Spending a holiday or enjoying a getaway combining luxury and nature is possible in the pine forests of Soria if you want a stellar experience at the Hotel**** "El Cielo de Muriel".

In a land where accommodations of the purest rustic style predominate, it stands out to find a modern establishment with very high sustainability standards. But what is most striking is that we are talking about a Starlight accommodation, something that differentiates it from the rest of the offer of the province of Soria and the bordering provinces.

FRIDAY

Check-in and hotel tour

Our weekend experience began by orienting the compass in the direction of Muriel Viejo, a small and cozy town in the region of Pinares. With an ideal location because it has close to countless tourist attractions, both natural and cultural, which make 2 days insufficient to visit everything we would like so we will repeat stay.

You can check-in from 14 hours, we arrived in the middle of the afternoon to see the facilities quietly by the hand of Raquel, manager of the Sky of Muriel, who accompanied us during our stay. There is free underground parking so if you are one of those people who like to have the car safe, this is a very positive point to take into account.

We got the Swan room on the ground floor overlooking the Old Muriel River and a most relaxing sound. As a welcome detail we awaited a plate with fruits next to a kettle that all rooms have accompanied by a small assortment of infusions and soluble coffee, a success.

After leaving our luggage and checking with pleasure that the stay was very cozy combining elegance and comfort, our guided tour began.

At the reception Lorenzo was waiting for us to return our documentation previously delivered at the entrance. They have service from 8 in the morning to 12 at night and you can receive all the necessary information for your stay: schedules, services, what to see in the area … The transfer of tourists was latent and we were invaded by the desire to exchange information with them, but we left it for later.

The suite "From Muriel to heaven" was waiting for us right in front. It has a living room and capacity for 4 people, and the 2×2 bed immediately attracts attention.

We continue to discover this charming hotel that has raised so many expectations since the beginning of its construction and that opened its doors in April 2022. It has 14 double rooms with beds of different sizes: 1.60, 2×2, 2 of 1.05… As a good destination dedicated to astrotourism, each of them has the name of a constellation and inside a different night photo awaits us on the head of the bed that show us nearby places under a starry sky.

In addition, all rooms have exterior views, many of them are individual terraces ideal for stargazing.

On the other hand, the wide corridors have written on their walls inspiring phrases of famous authors and famous movies such as Gladiator. Of course this hotel is to leave there relaxed and motivated to continue with our day to day.

Already in the attic we discover another of the jewels of its facilities. This huge multifunctional room. Spacious, with sofas, a large table, terrace and decoration and lighting that make it an ideal space to meet, hold courses, make presentations …

We highlight the roof, a great idea that combines dark and light wood commissioned to a Soria company and is that this building has counted as much as possible with companies and resources in the area, something that says a lot in its favor Good for them!

A walk through Muriel Viejo.

Walking the streets of Muriel is to visit those small villages that preserve the essence of a prosperous past and struggle to survive depopulation. And in this town they succeed. We went to the Muriel bar and the atmosphere invited us to come in and have a drink. They have WiFi and a small food dispensary very fit. We were welcomed with the greatest of hospitality and treated as one more, especially by Alfredo who would become an exceptional guide.

There the young people meet to drink their beers and the people of the third youth have the base camp installed to throw their games of breeze and wink. It was approaching 8 o'clock in the afternoon and the hubbub began to boil. They told us that the torreznos and the fried kid stand out in this bar so we tasted some crunchy energy bars. The dessert was in charge of the women of the town, there is always something to celebrate, that day a birthday, so there was no lack of some delicious donuts to which we were invited. Thank you!

Before our incursion into the tavern we visited thechurch of Our Lady of the Assumption, patron saint of the town, dating from the seventeenth century and toured the place of San Roque with its homonymous hermitage and a source of the most original inside the tree.

There is also a small conditioned observatory, it shows that we are in a Starlight Tourist Destination where the qualities to admire the celestial dome are optimal and only recognized after rigorous controls. Nor can we leave without mentioning the charming laundry room next to the road and its sources of rich water.

The short light of day did not allow us to go to the Birch, but we had already been there in spring discovering the magic of that forest, so we returned to the hotel for dinner.

Dinner with stars.

El Cielo de Muriel has an independent restaurant, that is, you can have lunch or dinner there, but always with prior reservation. During our stay we ate and dined snacking, but there is also a menu and menu that changes with the season. Needless to say, most of the products are from the surrounding villages. That night we ordered some croquettes of very varied flavors, a house salad and scrambled eggs with ham.

Before retiring to our chambers, on a tour of the surroundings of the building seeing its beautiful lighting, we verified that the sky had cleared so we took the opportunity to go to the garden and observe the stars with the spectacular telescope owned by the establishment. This can be used on demand and with the guidance of a professional, we, inexperienced in the field enjoy as children. If you are attentive to their social networks they announce astrotourism events that can even improve this great experience if possible.

Saturday

We started the morning with a relaxing shower that got us ready to leave the room and start the plans for the day. We must say that the well-known brand of creams and soaps chosen by the establishment for the bathrooms is one of our favorites.

Breakfast was in the hotel's dining café. Spacious, with magnificent windows and the most original furniture and decoration. The schedule is from 8.30 to 10.30 and is buffet style. At the bar we were waiting for fruit, cereals, nuts, well-known Soria pastries, juices, various varieties of milk (lactose free, soy, oats …) toast, crushed tomato, sausage, coffee, cocoa … In short, everything you need to gain strength for a day full of nature and heritage to discover.

Tour of the Lobos River Canyon.

The luck of the Region of Pinares is that it has 2 Natural Parks: the Black Lagoon and the Glacier Cirques of Urbión and the Canyon of the River Lobos. Because it is somewhat closer to our location, we opted for the second.

There are several ways to tour the canyon, from its beginning in the Burgos area are about 25 km, from the Bridge of the 7 Eyes are 8 km to the hermitage of San Bartolo and then there is the option to start it from the other side, that of the Ucero area that was our choice. Depending on what you want to walk there are several car parks where you can leave your car, but first, a stop at the Mirador de la Galiana with spectacular views.

As we said, you can leave the car in different places. There is the Parking Engómez 3.3 km from the hermitage, which was our goal and that of most people. Then there is the Cueva Fria car park at 2.3 km and finally the Valdecea car park at only 1 km. In the months of greatest affluence access is regulated and you have to pay 4 euros for tourism if you want to access the last 2. As we had all morning we parked in the first one and walked along the Senda del Río.

We arrive at the Templar hermitage of San Bartolo, a place of pilgrimage for lovers of the esoteric that together with the Great Cave are a source of legends of knights, treasures and mystical energies.

We completed the visit by going up to the Balconcillo del Diablo and headed to the car to eat a delicious grilled meat in one of the restaurants in the area.

Then the Episcopal Villa of El Burgo de Osma was waiting for us.

Afternoon in El Burgo de Osma

Less than 20 km from the Lobos River Canyon is this town that is a heritage that can not be missed. The afternoon passed quickly. The first thing we did was visit the ruins of the Roman city of Uxama and see El Burgo and Osma from the Muslim watchtower.

