Now that the heat does not seem to want to leave us, it is the ideal time to take advantage of the weekends that precede summer to escape to the interior. Castile and Leon It is one of the preferred destinations for rural tourism in the months of May and June, and the rural lodgings are already beginning to warn that the reservations are starting to run out.
But far from the madding crowd of natural spaces to which everyone flocks, we we take you to closed, a region that has always wanted to go unnoticed despite all its centuries of history. And the reason is simple: want continue to live in silence
El Cerrato is a region that It is located between Burgos, Valladolid and Palencia, having most of the extension in the latter. One of its capitals is the destination of our adventure, the beautiful Palenzuela (Palencia), a small thousand-year-old town that has been on the verge of disappearance and that has known how to hide from the noise of civilization, sheltered between the Arlanza and Arlanzón rivers.
Church of San Juan Bautista de Palenzuela.
A BIT OF HISTORY
Although it barely has two hundred inhabitants, Palenzuela was a Roman city where there was a remarkable activity. Of course, the Romans had a hard time kicking out the Celtiberians who occupied the town, who stood up and did not make it easy for Pompey. In fact, the site of the ruins of ancient Pallantia is one of the jewels of this region that make Palenzuela a very interesting place to visit.
during the medieval It was the residence of the kings for some seasons so it became necessary to build a defensive and fortified fortress with its walls and its castle. This led to Palenzuela, like Plasencia either Sigüenza, obtained the acclaimed title of Very Noble and Very Loyal Villa, something that not all historic cities have and that somehow
boosted the growth of Palenzuela during the Middle Ages.
A VILLA FULL OF NOBLE PALACES
Palenzuela rises on the right bank of the Arlanza, a strategic place to once be able to spot possible attacking enemies and which today It has become the perfect viewpoint of the entire Cerrato. We begin the adventure by crossing the medieval bridge with nine arches that crosses the river to meet one of the most picturesque medieval towns in our country, declared a Historic-Artistic Site since 1966.
Facades in Palenzuela.
Crossing the river we pass by the Puerta de la Paz, the only door that remains standing of the three that the Palenzuela wall had. It was rebuilt and today is the entrance to the town. Although the entrance to the town was really in the Gate of the Clock Tower, which even became the town's jail and that today, already disappeared, is used for cultural purposes.
The cobbled streets of Palenzuela give off a certain air of sobriety, between proud emblazoned houses displaying the lineages that once inhabited its interiors despite the fact that the passing of the centuries has wreaked havoc on its splendor. Between stone alleys and steep slopes you can feel the Middle Ages in all its manifestations in every corner, even more so when we follow Calle Vallejo and reach the Plaza Mayor.
But first we can get lost and wander around leisurely, enjoying Castilian architecture and the many mansions that seem to go unnoticed to the visitor's eyes. In the fifteenth century there was a great movement of noble families to the town due to the celebration of the Courts of Palenzuela of the year 1425, which is why the palace of the Herreras, the Ortegas, the Marquis of Giadoncha and the palaces were built. Jalón, mansion where José Bonaparte himself stayed in the year 1814.
Church of Santa Eulalia.
The Plaza Mayor once housed a medieval fish market, a place currently occupied by the Town Hall. In front of him is the missing Clock Tower that currently houses the Museum of Palenzuela. Inside the museum you can discover a very interesting collection of pieces that unravel the history of the town, from ancient and medieval times to the present, thanks to the donations of the neighbors, either in the form of objects, or in the form of photographs.
From here you have to go to the castle, but not without first stopping at the church of San Juan Bautista, victim of many looting and plundering, especially during the war against the French. it's a nice late gothic example and guardian of one of the most important silverware collections in the province. She didn't have the same luck Church of Santa Eulalia, currently in a state of ruin and that for centuries guarded the Palenzuela archive.
The castle is the last stop on this adventure, so you have to go downhill until you reach the place where its three towers are located. It was declared a Site of Cultural Interest in 1966 and, oddly enough, the year of its construction is not known, although it points to the 11th century. He was greatly feared because of the prison that was inside him, since they sent the people executed to her without much hope of returning. Nowadays is the perfect instagram photo and the moment to stop and put something in the mouth.
Palenzuela streets.
EAT WELL, BUT IN A SEAFOOD RESTAURANT
Palenzuela gets up to the sound that the Arlanza River, a river that has allowed the proliferation of large vineyards. In fact, Palenzuela is one of the wine-producing towns Designation of Origin Arlanza, so it is essential to always open your mouth with a local wine which, on the other hand, is one of the memories that you have to take home.
Arlanza wines can be found in the Seafood Palenzuela (Ramírez y Pastor, 21), located next to the castle. It is the only restaurant in town and it is very curious that a land of meat, grazing and wine has a seafood restaurant as a restaurant. But, not so bad, we are not going to deceive you. Cold seafood dishes in which there is no lack of a crab or spider crab in abundant quantities and good grilled meats for those who are not friends of the sea. Slow digestions that taste like glory
If there is still stomach to put something sweet, our recommendation is to move a little more and go through Dulces La Pilar (Calle San Juan, 8), a traditional bakery and pastry shop where they know how to make a village bread that should appear in all the guides. well and of course their donuts, which is what you will surely take home in industrial quantities.
The springs rural house.
EXTRA EXTRA EXTRA
Historic treasure hunters have a nice jaunt to nearby hermitage of Nuestra Señora de Allende del Río, located on the outskirts of the river valley. This hermitage preserves Visigoth, Arab, Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque elements. All together! It is truly a priceless gem. which, on the other hand, is located in a beautiful natural setting that still preserves the remains of the roman road what was going on there.
in palenzuela there is only one rural house, The springs, so it can be difficult to book at this time of year. There is always the possibility of look for options in Villarodrigo or Quintana del Puente where, on the other hand, there are rural houses with a swimming pool. A dip is always good to mitigate the heat.
The Palenzuela onion is an institution and one of the products of the land that makes Palenzolans most proud. It is an onion that has a particularly sweet flavor and is highly valued by haute cuisine restaurants.