Why is Puebla de Sanabria one of the most beautiful towns in Spain?
Updated on the day: 07/19/2021. Cehegin won the title of Rural Wonder of 2019, but today no one doubts that Puebla de Sanabria, In addition to having been the first wonder of the real world, it is undoubtedly one of the most magical towns of our geography.
Considered one of the most beautiful towns in Spain, Puebla de Sanabria is a town nestled in an exceptional natural environment with a lot of stories to tell.
movie streets
ROUTE THROUGH ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL VILLAGES IN SPAIN
How could it be otherwise, to unravel the origin of Puebla de Sanabria we have to go back to the time of the Celts, who populated these lands a few centuries before the arrival of Christ. In fact, Sanabria comes from the word 'Senabriga', with possible origin in the Indo-European, which means 'castro en el monte', and we can find traces of this civilization throughout the region.
But it would be in the Middle Ages when Puebla de Sanabria began to interest due to its strategic location next to the border of Portugal. So much so that everything that can be seen in the beauty of its streets is due to the fact that in the 12th century Puebla de Sanabria became a fortified town and an example of a defensive fortress.
Such was its importance that it rose at the end of that century the church of Santa Maria del Azogue, of Romanesque art, located in the Plaza Mayor and one of the must-sees.
The Castle of the Counts of Benavente It is another of the fundamental elements of the route map in your getaway to Puebla de Sanabria and one more example of the power that the town had in the Middle Ages. Surely along with those movie cobblestone streets, the castle is one of the most photographed locations of this wonder of rural tourism and is the headquarters of the Tourist Office, so we recommend that you make your first stop here.
Church of Santa Maria del Azogue
The castle, dating from the fifteenth century, was badly damaged during the War of Independence and It has even been used as a prison. currently houses the municipal library, the House of Culture and a fortification interpretation center.
It is a real pleasure to walk at this time of year through those streets that smell like a fireplace, old wood, a town definitely.
Discover the Town Hall Square is to open onto a square surrounded by houses emblazoned with wood and slate that remind us that once there lived families with great power. And in the center another of the necessary photos: the Elizabethan façade of the Town Hall that closes this visit for a town declared Historical Artistic Complex and that deserves a prominent place among the most beautiful places in our country.
THE LAKE AND THE SIERRA DE LA CULEBRA
Puebla de Sanabria is located in a privileged natural enclave, having as exceptional neighbors Sanabria Lake and the Culebra mountain range. The Puebla de Sanabria Tourist Office itself can organize a perfect route for nature lovers.
The Sierra de la Culebra has a gigantic value because it is the home of one of the largest populations of wolves in Europe. In fact, the neighboring town of Oak Grove is open to the public the ** Iberian Wolf Center ,** a space to learn a little more closely about one of the protagonists of the Iberian fauna who, on the other hand, lives in one of the Center's precincts.
In addition, the mountains are home to deer and roe deer , which makes it a very frequented destination in the times of bellowing and that delights those who enjoy a day of hiking along its routes.
The other adventure that is essential to live in this getaway is to enjoy a day in the impressive Sanabria lake. We met with the largest lake of glacial origin in all of Europe, which has several sandy beaches to which hundreds of tourists come when the weather is pleasant.
When the air cools, bathers give way to lovers of water sports, diving and canoeing, keeping tourism very much alive in one of the most instagrammable lakes in all of Spain.
GASTRONOMY BASED ON THE PRODUCT OF THE LAND
Sanabrian cuisine is anything but frugal. And it is that before sitting at the table with a sanabrés you have to know what awaits a meal that will go on for hours, almost as many as it will take to digest.
At Sanabria's table you always have to look to open your mouth a good sanabrés broth with cabbage or the famous broad beans (or beans) from Sanabria, one of the star dishes of the region. Like the beans, they are cooked with chorizo and black pudding and they are also usually added pig trotters, what makes you a spoon dish full of flavor and forcefulness.
Sanabria Lake
Undoubtedly, in the ** Posada de la Puebla de Sanabria ,** in the same Plaza Mayor, is where they serve the habones that have most impacted us.
Sanabria also has a veal of autochthonous origin, the alistana-sanabresa veal, hence, the ribeye cannot be missing from any self-respecting menu. The smell of charcoal grill will lead you to bale house _(Calle Cárcel, 24) _, a veritable temple of Sanabria veal where one can also enjoy other great Sanabrian cuisine dishes such as grilled octopus or trout.
Staying in Puebla de Sanabria has a clear option, ** the Parador .** Although it is not a place with much frills and it can seem cold, It has a restaurant where you eat very well, It is not expensive and it is very comfortable to spend the night. Perfect for those who do not want to take risks, in addition to the fact that the walk to the center of the city is to non-stop taking photos everywhere.
DID YOU KNOW...
In the church of Santa Maria del Azogue certain glass slabs can be seen through which some funerary tombstones can be seen. It was discovered in 1995 that under the church there are a few bodies buried.
Puebla de Sanabria was known for its inns and inns for the so-called 'travellers'. And it is that its location between Castilla, Galicia and Portugal made it a safe stop on the trip.
There is a legend around the lake of Sanabria. It is said that under the lake there is a town, Valverde de Lucerna, that was engulfed by the waters. On the night of San Juan it seems that there are those who claim to hear the bells of the old church in the lake. Miguel de Unamuno even wrote two poems with the lake and Valverde in the background.
And when night falls... the show doesn't stop!