Then we leave our cars on the exit road to La Rasa and go up to the castle of Osma, we have to walk up but with its recent consolidation, the walkways and the information panels, it is worth getting there.

The afternoon passed and we did not want to leave ourselves without seeing the Cathedral of the Assumption with its Romanesque origins and its robust baroque tower. As the autumn afternoons enjoy fewer hours of light our walk ended up along the Calle Mayor until we reached the Plaza Mayor.

We retraced our steps to walk again through its arcades and continue breathing that medieval air. Later we decided to make a snack based on torreznos and some more tapa that finally became our dinner.

Back at the hotel the body asked us to rest, we spent a while of gathering at the reception with a group of Valencian women who were spending their holidays there. There was a familiar air, it is not surprising that people repeat their stay after a few months because it is very easy to feel at home. Before leaving, we asked for professional binoculars at the reception so we could have another Starlight moment from our room. Large and very powerful, we had already been told that guests can ask for them to see the stars from their terraces.

Sunday

The morning began like the day before, with a powerful breakfast buffet based on toast with ham, tomato and oil, juice, coffee, nuts and fruit to gather energy for the day ahead.

Although we had to check-out in a few hours, we had plans to discover the most immediate charms of Muriel Viejo and surroundings. After a while of chatting with our room neighbors, we left our bags in the car. But we did not say goodbye to the hotel and its people because we planned to eat again.

Pico de San Vicente and Mirador de Peñota

If something has the villa murielense is a beautiful wooded and mountainous environment. The village is located at the foot of an imposing mountain with a large flag of Spain and a telephone tower at the top. They call it Pico de San Vicente and we plan to go up there. The ascent road started a couple of streets higher and you have to be in shape. It took us half an hour to climb at a leisurely pace, the distance is about 2.5 km.

You have to go by forest road not suitable for any car since it was full of potholes and loose stones. However, the beautiful views that we were enjoying as we ascended served as an impulse to continue walking. When we reached the top the panoramic view was spectacular with the town at our feet and the area of Pinares and Urbión on the right.

Our next goal of the morning was the Mirador de Peñota. We had to retrace the path and once down take the track to our left with a long uphill. It is very easy to get there and when in doubt Google Maps gives us a hand. There is at the top a fire watchtower and a shelter. And it is that its 1,230 meters of altitude make it the ideal place to monitor the mountains of Soria and the bordering provinces. Such is the visibility, that on clear days you can see the castle of Gormaz or the tower of the cathedral of El Burgo de Osma. After a long time scanning the horizon we started the 3.5 km that was back to the village.

Farewell meal

Our weekend in El Cielo de Muriel comes to an end and we do it with a meal in the garden surrounded by nature. They always put a complimentary starter, that day a rich cream of zucchini from the garden. For the rest we let ourselves be advised by our waiter Nil.

So we tasted a board of sausages (Sorians, of course), prawns, clams with a delicious dressing and secret based on chips. For dessert we shared an Idiazabal cheese roll with quince, chocolate coulant and cinnamon ice cream. The curious note was put by the infusions, they have 12 different varieties from the classic flavors to the most original.

We leave you here the menu they have, although it varies very often there are permanent dishes and you can get an idea of the prices:

Walk through the Natural Monument of Fuentona

There is next to the neighboring town of Muriel de la Fuente a funnel-shaped spring that gives rise to a lake of the most mysterious. It is there where the Abión River is born and is known as La Fuentona. It is the ideal place to end our getaway. From the hotel car park there are about 13 km. The final part is a dirt road but valid for all vehicles. Next to a shelter, we reach the end of the road where the parking lot is. In summer and holidays you have to pay 4 euros. From there it is a walk of 800 meters accessible to all audiences. The crystalline colors of the waters that accompany us contrast with the darkness of the deepest part of La Fuentona.

*El Cielo de Muriel's Eco Friendly Policy

We do not want to finish without highlighting a very important aspect of the charming and cozy hotel restaurant in which we have spent a few pleasant days. El Cielo de Muriel is an establishment committed to the environment, respect for nature and the future of the planet.

They produce their energy for air conditioning through aerothermy, a renewable source. They have an air renewal system that allows to recover more than 95% of the interior heat which means a great saving. In addition, they use water from the springs that are under their facilities and return them to the environment once purified.

On the other hand, the consumption of products of km 0 prevails, that is, of farmers, ranchers and businesses in the vicinity, contributing to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and boosting the economy of the area. To learn more about this field you can look here.

A hotel with a lot of movement!

In addition to being a place to relax and disconnect to connect with oneself and with nature, the establishment aims to put the Pinares Region and all the possibilities it offers on the map. Thus, the client can hire the services of adventure tourism companies (via ferrata, caving, rope parks …), make spiritual retreats and personal growth workshops, forest baths, discover the rich cultural heritage and, of course, enjoy one of the best skies in Spain.

As if that were not enough, El Cielo de Muriel plans to continue growing. In the future , an open-type gym will be installed. A chill out space will also be conditioned and the parts of its terrace and garden will continue to be conditioned to squeeze them to the maximum. There are many more plans that little by little will be revealed, the palace things …

Acknowledgements to Muriel's Heaven

Our stay in this Starlight accommodation would not have been so stellar, and never better said, without the accompaniment of Raquel and the warm welcome of all the staff who work there forming a team. From Lorenzo at the reception to Nil in the restaurant, without leaving behind the cleaning supergirls who have everything perfect 24 hours a day. Thank you finally for the hospitality of all the people of the town and your warm welcome, especially Alfredo and Sandra. We will soon return to Muriel's Heaven.

See you soon Muriel's Sky!

New experience, new blog!

On this occasion we want to share with you the great experience in canoes on the Douro, an incredible day that we spent in DouroNatura Vildé, a leisure centre in the vicinity of the village of Vildé (next to the Douro River). In it we were able to make two routes sailing on the river with canoes, we fished for trout in the farm, we made a barbecue and we browsed its small farm with a variety of peculiar animals.

We recommend that during the summer you book in advance as it is one of the top activities of the season. Reservations

We anticipate that on this day there are two great protagonists, the activities of DueroNatura and the incredible Castle of Gormaz.

ARRIVAL

We really want to take advantage of the day, and now that good weather abounds and sunsets are late we have decided to leave home around 9.30 since we have met at 10 in El Burgo de Osma to buy some things that we will need for the barbecue that we will do to eat.

The company has informed us that they provide us with firewood and utensils. We have contracted the fishing activity so we have one trout per diner. All that remains is to buy bread, drinks, snacks and dessert.

By the way, if you go with plenty of time, take a walk through the old town of El Burgo de Osma and go up to the Castle of Osma, a wonder both.

At 10:30 we met Maria and Jaime, two of the owners of the center. They are waiting for us there to show us a little about the farm and give us some previous notions before embarking on the canoe adventure.

DOWNSTREAM BY CANOE

Vest and shovels in hand we headed to the jetty. In order to show you this incredible activity in which we will cross a beautiful canyon full of vultures, herons and other birds we take some watertight boats (float) that the company provides us to store the mobiles and keys to prevent them from getting wet while paddling or joking about getting wet. As a recommendation, take a bottle of water, the sun is very treacherous and you will be sailing for about 2 hours.

