The Plaza Mayor of Riaza
we ran away to Riaza , one of the segovian towns preferred for lovers of ** interior getaways **. Adventure sports, ghost towns and a good table possibly make up your best letter of introduction.
We could say that Riaza is a town that appeared almost by chance . Although its origins point to the end of the 11th century, nomadic settlements already existed in the area. Its files indicate that thanks to the repopulation ordered by Alfonso VII "The Emperor" the new conquered lands were consolidated as an integrated part of the Crown, including the part occupied by Riaza.
The settlement would remain in the hands of the Bishop of Segovia until 1235, when the name Riaza would be coined for the first time. The town of Riaza It would pass from hand to hand, from Juan II to the Marquises of Villena, the Duke of Maqueda or the Marquises of Altamira; until in 1812, the Courts of Cadiz put an end to the privileges of the lordships and Riaza became part of the machinery of the State.
Silent, calm, expectant streets... is what awaits you in Riaza
The center of Riaza starts from its characteristic square, a sand ring of about 3,500 square meters sheltered by balconies on two levels and wooden walkways that suggest that in its day it could house a huge market place. Possibly, various festivities, bullfights and cattle fairs were held.
Currently, the entire gastronomic offer An important part of the town revolves around this space, dotted with terraces where locals and tourists enjoy an aperitif under the sunlight. It still retains a cobblestone in the pavement that indicates the existence of a medieval personality that he has never finished leaving, nor does he intend to.
In fact, to wander through the streets of Riaza is to get lost among houses with emblazoned facades, for which it seems that time has not passed in centuries. silent . attentive. Expectant.
On the balconies of Riaza
The natural environment of Riaza allows excursions on foot or by bicycle to places highly appreciated by Ryazans . One of them is definitely springs , an elevation of 1,400 meters of altitude where the Hermitage of Our Lady of Hontanare yes, dating from 1606.
The esplanade, engulfed by vegetation, offers a peaceful picnic area with barbecues prepared for quite crowded excursions. It even has a hostel. From there, he has a few hiking trails.
LA PINILLA, AN OASIS OF ADVENTURE SPORTS
One of the biggest attractions that Riaza has is that it is possibly one of the favorite destinations for snow lovers , due to its proximity to the La Pinilla ski resort.
The ski resort celebrates this year its 50th anniversary and, probably, it is in one of its best moments. belongs to the end of cherry tree from above , although without a doubt Riaza is the best option for a ** weekend getaway .**
The road that goes up to La Pinilla is a winding road where it is impossible to stop photograph the landscape . We could take out entire collections of Windows screen savers in the face of such a gift of nature, crossing a shy river Riaza and leaving behind an impressive dam where the concrete has been replaced by the mountain itself.
La Pinilla is a small station but very alpine, with vertiginous slopes with a lot of unevenness and little travel. There we meet Benjamin Cherry , who was mayor of Riaza: “People don't get bored because they are going up and down all the time. They are very complicated slopes so whoever learns to ski here can ski anywhere” he assures.
A decade ago runways are used out of season . When there is hardly any snow left, the space is prepared for downhill mountain bike activities, creating circuits that have attracted hundreds of lovers of two-wheeled sports.
The activities are activated just now that May is going to start, on weekends. The Pinilla becomes a fast-paced Bike Park that only has competition in Andorra and Sierra Nevada, also managed from your own website .
The station also has a hotel for those who want to spend the night because, despite the fact that it is a return destination, the temptation to spend the rest of the day in Riaza is difficult to ignore. Riaza is a town that in high season goes from 2,000 inhabitants to nearly 12,000 . Nature allows you to do all these sports activities in the open air, including hiking throughout the year, a triathlon in June, horse riding, paragliding and much more.
THE COLOR ROUTE: ISOLATION TOURISM
It is incredible the number of people who search throughout the year for destinations, tourist or not, where disconnect completely ; where the coverage of your mobile operator does not arrive, traffic noise or where there is simply no one.
