worship that dates back to the 12th century, is one of the most famous in Galicia. It is said that Saint Andrew, one of the 12 apostles of Jesus, arrived by boat to the cliffs in the area where he ended up capsizing. No one came to his aid, but he received a promise from God that he would have sanctuary and make a pilgrimage, hence the saying 'he goes as a dead man he who did not go when alive'. So, be careful not to step on any of the small insects and animals that are found along the way, because it is said that they are the souls of those who did not go while they were alive.
Another stop could be the seaside town of Cedeira , whose historic quarter is a delight and where you should not miss the Gothic church of Santa María do Mar, or Concepción castle, an 18th-century military fortress steeped in history that is located on the top of Punta Sarridal. There are also numerous manor houses bearing their noble coats of arms and the Mares de Cedeira museum, the perfect place to learn about the history of this town.
Nearby is also Cabo Ortegal with incredible sea views. At the tip of this promontory stands the lighthouse, a construction sitting on rocks that are among the oldest in the peninsula (believed to be over one billion years old).
To sleep: Located in Cedeira is the boutique hotel Herbeira, an accommodation that offers 16 rooms, all of them with sea views and a gastrobar where you can taste local products. Prices start at 60 euros per night.
In the north of the province of Cáceres a valley full of contrasts awaits the visitor, with mountains over 2,000 metres high and areas of meadow and pastureland at an altitude of just 500 metres: this is Ambroz valley. This destination, which has no reason to be envious of its better-known neighbouring valley of Jerte, offers different options to make the most of the weekend with varied hiking trails. One such route leads to the chestnut trees of Temblar , a group of five chestnut trees that have been awarded protected status as 'singular trees' due to their large size, age and value to this landscape. Another is the climb up to the pass called Puerto de Honduras that, at its highest point, is 1,440 metres above sea level and, from there, you can see La Vera, the Gredos massif and the Jerte valley. Before reaching the summit you should not miss seeing the Puerto de Honduras birch grove , also declared as 'singular tree' status because it is the most numerous and best-preserved group of this rare species of tree in Extremadura as it is more prevalent in the northern areas of Spain.
In total, there are eight villages in the valley, with Hervás town being the best known as it is home to one of the best-preserved Jewish quarters in the country. Its original layout is almost unchanged with its three-storey, timber-framed houses with balconies and finished with adobe walls. The timbers came from the Hervás chestnut grove and even some street names retain Jewish links, names like Rabilero and La Sinagoga (the synagogue).
The first documented Jewish settlement here dates back to the 15th century and consisted of 45 families. Today, the old Jewish quarter, which was declared a Historic-Artistic Site in 1969, stretches from La Plaza to the Ambroz river and the Fuente Chiquita. Beyond this, not to be missed are the church of Santa María de Aguas Vivas, built on the site of an old Knights Templar fortress, the Fuente Chiquita bridge, which is the main entrance to the town from Vía de la Plata, the Travesía del Morón, which is said to be one of the narrowest streets in the country (it measures 50 centimetres at its narrowest point, and the local museum for motorcycles and classic cars.
To sleep: Apartamentos Hervás Suites offers five houses, with capacity for 2 to 4 people, in the small town centre, some of them with private jacuzzi, fully equipped kitchen, living room and state-of-the-art facilities. Price on request.
The island of Menorca is a marvel in itself but, beyond taking a dip in the sea from one of its spectacular beaches, you really must take a stroll around the island's most visited and beautiful city, Ciudadela . The best way to discover all its charms is to stroll around the old town, stop at the Plaça des Born , admire the arched porticoes of Ses Voltes, and visit its main attractions such as the cathedral of Santa Maria (built in the Catalan Gothic style), the castle of San Nicolás (built at the end of the 17th century to defend the port), Ciudadela's municipal museum (located in the fortress of Sa Font, housing many of the island's historical treasures) and the Baroque church of Roser .
To sleep: Those looking for a magical place will find it at Son Vell, a lovingly restored 18th-century manor house offering 33 suites surrounded by aromatic gardens, two outdoor pools, two restaurants, a bar and spa treatment rooms. Prices start at 550 euros per night for two people.
On the other hand, not far from here, one kilometre from Camí Vell, there is a place that not everyone knows about and which is well worth a visit: Ses Pedreres de S'Hostal , a marés stone (often just called 'Menorca stone') quarry, a material was used for years to construct buildings on the island. After quarrying ceased and following years of abandonment, Líthica was created, a private non-profit foundation that took on major refurbishment work to turn this Menorcan jewel into a recreational and cultural space.
Inside you can enjoy different spaces such as 'The medieval garden of medicinal herbs', which symbolises the mind through the understanding of nature or 'The botanical and biodiversity circuit', a set of gardens created for the conservation of native flora, alongside several labyrinths. One of these is 'The mineral', which is located in the depths of the old quarry, a 600-square-metre space with a ceiling height of 1.6 metres, a square floor plan with multiple paths to follow and a centre that invites personal or group challenges. In contrast, 'The plant labyrinth' has a design inspired by the tradition of Cretan labyrinths with a single circular layout and it has up to 18 indigenous plant species. There is also 'The Vergeles labyrinth' that, at the heart of it, weaves its way through a meeting of minerals with plants.
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