After the first few minutes of confusion (we had never rowed) we caught the hang of it and started the easy route that is downstream. About 1.5km the river is interrupted by a dam so the water is very calm and it is very easy to navigate. This stretch of the river is ideal if it is the first time you ride or if you come with children.

It may not take as long as 2 hours to travel if you dedicate yourself to paddling all the time, but the canyon is so beautiful that you will surely be very distracted by the birds and photos. Ah! And the Zen minute is obligatory in which no one speaks but nature.

But the most incredible moment is taken by the beautiful Castle of Gormaz. Once the canyon is finished, the views gain amplitude and suddenly this impressive construction appears on the southern horizon. Stunned to see it for the first time from the middle of the Douro River, we can only fight with the current in search of the fotaza. Very fun trying to square the photographed canoe with the executor of the photo, hahaha.

Finally we reach the red buoys that indicate the end of the journey and return to the farm upstream where they are already waiting for us with the fishing rods.

EAT? FISHING MOMENT

Well, here we have also been caught quite novices … hahaha. They teach us how to put the bait and we go to the laguito with the hope of being able to taste those delicious trout of which we have been told so much.

A very pleasant time in the shade of the poplars listening to the flow of water and watching the little fish swim.

Fortunately, one of the team is lucky and gets us the viands that we will grill while we set up the table and observe the turkeys, goats, rabbits, chickens and chicks that give so much joy in the enclosure.

Information about: the Barbecues and fishing

UPSTREAM BY CANOE

We liked this morning's route so much that we could not leave without walking the other side of the riverbed, we have been promised other incredible views of Gormaz Castle from the other side (the river makes just a meander that surrounds the castle).

This section requires a little more effort since as soon as you start there is a small fast that you have to take with a cart so that it does not take you back the current. Some passed more easily than others, but if you are persistent you get it (and if not it will always be down from the canoe since the water covers only up to your knees in that piece, pass and get back on).

When we finished surrounding the meander there was waiting for us the imposing caliphal fortress with the impressive double horseshoe arch and accompanied by the Romanesque hermitage of San Miguel. At this point we did not know whether to return or reach the end of the route to the Roman bridge.

Curiosity can and… Tachán!

It is starting to sunset and we are dying to see one of those incredible sunsets from the castle of Gormaz so we make a quick turn down the river without stopping.

HEADING TO AN UNFORGETTABLE SUNSET

For all the Sorianos are known the impressive sunsets from the great caliphal fortress of Gormaz. It's a magical moment, hard to describe. We climb the promenade and the battlements of the part of the fortress where the views over the plateau leave us stunned and make us feel the "Lords of the Douro". We love to watch the sunset from the north to watch as the sun reddens the long and jagged wall.

The last ray of sunshine arrives and for a few minutes the sky remains red. We resisted leaving but… A great "breeze" warns us that it is time to leave.

We hope you enjoyed taking ideas from our experience and then we leave you some more tips from the area so you can organize your trip better if you plan to stay in these parts.

Many thanks to Maria, Jaime Percy and Isabel for setting up this great paradise on the banks of the Douro River, surely we repeat

TIPS

Castillo de Gormaz: fortaleza más grande de Europa

San Esteban de Gormaz

Bosque mágico Fuente del Pino

Cañón del Río Lobos

Pantano de Vildé

See you in Soria!

Valdelagua del Cerro is a small town in Soria, 55 km approx. from the capital, located in the region of Moncayo.

History

It is a population of uncertain origin, linked to the development of sheep farming in the Castile of the Late Middle Ages and possible military point.

Valdelagua del Cerro boasts a strategic position on top of a beautiful hill. This position makes it extremely beautiful and privileged, since from the town the view is unparalleled and worthy of any visitor in search of beauty.

Like the rest of depopulated Spain, it lacks services, but stable neighbors such as occasional ones strive to maintain the best conditions of habitability and coexistence by promoting a tourism that values and enjoys nature, tranquility, the beauty of the simple and, at the same time, immense.

It currently has 12 inhabitants, although weekends tend to be more and in summer it can even reach more than 300.

One of the most characteristic aspects of the village is the construction of its houses, whose walls are built with the surrounding stones. This circumstance and the skill of the "pareteros" make their walls of perfect verticality, firmness and alignment. Too bad it is a constructive way destined to disappear.

Fauna and flora

The climate is conditioned by its altitude. Nothing more and nothing less, than 1,095 m. above sea level.

Regarding the flora, holm oak forests and some centenary oak groves worth seeing and photographing predominate.

As for the larger fauna, roe deer abound and deer and wild boar are also frequently observed. The minor fauna is more varied, we can appreciate weasels, moles, lizards, foxes, badgers …

The birds are very diverse, goldfinches, bee-eaters, white-necks, blackbirds, quails, as well as a multitude of raptors.

Sheep farming is linked to the origin of the population, whose numerous corralizas, now ruinous, leave evidence of the livestock wealth of the place, complemented by cereal farming and some legumes.

Today…

As in many other places in Castile, its population, to a large extent, emigrated in the mid-twentieth century, although, in recent years, it has become a place of rest and vacation, especially in summer.

Its patron saint festivities are celebrated in honor of Santa María Magdalena, during the third week of August, carrying out a large number of activities whose protagonist is its great festive spirit.

It should also be noted that, during the rest of the year, a considerable number of activities are carried out that make the town lively almost all year round. The Cross of Valdelagua del Cerro deserves special attention in this section.

What to see in Valdelagua?

As we have said, the landscape is unmatched, but in addition to that, touring the town we find the parish church of Santa María Magdalena, built in the shelter of an important economic and social development of old Castile at the beginning of the Renaissance. Inside, the main altarpiece stands out, presided over by a carving of the Magdalena, in Romanist style. The large canvases of St. Peter and St. Paul are also striking. One of the canvases on the bench depicts the adoration of the Magi and is painted imitating the canvases of Georges de la Tour. We can also admire four other altarpieces of the eighteenth century.

In the lower part of the village we find "The hermitage of Los Santos". Dating from the eighteenth century, also known as the hermitage of San Roque and San Sebastián. Simple in appearance, but with an interesting altarpiece in which the images of San Roque and San Sebastián stand out. They were made by a sculptor of great artistic gifts, leaving the Baroque style in its maximum splendor.

Currently the hermitage is topical, since it will be located a craft beer factory, made 100% with product of the municipality.

As for infrastructures designed for visitors, there is a motorhome parking. It has everything you need such as water, access to electricity for recharging, grey water emptying, electric refueling, playground and barbecue.

Once there, the visitor can enjoy different walks indicated, such as "to the Alto de la Bandera", "to the Alhama River", to "the Fountain of the House", usual walks among the locals, in which they can enjoy its views, flora and fauna.

And to end the day, we can recover strength and comfort ourselves in its tavern, meeting place and social relationship, where there will be a cordial welcome and we can take advantage to make a purchase of basic or local products, such as your honey.