Rooftops of Ayllón
There are eight stops that can be made on the Sierra de Ayllón, starting from Riaza through what they call the “ Color Route ”, a network of almost ghost towns that dye the landscape red, black and yellow, and that grant the tourist his greatest wish: the peace of isolation.
Red Towns
The first towns that we can find on the route are red. The color of these houses comes from the clay and the reddish substrates that the land with which they have been built has.
One of the towns is Burrow, 16 km from Riaza, a picturesque town that has even dyed the pavement of its streets red and that attracted the attention of characters such as John Echanove who, in his day, bought a house. his restaurant, The Slate _(Orchards, 3. Burrow) _ has some ** croquettes out of series.**
Yellow Towns
The houses that are erected in this part of the route acquire a clearly yellow color due to the quartzites that are used in its construction. Its silence has been used by some builder to do wonders such as those that can be seen in Martin Munoz de Ayllon , a district of Riaza that hardly reaches 20 inhabitants in winter.
Art and Landscape Gallery in Martín Muñoz de Ayllón
An architect has even opened his own art and landscape gallery in the middle of nowhere. The slate quarries that the town had were used in their day for the construction of the Palace of La Granja or the floor of the Cathedral of Segovia.
Black Towns
The employment of black slate It is what has allowed the houses in this area of the Sierra de Ayllón to look that black and somber color.
Without a doubt, we find ourselves in the most uninhabited part of the area, highly persecuted by tourists seeking total isolation in a town lost by the hand of God.
The eagerness to rebuild houses and transform others into impressive rural lodgings has made black towns like the very , which has less than 10 inhabitants , become perfect destinations for those seeking to disconnect from absolutely everything. The gloomy aspect that its streets present at night would be a perfect setting for a zombie-race How come no one has thought of it yet?
EAT AND DRINK IN RIAZA
Riaza, Segovian land, is a territory of lamb, although you may well surprise yourself in its restaurants with the products of the land. We visit its temples of suckling lamb
La Taurina _(Pza. Mayor, 6) _: family of butcher origin, they have been making a suckling lamb for 62 years with top quality raw material in a traditional wood oven. His key to success is a great product, accompanied by large doses of care and sense of humor. One of the great gastronomic bets of the town.
** Matimore _(Plaza Mayor, 17) _:** its marked bullfighting style shows a facet very typical of the Riazanos, with a great bullfighting tradition. Lamb and suckling kid, without missing the suckling pig among its roasts. Although worth mentioning are their scrambled eggs with black pudding with pepper jam and their beans from the Farm. It is essential to order a French toast for dessert.
Suckling lamb from La Taurina
The Museum _(Isidro Rodríguez, 16) _ . Is he Coffee bar meeting point Preferred by the youngest, ideal for those who extend their stay for the entire weekend and want to have a few drinks as well.
Its commitment to category wines is surprising, with a selection for demanding palates that ranges from Vizcarra Senda del Oro for Ribera del Duero to a fabulous Luis Alegre Crianza for lovers of the Rioja universe. Outstanding.
Torrija of Matimori
DID YOU KNOW...?
- In Riaza there is a long mycological tradition. It is a land that, despite not having many mushrooms, does have a great variety of them. In the town there is an association that is deeply dedicated to this activity and can guide you. And it's not autumn fiefdom, in spring they can also be collected
- In The Blackboard, the restaurant in the town of Madriguera, have the Condé Nast Traveler Recommended badge stuck on the door. Guess why.
- An important beverage brand has set its sights on La Pinilla and organizes a bicycle event/competition that begins to cross our borders
- Riaza has become in recent years a pilgrimage mecca for country music lovers . In the month of July it celebrates a country festival that attracts international stars of the genre, turning Riaza into a hotbed of cowboys. The idea came from a vegetable and vegetable company that wanted to promote itself by betting on a cultural event. His success is unprecedented.
- The central square of Riaza dates from 1873 and it is said that it had a pillory in the center where the heads of the prisoners and the executed were exhibited. They were different times...