Grand Route of Cities & Towns of the Ancient Kingdoms

Arrival at the rural accommodation that we choose for you to enjoy a GENUINE TRAVEL EXPERIENCE ON THE GREAT ROUTE OF MAGICAL CITIES AND VILLAS OF THE ANCIENT KINGDOMS. It is a fascinating tour of some of the most beautiful and emblematic towns in Spain. Divided into two parts, this route takes us through a journey through time to discover the history and culture of each of the villages that make it up. In the first part of the route, we will visit villages such as Mombeltrán, Piedralaves, La Adrada, El Tiemblo and Madrigal de las Altas Torres. We start our route in Mombeltrán. It has an impressive castle from the fifteenth century, in Renaissance style. Nestled in the foothills of the Sierra de Gredos mountain, it is an ideal setting for the practice of sports in nature. You will arrive at the end of the afternoon at the accommodation we chose with time to rest a little before going out for dinner, in a Typical Restaurant. Return to the accommodation.

Have an early breakfast and go out to discover Mombeltrán. We begin with a visit to the parish church of San Juan Bautista. Built between the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, it is in the Gothic style and was declared an Asset of Cultural Interest in 1982. It has a main altarpiece in the Churrigueresque style from the eighteenth century dedicated to the titular saint, with paintings by Salvatore Galvani from 1798. Inside, the chapel of San Andrés stands out, in which there are two altarpieces, one dedicated to the titular and the other to the Virgin of Peace. Another chapel on the opposite side houses the patron saint of the town, Nuestra Señora de la Puebla, and guards the images of San Roque and San José. We will continue with our tour and visit the Castle of the Dukes of Alburquerque. The castle of Mombeltrán was erected by Beltrán de la Cueva, Duke of Alburquerque in the fifteenth century, and its layout has been attributed to the famous architect Juan Guas. Although its exterior is in good condition, the interior is deteriorated. The building has remained in the Casa de Alburquerque to this day, and in 1949 it was declared an Asset of Cultural Interest. We will end our tour in the Old Town of Mombeltrán. In addition to the outstanding monuments of the municipality, it is worth strolling through the old town, to observe the whimsical and irregular urban fabric, take a route through the different fountains with stone pylons, contemplate the remains of popular architecture, visit the Plaza del Ayuntamiento and the Plaza de la Corredera and tour the emblazoned houses that are in the town. Then we will invite you to eat a typical dish of the region, in a typical restaurant. After lunch we say goodbye to Mombeltrán and continue to the next Magical Town of our Route, Piedralaves. The parish church, the Cruz de los Enamorados, the Hermitage of La Concepción, the Hermitage of San Roque and the natural landscape it offers are some of the most outstanding and important points. You will arrive at the end of the afternoon at the accommodation we chose with time to rest a little before going out for dinner, in a Typical Restaurant. Return to the accommodation.

Have an early breakfast and go out to discover Piedralaves. We start by visiting the Parish Church of San Antonio. Some details of the construction, such as the ashlar rigging or the unworked ashlars visible on the rear sides, make us deduce that we are dealing with a building from the late eighteenth century. The church is made up of a single nave with Mudejar style coffered ceilings. We will appreciate the Lovers' Cross. This old transept, located near the Church of San Antonio de Padua, receives this unique name because of the custom that couples had to meet there at the end of mass. We will end our tour with a Hiking Route of Piotea Piedralaves. Route of about 6 kilometres, low difficulty and 158 m in altitude. Then we will invite you to eat a typical dish of the region, in a typical restaurant. After lunch we say goodbye to Piedralaves and continue to the next Magical Town on our Route, La Adrada. The Church of El Salvador, from the sixteenth century, and the castle of La Adrada, built between the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, stand out. The most demanding palates will be able to enjoy a rich traditional gastronomy. You will arrive at the end of the afternoon at the accommodation we chose with time to rest a little before going out for dinner, in a Typical Restaurant. Return to the accommodation.