Many thanks to Agueda Maiza for describing her town!

One of our best gastronomic experiences of recent years has just been experienced by tasting delicacies of gods at the Hotel Rural Los Villares. Don't know this establishment? For us it is a recent discovery, but we have to say that its increasingly widespread fame precedes it. No wonder his schedule is very tight…

For all those who did not know of its existence we tell you briefly that it is in the town of Los Villares de Soria just 20 km from the capital, which makes it even more attractive. It is a small and beautiful town located in an environment with a lot of charm and a varied tourist offer that we will tell you later so that you are encouraged to visit the area.

But let's move directly to what is arousing the most interest right now in the impatient mind of the reader.

THE FOOD.

This time we enjoyed the Truffle Tasting Menu consisting of:
– 7 starters
– 1 first (to choose)– 1 second (to choose)

– Assortment of varied desserts

And as a picture is worth a thousand words here are the starters, preceded by a
truffle butter with toast courtesy of the house.

– Cubata de Barceló-Cola with foie gras and Peta Zeta de lima.
– Cupcakes of pine nuts, chestnuts and truffle.
– Foie, truffle and almond
bonbon. – Roquefort croquettes, raisins, pine nuts and spinach and partridge, chestnut and mushroom croquettes.
– Potato canutillo with truffled cod brandade.
– Seaweed waffle with guacamole, smoked eel, citrus mayonnaise, tomato and salmon roe (off menu)
– Crispy nest of kataifi paste stuffed with cod brandade and seaweed.
– Pickled níscalos with cava (off the menu)
– Canelón of cochineal confit and mango with truffled béchamel, chestnut slices and truffle.

Among the various options of first courses we choose chestnut cream, strawberry and lentil gazpacho with nécoras and chocolate.

We were accompanied by second fried suckling pig, tuna with onions, cod with cocochas and pickled partridge and tongue.

Finally the sweet touch is the assortment of desserts composed of fried milk, cheesecake and yogurt based on fried bread and pistachio sprinkled with wine powder and homemade curd with mango syrup. In addition, they gave us a hearty portion of delicious traditional cheesecake and some original light and delicious zucchini custard.

However, we had to try tasty dishes such as cod cream, pochas, cheeks in sauce, chicken with cava … Since the menu offer varies weekly and will offer you new viands that you probably did not expect to find.

If you were wondering its price, it is € 38 without including winery. In this aspect there is a varied menu, we are left with a red wine from the province, of course. On the other hand, the date until which you can enjoy this very successful menu that Lourdes prepares with her heavenly hands is approximately March 15.

What we liked most about Hotel Rural Los Villares is that it is a lively and dynamic establishment that does not settle into the mediocrity of always offering diners the same menu of "sota, caballo y rey". As we say, their menus vary frequently adapting to seasonal products and giving special prominence to local ingredients. They are not left out of the Mycological Days, whose tapas contest they have already won and remain active within the different gastronomic events that take place in the province such as the Beejar Truffle Fair where they participated with their potato, cod, chestnut and truffle canutillos.

In addition, during the week they also offer daily menu and Thursdays are cooked day, which enjoys great reception among the clientele.

Why come to Los Villares de Soria?

Los Villares de Soria is the ideal place to establish your base camp and get to know everything that awaits you in the environment. This small town offers as soon as you arrive an image of spaciousness and tranquility. Located on a plain, its houses of 1 and 2 floors preserve the traditional aesthetics of the area and the places of recreation and recreation have special prominence.

From here you can go to Soria capital to get to know the city and its most famous places because it takes about 20 minutes to arrive. In addition, the surrounding villages that cross the road to go there as Renieblas and Almajano are equally picturesque with stone as the main protagonist of their streets so they also deserve to be traveled.

You can also discover other nearby towns such as:
Castilfrío de la Sierra (10 km)
Aldealseñor (6 km)
Garagueta Nature Reserve with its famous holly trees (18 km)
Route of the Ichnites (20 km)
Oncala (20 km)

*Acknowledgements: Thanks to Lourdes and Pablo for their invitation and dedication and to Noah for his treatment and attention, we promise to return.

Information of interest:

Website: www.losvillaresdesoria.com/

Phone: 975251255

Instagram: @losvillareshotelrural

Facebook: www.facebook.com/losvillares.hotelrural/

Twitter: www.twitter.com/ctrlosvillares

On this occasion we are going to present you a varied list of curious Sorianos forests to visit. There are many more pine forests, beech forests and wooded masses that surround us and deserve to be named. At the moment we start with these 9 :

Magical Forest of San Leonardo de Yagüe.

We will head towards the aforementioned town of San Leonardo de Yagüe, specifically to the Fuente del Pino. The peculiarity that occurs in our first recommendation is that this environment is inhabited by fantastic creatures. Every day it is more frequented by children and adults in search of fairies, gnomes, goblins … There is a detailed census so you can look for all the surprises that await you there.

Sabinar de Calatañazor.

It is a nature reserve located in the municipality of Calatañazor, in the place known as Dehesa del Carrillo. It is located a short distance from the Natural Monument of La Fuentona. Some junipers exceed 15 meters in height and 3m in diameter. We are facing the densest juniper in Europe. This is due to the characteristics of the soil and the use given to this natural space, being a pasture place for livestock. We have specimens that are more than 400 years old. Perhaps one of the forests of Soria most appreciated at the biological level for its uniqueness.

Hayedo del Hornillo

This great beech forest is located in the municipality of Covaleda. You can reach it by car, however we recommend you leave the vehicle before and enjoy nature which is what you are surely looking for. From Bocalprado you have about 4.5km until you reach a fork, one takes you up, to the Urbión and the other goes down to the Hornillo river where this wonder of place begins, another wonder of the Soriano forests.

Acebal de Garagüeta

The largest holly tree in Europe!
With more than 400 hectares to enjoy, the Acebal de Garagüeta is an authentic luxury to spend a good day surrounded by nature.

It is believed that the origin of the Garagüeta holly tree is natural, coming from the degradation of oak and beech forests, in which holly appeared as accompanying vegetation. Of these forests there are relatively extensive spots near the holly.

It has been declared a Nature Reserve. Holly is a protected species (Decree 341/1991, of 28 November on the protection of holly in the territory of the Community of Castilla y León). Therefore you can not cut or catch bouquets. Only controlled pruning is allowed with the permission and supervision of the Ministry of Environment of the Junta de Castilla y León.

Black Lagoon Forest.

To make the most of this site we suggest that on your ascent to the lagoon you leave the car in the Paso de la Serrá. There are 2 kilometers of pleasant walk through this glacial valley. You can walk up the road, but the charm lies in doing it along the path that runs parallel to it. It is about mixing with the vegetation, the branches, crossing the stream and playing to find pines with impossible shapes.

Pinar de Duruelo de la Sierra.

It is on our way to the place of Castroviejo where these pines attract our attention. Tall, slender, perfectly straight. The variation of colors in their trunks, brown below and golden from half upwards makes us stop to photograph them. So stay tuned before reaching the main rock formations in the area.

