Route through the six most beautiful villages of the Sierra de Francia

Flora, fauna, mountains, rivers, forests... They are the letter of introduction of

, which makes this area located to the south of the province of Salamanca, bordering with that of Cáceres, a privileged natural and landscape environment.

Hikers and other lovers of adventure and sports tourism come here to enjoy their hobbies in the open air.

However, one of the greatest attractions of the region is its charming towns, with their heritage, their well-rooted traditions, their culture and their gastronomy.

The Commonwealth of the Sierra de Francia is made up of 15 towns that give it a unique personality.

Of those 15 municipalities,

Traditional architecture, perfectly preserved centuries-old walls, old fortresses, houses with coats of arms, churches with Mudejar coffered ceilings... these are just some of the treasures that visitors will discover on this

visiting the most beautiful villages of the Sierra de Francia.

The swimming pool

This town of a thousand inhabitants is, without a doubt,

, thanks to its incredible urban fabric that perfectly preserves the typical architecture of the Sierra de Francia.

Going through its intricate, labyrinthine and cobbled alleys is a trip to the past and is a must to discover its secret corners and better appreciate its typical buildings built from stones and geometric wooden frameworks.

In it, the chiselled lintels with dates of foundation of the houses, inscriptions, signs and religious anagrams stand out.

The

is the nerve center of La Alberca, and one of its most photographed places, due to the beauty of the arcades and rows of granite columns and the various houses that surround it whose facades draw attention to the two series of balconies full of flowers.

The building where the

was located and the one that houses the Town Hall stand out.

The square is dominated by a fountain and a

.

Nearby is the

, from the 18th century, in which a granite pulpit from the 16th century stands out.

Mogarraz

About seven kilometers to the east is Mogarraz, also included in the association of The most beautiful villages in Spain.

This charming medieval town of about 200 inhabitants dating from the 11th century perfectly preserves its civil and military architecture of wooden beams and stone.

Along with the lintels carved on the doors of the houses, which

folkloric, cultural and religious traditions,

Mogarraz.

In addition to the Plaza Mayor and a walk through the framework of the urban area, it is worth making a stop at the

to discover the traditions of the town, which are still deeply rooted, such as embroidery.

In the museum they expose in a didactic way the process and result of trades such as traditional jewelry, shoemaking and the world of traditional and mountain embroidery, its techniques and motifs of popular costumes, which seeks recognition by UNESCO as Heritage Immaterial of Humanity.

Miranda del Castanar

10 minutes away, and surrounded by forests, is this beautiful walled medieval town, located on top of a hill that crowns

, rebuilt at the beginning of the 14th century on top of an earlier one from the 12th century.

It is one of the best preserved fortresses in Salamanca.

The walled enclosure, of just over 600 meters, in which about 400 inhabitants live, still retains its four gates: Puerta del Postigo, San Ginés, Nuestra Señora de la Cuesta and Puerta de la Villa.

The square (16th century), refurbished to become a bullring (the second oldest in Spain), the

, the

, a public house or royal site, where grain was bought, sold and stored from the end of the 16th century, currently the seat of the Town Hall, the

, built between the 13th and 14th centuries, in a Gothic style, and the 17th century

, are some of the most emblematic places in the town.

starts from the town ,

a circular route on foot of around 11 km that passes through the next town, Villanueva del Conde, located about 4 km away.

Villanueva del Conde

Villanueva del Conde.@javierprietogallego

The great attraction of this small village of less than 200 inhabitants is that its traditional buildings, perfectly preserved with a masonry façade and irregularly arranged wooden beams, are arranged in the form of a perfectly closed walled nucleus.

The closed interior space is called

and corresponds to the backyards of the houses, which can only be accessed from the houses themselves or through three entrances built under them, called

by stone walls one meter high.

Among its places of interest are

(from the mid-17th century), the

(17th century) in what is now the Town Square, and

fountains and pillars built in the mid-20th century distributed all over town.

dryers

Sequeros.

At the foot of Cerro del Mariscal, at an altitude of about 950 m and surrounded by lush forests, lies this small town whose privileged location has earned it the name

Strolling through the narrow and winding streets of the town is a must to discover charming corners, squares, unique houses, stone-carved lintels, balconies, passageways... that will lead to its most emblematic enclaves, such as the arcaded square of Altozano, the tower of the council, the

and the

San Martin del Castanar

It is the last town on this route, which is located on a watchtower overlooking the course of the river Francia.

In addition to its popular architecture of half-timbered wood, masonry and coffered ceilings and balconies present in most of its buildings, the town also stands out for its

of which the keep and the pointed arch of the entrance are preserved. and the wall.

San Martin del Castanar.

At the foot is the

, of which there are references from the mid-17th century, and very close by, the imposing

built between the 13th and 18th centuries, with a tower with three bells, which it presides over the coquettish Plaza de la Iglesia, framed by the portico of the church, the fountain, the arcades of the surrounding houses and what was the chapel of the old Brotherhood of the Passion.

Where to eat

Another of the claims of the Commonwealth is its gastronomy.

The meat is the star of traditional dishes, such as

or

Iberian pork ham, chorizo, salchichón, loin, head of loin, cured in the mountain air, which are also part of the

.

Mesón de San Martín

(Pl. Mayor, 4-5, San Martín del Castañar, tel.: 651 85 64 18),

(Tr.ª Tablado, 8, La Alberca; tel.: 923 41 53 10) or

(Juan Antonio Melón, 1, Mogarraz; tel.: 692 68 76 62) are some recommended restaurants in the area to taste traditional dishes.

Where to sleep

Hotel Antiguas Eras La Alberca

(Antiguas, Eras, 27, La Alberca; tel.: 923 415 113).

Charming hotel in a picturesque building with a stone exterior and half-timbering, a five-minute walk from the Plaza Mayor de La Alberca.

With a lush interior garden, it also has a cozy fireplace, cafeteria and dining room.

Price: from 74 euros.

Reservations here.

Hostel of the Sanctuary of the Virgen de la Peña de Francia

(Hospedería Nuestra Señora de la Peña de Francia, El Cabaco, Salamanca; tel.: 923 16 40 00).

6 km from La Alberca, this hotel, in the middle of a beautiful natural environment, has all the comforts, as well as a restaurant.

Reservations here.

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