Have an early breakfast and go out to discover La Adrada. We start by visiting La Adrada and the Castle. The Castle is the most important heritage sample of medieval architecture in the province of Ávila. Recently included in the National Network of Historical Heritage Spain Heritage Network, it is an impressive thirteenth-century fortress located on the Cerro del Torrejón that, after intense four years of renovations, was inaugurated in 2004. Next, we will visit the Tiétar Valley Historical Interpretation Centre. It will show us a journey through the different inhabitants of the Tiétar Valley, from the Vettones, through the Romans and the Visigoths to the splendor of the lordships of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries and in this way move us to the present day contemplating different photographic samples of the Modern and Contemporary Age of the different peoples that make up this magical land, such as the Tiétar Valley. We will end our tour with a fantastic Hiking Route along its infinite paths surrounded by nature and natural ponds such as the Charca de la Hoya or the Presa de la Pinara where you can cool off in the summer months and enjoy a day with the family in a unique enclave. Then we will invite you to eat a typical dish of the region, in a typical restaurant. After lunch we say goodbye to La Adrada and continue to the next Magical Town on our route, El Tiemblo. With a privileged natural environment, and excellent tourist infrastructures, it is a magnificent rural destination. Not to be missed are the Church of Our Lady of the Assumption and the monastery of San Jerónimo de Guisando. You will arrive at the end of the afternoon at the accommodation we chose with time to rest a little before going out for dinner, in a Typical Restaurant. Return to the accommodation.

Have an early breakfast and go out to discover El Tiemblo. We start by visiting the Church of Our Lady of the Assumption. It was built in the sixteenth century with a tower from the fifteenth century. Inside, the main altarpiece, a Virgin and Child from the fifteenth century, an Ecce Homo from the early sixteenth century and a Crucified from the same century stand out. Built in the sixteenth century, it is in the Elizabethan Gothic style. The central nave and the two side naves were completed years later, although they were not built at the height they had projected. The tower is from the 15th century and may be the remains of an earlier temple. Next, we will visit the Guisando Bulls. The four Bulls are one of the best artistic manifestations of pre-Roman Spain; they are located in the municipality of El Tiemblo and date from the second and first centuries B.C. They are artistic manifestations of an eminently cattle-raising people - the Vetones - whose meaning and purpose are yet to be determined. These are four sculptures made of granite that represent bulls. Then we will do a small Hiking Route through the Castañar de El Tiemblo. A few kilometers from El Tiemblo, in the Valle de Iruelas Natural Reserve, is this magical forest. A place of exceptional interest, located on the slopes that frame the valley. Thousands of chestnut trees, dozens of them centenarians. Among the youngest specimens, there are some exceptional specimens that deserve to have their own names and that exceed eight meters in diameter. Then we will invite you to eat a typical dish of the region, in a typical restaurant. After lunch we say goodbye to El tiemblo and continue to the last Magical Town of our Route, Madrigal de las Altas Torres. Known for being the birthplace of Isabella the Catholic, we can visit her birthplace and the Church of San Nicolás de Bari. The defensive fortification surrounds the entire urban center of the town. You will arrive at the end of the afternoon at the accommodation we chose with time to rest a little before going out for dinner, in a Typical Restaurant. Return to the accommodation.

Have an early breakfast and set off to discover Madrigal de las Altas Torres. We will start by visiting the Palace of D. Juan II and the Convent of Our Lady of Grace. It was a royal residence, at least since the time of King Pedro I of Castile, called "the Cruel" by his enemies and "the Justiciero" by his vassals. The palace, in its early days, would seem to be a noble house with a rural and sober appearance, despite which it was chosen by John II of Castile and his first wife, María de Aragón, as a residence. The palace was then fitted out to house the Court, which was established there from 1424 to 1497, the year in which Isabella the Catholic moved it. Next, we will visit the Church of San Nicolás de Bari. In the centre of the town is the church of San Nicolás de Bari, a fantastic representation of Romanesque-Mudejar art, it was built in the thirteenth century, a time of absolute Romanesque validity, and renovated in the fifteenth century, when Mudejar still maintained its predominance. Declared a national monument on July 3, 1931, the proud figure of its enormous bell tower, 65 meters high, stands out on the outside. We will walk along the walls of Madrigal de las Altas Torres. The walled enclosure of Madrigal de las Altas Torres is a defensive fortification that surrounds the entire urban centre of the town. It is an exceptional example of medieval military architecture and an important testimony of the Mudejar construction system. It has four doors facing the four cardinal points that are named after the towns to which it led. We will end our tour at the Bodega de los Frailes. This is a monumental winery, due to its traces and architectural elements. Historical both for the chronology of its construction and for the millimetric dating collected in the factory books preserved by the Augustinian Province of Castile. Before the farewell we will invite you to eat a typical dish of the region, in a typical restaurant.