Holm oak grove in Valderromán.

This time we are going to the south of the province. Here we find another beautiful mass of holm oaks or holm oaks. The greatest attraction is in a copy of enormous dimensions. It is not the only large one, but this one in particular has a trunk diameter of more than 5 meters. With about 17 meters high and more than 800 years of life, it came to project more than 300 m² of shadow. Unfortunately, a snowfall broke one of its large branches last year. Even so, the trip is worth it.

Beech forest of El Royo.

To put a different touch of color to our article, we could not miss a beech forest. We go to the region of El Valle, to the municipality of El Royo. Although it is spectacular throughout the year, we decided to visit it in autumn. The ochre tones of its deciduous leaves put a golden culmination to our list of forests to visit.

Beech and pine forests of Moncayo

In the municipality of Ágreda find two of the two most wooded and leafy beech forests in Moncayo, with beech trees of great longevity and height. The two are worth knowing and Scooch. These beech forests are:

• Beech forest of Las Canalejas.
• Beech forest of La Hoyada.

The beech forest of La Hoyada had been impassable for a long time, but an old road has been reopened, which reached the Neveros del Moncayo. This old route has been recovered and was inaugurated on May 1, 2018 with the name: "La Senda de los Neveros de la Hoyada del Moncayo",

Thanks for reading and we hope you liked it deep into the forests of Soria! Don't forget to share and leave us a comment ☺

We are going to live a camping experience in Soria, we are going to Camping Rio Lobos. The best way to recommend an experience in Soria is to live it previously to help you make a better composition of the route according to realistic schedules and times to dedicate in each place.

We are lucky to know the area of a lifetime because of the proximity of our town to this site.

We set out to dedicate a whole weekend to a more nature and relaxation tourism.

Is there anything more relaxing and spectacular than the Rio Lobos Canyon?

Choosing our destination and fleeing the city, we opted for a campsite. Ideal to take the car as little as possible is the "Camping Cañón del Río Lobos" there we have available mountain bikes for rent that will facilitate our designed routes.

Arriving at Rio Lobos campsite

It's Friday, 5:00 p.m. when we take to the accommodation. Julio, director of the campsite, receives us to check in and advise us on the different possible excursions and that we should not miss using some brochures with many destinations.

We have opted for 4 of them of which 3 do not require a vehicle and we will do throughout the weekend.

While the rest of the friends arrive, Julio accompanies us to our stays. We will be 8, we have chosen a bungalow for 6 and a Nordic house for a couple who needs some more tranquility.

As a recommendation, if you are going to stay several days, the bungalow is more comfortable for 4 people since 2 of the places occupy the place in the living room with a convertible sofa (comfortable but that would have to be collected every day).

To make the wait more enjoyable we went to the campsite bar to have a drink and eat some torreznos that our new neighbors have recommended . The truth is that when we arrive our mouths water when we see this perfect tower of Sorian delight that is traveling half the world.

Recommended restaurants

The stragglers arrive at 9:00 p.m., it is late and we have no dinner. But don't worry! We have a great plan B. We are going to taste the grilled meats of the restaurant commonly known as "La Roca" in the neighboring town of Ucero, if you want to look for information the real name is "La Parrilla de San Bartolo". When you arrive at the place you will immediately know why we call it that.

We also recommend the other restaurant that we chose on other occasions and that is of the same style and prices not very different, is "El Balcón del Cañón".

Tomorrow a long day awaits us, some want to travel the Lobos River Canyon by bike to the bridge of the 7 eyes. Others prefer to enjoy the campsite and its facilities. The rest will take a walk to Ucero to visit the unknown Cueva de la Zorra and the imposing Templar Castle.

ROUTE 1. LOBOS RIVER CANYON IN MOUNTAINBIKE.

It's 10 o'clock in the morning when we get ready to leave. We wanted to go out earlier but you know that on vacation… The times are not met.

We take our GoPro and go to reception to rent our bikes. As the weather is a bit uncertain we bought in the little shop that there are some raincoats to avoid surprises halfway. By the way, there you can buy fresh bread at all hours as well as some basics that you may have forgotten such as: eggs, cookies, milk, pasta, fried tomato … It is not very big, but it can solve small emergencies and forgetfulness.

We leave you some brushstrokes of our route of 3.30h in this video. It is about 11km one way to the bridge and we return by the same way since the perception of the place is totally different in the opposite direction. Maybe we dare to say that we liked the lap better. We think it is convenient that you stop to see the Hermitage of San Bartolo and the Cueva Grande either on the way out or on the way back and take a short break to recover strength with a sandwich in the picnic areas that are in the rest area of the Bridge of the 7 Eyes.

Ah! We warn you that although the Lobos River is normally dry, water retentions form at some points that will make it inevitable that from time to time we have to cross it. It's not deep but… Surely you need to get off the bike and walk by. So that you do not get surprises, there is a point where you will even have to take her in your arms.

ROUTE 2. WALK TO THE TEMPLAR CASTLE OF UCERO

We are ready to make a circular route so this route does not require a vehicle either. We leave on foot from the campsite along the path that we have on the right.

How beautiful the road is with this autumnal atmosphere!

We are impatient to reach the Castle, the views from there must be breathtaking. We already suspected it since yesterday when we stopped at the viewpoint of La Galiana and we could contemplate this Templar construction so intelligently located.

Surprise! Our intuition does not fail.

We stayed walking around the surroundings for about an hour stunned by this place. Its walls, its tower, its access door, its surroundings, are eager to tell us their story. While some take pictures, others are reading aloud the curiosities described by the information panels.

On the way back we went down to the village and returned along the road to take advantage and visit La Casa Parque and nourish ourselves with a little more information about the flora and fauna of the environment.

ROUTE 3. CUEVA DE LA ZORRA AND CORNERS OF UCERO.

We have been wanting to visit this great unknown Roman aqueduct for some time. Despite being from the area we learned not long ago of its existence

 This canal was built to carry water from the source of the Ucero River located next to our campsite. The destination was the ancient city of Uxama , precursor of the current Osma, next to the Burgo de Osma. Its length was about 19 kilometers, most of them in the open. Today we only recognize this section in which you can see perfectly how it was built. Excavation began on both sides of the hill until the conduits were joined. The brand is perfectly appreciated. It only measures about 150 meters and has some visibility thanks to two vents in the form of a chimney. We warn you that it is not of great height and you have to be hunched over.

We head towards Ucero, after crossing the village towards El Burgo de Osma, we will take the first detour to the right towards Nafría de Ucero. We will only have to go down the first slope, follow the indications that we have on our right that tells us that the mouth of the " Cueva de la Zorra" (aqueduct) is 150m away.

On the way back we take advantage of the fact that the aqueduct takes us to the back of the town and we observe the ruined hermitage of Villavieja. We follow the path and go down to the promenade next to the river.

We see some beautiful geese sailing down the river. A neighbor advises us to cross the river so that we can see a corner of the town very rustic and decorated to detail.

When we return we meet part of the group in the Casa Parque and we return together to eat at the campsite where 2 couples have stayed playing tennis and pingpong. A pity that we are already in autumn and the pool is closed, but in summer look how wonderful.

ROUTE 4. CASTLE OF GORMAZ AND THE BURGO DE OSMA.

After eating and resting the boletus that Carla has brought us from her morning through the pine forests of San Leonardo, while we play some games of board games that we have brought, the group has agreed to go see the magical sunset in the Castle of Gormaz. Did you know that it is the largest caliphal fortress in Europe?

Many of us already knew it and knew how spectacular it is at sunset. The face of the new ones confirms the success of the plan.

After a good time of photos and the superimposed sign in the castle caught our attention, we decided that it is a great idea to have a drink in the bar there and support the maintenance of these small businesses.

Before dinner and since we are on the way we decided to make a stop at El Burgo de Osma. The whole old town is very well lit and creates a very pleasant atmosphere to walk around before stopping to drink…. of course…. a torreznito and a beer from Soria.

In the Arevaka Bar you can find all the artisan brands that they manufacture in the village and combine it with the great delight of the pig that we are so good at Sorians.

We can not delay in returning to the campsite. We want to take advantage of the visit of 3 friends to have dinner in the large picnic area there since it is a very good night.

LAST DAY. CAVES OF LA GALIANA

After lunch we have to head to our houses, but leave the canyon without visiting its two well-known caves … would have a crime.

We are talking about the caves of Galiana Alta and Galiana Baja, it is easy to assume the location of one and the other…

Galiana Baja

We will start with the best known and visited by all, the Galiana Baja. Located at the bottom of the mountain, it is next to the source of the Ucero River but on the opposite side of the road. It has no loss, from the road you can see some steps starting upwards to its entrance. In addition, there is a sign that indicates its proximity. So that the visitor does not take surprises, we warn that you can not see freely.

How to find it

We will find a gate that prevents us from passing. The reasons are very simple, the imprudence and foolishness of the human being. Decades ago this place was used by tourists as a waste dump, in addition to not respecting the formations making a serious plundering of its stalactites and stalagmites. Also, it was quite easy to get lost inside if you did not have knowledge of the place. So,if we want to enter it we must be proactive and contact the company Soriaventura https://soriaventura.com/ that will make us a visit according to our capabilities. That is, do not worry if you are not experts in caving, there are two types of circuits, one amateur for all audiences and another more demanding.

Galiana Alta

We come to the surface and head towards our second and lesser-known destination: the Galiana Alta. As its name suggests, it is at the top of the massif. We will park in the area of the viewpoint and carefully walk along the road towards Ucero. When you are going to start the descent of the curves of the Galiana, just before starting the fence guardrail, we will see a path to the right that descends to this spectacular cave, we talk about 50 meters of route. In this cavity the entrance is free, but caution is recommended. It is not advisable to go beyond where our eyes stop seeing natural light.

We hope that this blog will guide you to spend a pleasant weekend in the middle of nature.

Planning a vacation , or a getaway as was our case, is very easy when you have a place that is worth visiting. The Hotel Castilla Termal Burgo de Osma is without a doubt. Also, if you are located in a villa as spectacular and full of charms as El Burgo de Osma, even better. So, go ahead to say that … we will be back!

The arrival…

As you can make your check-in or entry from 3 pm, we decided to start our thermal adventure as soon as possible. We arrive at our desired destination and plateresque façade of the old University of Santa Catalina welcomes us.

Things look great. We went to the reception and the first impression is unbeatable. This historic Renaissance building built in the sixteenth century has a large courtyard that catches our attention.

It is impressive to know that university disciplines such as Law, History, Literature, etc. were taught here for centuries. Today the cloister offers a warm welcome with a large relaxation area composed of comfortable sofas with tables around the gallery and cafeteria on its left side. But we continue, then we will return to go through it in depth.

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Massages

We already have a beautiful room assigned and our bathrobes, slippers and hats await us to start enjoying the mineral-medicinal properties of the waters of the Santa Catalina Spring .

As there is still a colleague from our team to join the expedition, we take advantage of the wait by choosing some decontracting massages from their extensive massage menu to relax and disconnect from the routine.

Did you know that each Hotel Castilla Termal has a special massage of the house that characterizes it? Here it is called Shuka, with Tibetan bowls, aromas and essences, on our next visit we will taste it.We go to the relaxation room with a changing lighting ideal for it and wait for a few moments to be called. In just over half an hour our masseuses leave us as new. We have been in comfortable individual rooms, with comfortable stretchers, ideal temperature and relaxing music that complements the virtuosity of the hands of the professionals who have assigned us. We leave almost floating and with the batteries charged to go to the water, our partner has arrived, the thermal pool awaits us.

Thermal pool

Located under the courtyard of the building, it connects with it a double dome that allows daylight to reach its waters. This detail together with the dim lighting and music make us begin to enter a pleasant state of relaxation. We follow the established rules and for hygiene we shower before the dive. 

We love the temperature , it is between 32 and 34 degrees, and its maximum depth does not reach 1 meter and a half so it is very easy to travel between the different areas that compose it. We were fascinated by the multitude of sectors to choose from, we did not know that the different ways of propelling water and combining it with air can have so many and so beneficial effects! And it is that in this pool there is not a place of the body in which it has not been thought: ankles, calves, abdomen, neck …

We also find bubbles, jets, waterfalls … We can stand, sit, pleasantly lying…

If you are more curious it is time for you to click here so that you soak up and never better said all the details. We left the pool with a pleasant feeling of bodily weightlessness. eye! As a curiosity we tell you that it is not advisable to shower after leaving, we have to let the properties of the hot springs make their effect on our body.

Dinner

With the impression that time stops there, we prepare for dinner. It is already dusk when we return to the cloister and the different details of the lighting give it a magical and different look.

We go through the galleries, photograph, discover a flirtatious library that helps us to know the province better and finally we go to the Argaela Restaurant. Composed of different rooms, we see that here also the decoration is taken care of in detail.

Given the variety of dishes on the menu we let ourselves be advised by our friendly waiters.

It is important to know that special interest is placed on seasonal products, as well as those of the area and kilometer 0, very much in line with its environmentally friendly policy. Finally we opted to share a puff pastry, boletus and pickled foie gras plus seasonal vegetables with romesco sauce. As main courses we choose Bluefin Tuna Tartare, Beef Tenderloin with Truffle Parmentier and Grilled Octopus Pata. I think it goes without saying, with the pintaza that the dishes have, that they were incredible.

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To drink they recommend Converso, the exclusive red wine of the Castilla Thermal Hotels, of limited production and that is only possible to taste and buy in this chain. We are not great experts, but we find it very soft on the palate. If it piques your interest, expand your information about its attributes here .

We finished with three "sweet moments" composed of cheesecake, white chocolate and pink pepper, drunken strawberries with rooibos and signature ice cream with tiles and almond cigarettes. With this last dessert you will have to test your palate, it is not worth asking what ice cream is, you have to guess it …

El Burgo de Osma at night.

After such a magnificent feast we put the culmination of the day with a walk through the streets of the municipality. It is not necessary to travel by car, El Burgo is not very big and the situation of the hotel is central. Immediately we arrive at the Plaza Mayor, we walk along the Calle Mayor with its characteristic arcades and before arriving at the Cathedral of the Assumption, next to the Episcopal Palace, we discover Calle del Caracol at the suggestion of one of our waitresses.

It's a nice surprise, we had never noticed it. We end up admiring the cathedral with that special magic that the night gives it and we approach the Ucero River after passing the wall through the Puerta de San Miguel.

Buffet breakfast.

If there's one thing we like, besides eating well, it's meeting new people. Breakfast time is a great time.

While we chose among the immense variety of foods with which to load our tray, we talked to locals, Catalans and even heard French accents, although we did not dare to practice. As for tastes the colors, for breakfasts the flavors: sweet, salty, cold, hot, fruit, traditional food, detox juices and a wide etcetera that is better explained with the photos that we attach. You know that a picture is worth a thousand words and for this case it is totally true.

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Circuit of contrasts.

Before putting point to our stay, we reserve time to enjoy the Circuit of contrasts. We do not want to leave without knowing the jewel of the spa set in the chapel of San Baudelio.

For those who do not know it, it is a small Mozarabic hermitage located in the town of Casillas de Berlanga, with an almost unique style in the province and in Spain.

The tour lasts approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes and is led by a guide who explains the different sections, what to do and the properties of each of them.

We were delighted, not only by the sauna, the foot bath, the pools of different temperatures and the relaxing experience, but because our guide explained many curiosities about the real building, its history and many other details that only become known when you put passion in your work and this was the case.

Eco-friendly policy

Here ends for the moment our getaway in this spa, but we do not want to leave without raising the commitment to the environment that this hotel chain has. We had already informed ourselves before leaving, but we could see that the sustainability of the planet is one of their concerns. Among other measures, soap and shampoo dispensers have been introduced instead of maintaining plastic containers.

The amenities, or hotel welcome products such as toothbrushes or combs, have become bamboo and we do not observe during breakfast or in the water vending machines the glasses, straws and plastic spoons, all replaced by paper.

As for water, there is no waste since it is used from its own catchment almost 600 meters deep and grey water is also recycled. On the other hand, as we have already mentioned, priority is given to the products of the area with which^CO2 emissions are reduced and contributes to the development of the local economy. Surely there are many more performances and although we do not appreciate them we can find out in this link.

An end of height…

Before saying goodbye to the Episcopal Villa we decided to do some local tourism. As we already know the Cathedral of the Assumption, the Hospital of San Agustín and the Plaza Mayor, we opted to see the town from the heights going up to the Islamic Watchtower of Uxama.

Before reaching the top of Alto del Castro where it is located, we make a stop along the way to visit the small archaeological classroom of Uxama Argaela and later the remains of a Roman cistern (to which you can go down) and the small excavations of Roman houses that are on the hillside. Already up, incredible views. Also, you can access the top of the building as a Muslim lookout within the opening hours of the classroom.

At our feet are Osma, El Burgo, its castle and we can see in the distance two other watchtowers and the caliphal fortress of Gormaz, the largest in Europe. A height finish for 24 hours of luxury.

Gallery

Thanks:

• To Maite, deputy director of the complex, for her warm welcome and also farewell.
• To Paula, assistant director, for showing us the different facilities, updating us on the operation of the hotel, allowing us to take photos to show you and her kindness.
• To Armando and Rocío, our waiters at dinner, for their recommendations and sympathy allowing themselves to be photographed by us.
• To Marta, waitress at breakfast who made us not miss anything either.
• To Cristina, receptionist of the spa area for her smile and to Denu and Cristina, our masseuses.
• To Carlos, for guiding us and teaching us the circuit of contrasts with passion and dedication and for the photos taken.
• To all the staff of the Hotel Castilla Termal Burgo de Osma for their respectful, friendly and close treatment, taking care of even the smallest detail.

Today we travel the capital: Soria on wheels! Using a simile we could say that, accessiblely, Soria is like a ripe fruit, fantastic in the center, but as soon as you move away to the outskirts …

Soria on wheels starts in Mariano Granados

We will start from the heart of the city, from the Plaza de Mariano Granados. Almost newly remodeled, since the reform that made it pedestrian does not offer any obstacle. In it we have the Tourist Office, relatively new too, it has no steps and we even find a counter lowered in height for users of wheelchairs and similar devices.

Alameda de Cervantes

From here we head towards La Dehesa, officially called Alameda de Cervantes, located in the same place. It is the garden of all Sorianos par excellence, with its friendly squirrels that you can feed, its native fauna, hundreds of plant species from very different parts of the world, the Tree of Music, the Rose Garden, a large meadow, fountains … Most of the soil in the walking parts is asphalted and except for some small sinkholes or irregularities caused by the roots of the trees does not offer us great problems either. It is true that not all doors are accessible, but a few meters above or a few meters below we will find one that serves our purpose.

Add that within the park we find the hermitage of La Soledad with small steps that hinder a possible visit. If what we want is to have a drink or eat, we will find in the center El Kiosko and in the upper part the Alto de la Dehesa restaurant to which we can enter greatly.

Bécquer's Corner

We return to Soria on wheels if we leave the south we have the church of San Francisco de Asís, survivor of a monastery today in ruins, whose plant is a single nave and its main altar houses an interesting altarpiece of the sixteenth century from the church of San Nicolás; Free way to enter, all its entrance is covered by a wide wooden ramp. Behind this building we find the Rincón de Bécquer, there is not a step and the firm is ideal.

Spur

Towards the northern part of the park we have the Paseo del Espolón, like Mariano Granados, since it is only pedestrian offers us good pavement and few obstacles.

It is in this area of the center where the Numantine Museum is located. It has a ramp on each side of the door and an elevator to go up to the upper floors. The door opens to the part of the steps leaving very little space for the chair next to the steps, otherwise the interior of the building is prepared so that we can all enjoy what it houses inside.

The Collado

We leave the Espolón and enter the Collado, the main street and busiest for the locals. From its beginning it goes down to the Plaza Mayor and we can travel with total freedom.

Plaza Mayor

It does not happen like this when we arrive at this where the Town Hall and the Palace of the Audience await us; We have to say that here the floor leaves much to be desired with an uneven and rough paving that can tip over a chair.

In addition, there are steps that have tried to be saved with overlapping wooden ramps very little useful and with too much inclination. Since we are here, we take a walk around this beautiful area; we have to say that the City Hall building informs us that you can enter from one side (we have not checked) we have been seeing the great staircase of the main façade, it does not happen the same with the Palacio de la Audiencia and the church of the Mayor, both constructions perfectly accessible by their main doors.

Romanesque

But if what we want to see is Romanesque of the good we go, of that in Soria abounds and does not disappoint the eye, we can not miss visiting San Juan de Rabanera, Santo Domingo and the ruins of San Nicolás. We are going to do the check of Soria on wheels on these monuments.

CHURCH OF SAN JUAN DE RABANERA

The first of them we can access from the Collado by the Plaza de San Esteban with a good pavement, there is a little slope but bearable. The entrance offers us a very small step, a horse will be necessary to save it, it is not very serious but the slope is there. Anyway, it is worth going to contemplate its beautiful portico from the church of San Nicolás and take a walk around it to enjoy its architectural elements.

SANTO DOMINGO

We continue with our route and head in the opposite direction, we cross the Collado and the calvary begins to climb to Santo Domingo, reference par excellence of the Romanesque of the capital. Notice for sailors: we leave the pure center of Soria and the difficulties begin: badly paved, trap sewers, thick curbs, absence of recesses and a pronounced uphill challenge us, not to mention the unsupportive and shameful mania that has entered the Consistory to renew the firm of many places such as the Plaza del Vergel with infumable cobblestones that make us wonder if we are going forward with this accessibility or we are going like crabs…

Finally, with almost blood, a lot of sweat and tears, we arrived. This piece monument begins with a courtyard with two steps, but no problem, a ramp on one side saves us the ballot.

The grandiloquence of such a façade invites us to constantly look upwards but beware! The cobblestone brings us back to reality and more to reality they give us back that pair of steps that await us at the door.

RUINS OF SAN NICOLÁS

The last church of the three mentioned has easy access from the Collado by Calle Real (it is downhill), is in a state of ruin and is usually closed except when shows and other activities are carried out.

St. Peter's Co-Cathedral

Now we are heading towards the Douro and its charms not before passing through the Co-Cathedral of San Pedro. Already You know, we move even further away from the center with which the reductions in The sidewalks, among other things, are very expensive to see. At the door there are A small ramp but with uncomfortable shocks to what there is to Add that the wooden structure of the door forms a step. Don't worry, on the side of the building there is an entrance adapted, although the ground to get there is very bad with a paved with great songs. To be able to enter here you have to ask for it and you need to pay, but the beautiful Romanesque cloister that Welcoming us makes us pass the dislike. In the Interior of the construction there are ramps to save some Slopes.

Arches of San Juan de Duero

Finally it is time to get to the river and the environment that so inspired important characters such as Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer or Gerardo Diego and that long before attracted the attention of the Templar masters, the Order of the Hospitallers and even a famous hermit named Saturio. We start our tour of the Monastery and the original Arches of San Juan de Duero (place of payment). There is a ramp that takes us to the door and right where the ramp ends an incoherent step. With help we pass it and after another small ramp the spectacular cloister with its mixture of styles greets us; We can walk it through a soil of grass and fairly compact earth; Where we will not be able to penetrate is the Church.

Paseo de San Polo

We follow Soria on wheels, after this discovery we want to know the famous hermitage of San Saturio, patron saint of the capital. We cross the N-234 road and reach San Polo, a private estate today and which was a monastery of the Order of the Temple that kept the access to the city. We are struck by the walk of vegetation and the small passageway (open in the sixteenth century) that we will have to cross to continue our way. Until you reach the temple of the holy hermit there is a generous journey along the banks of the Douro, first of tiles and then of asphalt, but that gives us a relaxing walk with some ups and downs than another.

Saint Saturius

We follow our Soria on wheels, we reach our destination as our visit also begins since only to reach the bars of the entrance to the place you have to save a stretch of approximately a dozen steps and already inside and in the chapel the steps follow each other everywhere. It is inaccessible from any point and is that, back in the sixth century, San Saturio chose a cave to settle nestled in a place of unparalleled beauty, but steep rocks.

With the sadness that we still can not visit the place, but with the hope that a quick solution will be put to it, we return to travel back that pleasant journey and stop at the Soto Playa bar perfectly prepared for modern life.

Mirador de los Cuatro Vientos

Our trip through this city that saw Alfonso VIII born comes to an end and we do it from a place with spectacular views, the Mirador de Cuatro Vientos and the hermitage of El Mirón. The latter has a step, although it is usually closed to the public.

The environment is perfectly adapted and from the aforementioned viewpoint we will obtain a beautiful panoramic view of Soria from the heights.

From there you will get to see the Douro River, San Saturio, the remains of the wall and all the nature that surrounds this city that, not without difficulties, but is worth visiting and is that as the song says… "Soria how beautiful you are!" Here we finish our Soria on wheels.

Thanks to our friends from the Soriano newspaper El Día de Soria for the photos of our colleague.

A magical place in San Leonardo, the ideal tourism for children and not so little ones. Did you know that there is an enchanted forest inhabited by fantastic beings? This time we are going to propose a magical and fairytale destination that will delight the little ones and also the oldest… the Magic Forest Fuente del Pino.

We will head towards the town of San Leonardo de Yagüe, specifically to the Fuente del Pino. We will take the N-234 road towards Soria and at the exit of the town, after having passed the Pilar Restaurant, we will take the detour to the right. From there it is perfectly signposted until you reach the parking lot of the Forest.

We park the car and that's it! You just have to follow the route. It's not so much the distance as how entertaining it is. The visit can last around 1h 30min.

There are so many details to see….!

They are usually in the trees taking advantage of curious formations or holes, but do not get confused you should look both at the heights and towards the ground, because they also take advantage of the branches of the pines, stones and moss to make swings, suspension bridges, dens …

You can also see that some of these residents are working, sleeping or have gone out to look for mushrooms, among many other chores. We ask you please not to disturb them, just find them, admire them and enjoy them, but respect their constructions and their daily routine, so that the rest of the people who come after you can also spend another pleasant time in this fantasy world.

It is quite likely that you will not find absolutely all the mysteries of this town since there are more and more. Legend has it that it all began with a few houses that a neighbor of the town built and that now more and more people participate in the secret of its growth, reaching more than thirty beings registered. Do you dare to discover them?

This place of the Fuente del Pino has, in addition to the fountain, grills and tables to eat, which makes it an ideal place to have a snack after the adventure.

We attach a brochure provided by the tourist office of the town

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Very good morning lovers of Soria, today we write to communicate an excellent plan for this weekend, and very close to Numancia.

DIORAMA DE PLAYMOBIL

On Friday, April 5, Garray premieres a new Playmovil diorama based on the Gallic Wars. Surely it is an excellent reconstruction because some time ago we had another one with the theme of Numantia. We attach some photos of the previous exhibition (the new one is still a mystery)

Very elaborate right? Surely they surprise us with the new diorama.

LIVING NUMANTIA

The celebration of a new day of historical reconstruction of next April 7 at the site is postponed by the storm, but do not worry, soon they will give us the new date and you will have occasion to see how the A. C. C. Tierraquemada will bring life back to the streets, houses and corners of Numancia.
July 21 and September 22 are scheduled to also come alive again from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

The last years it is having a great influx so we advise you to book your ticket in advance. We leave you the contact so you can get your tickets.

Phone:650709671 reservas@numantinos.com

Even if you do not have the opportunity to see it represented you can relive it in your mind with the excellent explanations of the guides, so visiting Numantia is still a great plan.

We hope you enjoy your stay in our lands and that you include in your holidays both the visit to the Archaeological Classroom of Garray and a walk through history at the Numancia site.

Greetings from the Soria team is fashionable.