Life in the city is stressful. All day up and down, the traffic, the works. In short, there is nothing that we want more during the weekend than to escape from the hustle and bustle. If you live in Madrid or Barcelona (to give a few examples) you have it easy: you just have to take the car or the train (especially now that we can enjoy the Renfe season ticket) to travel to a town full of peace and tranquility.
If you live in the capital and are not too lazy to take the car for a little over an hour and a half, you can visit Maderuelo (Segovia), a medieval town with very few inhabitants (125 to be exact, according to data from the National Institute of Statistics), whose beauty has been declared an Asset of Cultural Interest, within the category of Historic Complex. Also, it is part of the most beautiful villages in Spain, there is nothing.
Maybe this town doesn’t sound familiar to you. Calm down, we’re going to tell you what to see, where to eat and a couple of options to spend the night.
What to see in Maderuelo
This beautiful medieval town highlights the great wall that protects it, the stone streets and the bridges (yes, there are two) that are located above the reservoir. Before, there was a castle. A landscape very different from the city.
Among all the monuments, we find the Ermita de la Vera Cruz, where we know one of the most important Romanesque pictorial ensembles of the Iberian Peninsula. In addition, part of the old wall is preserved, such as the Arco de la Villa.
As we have already mentioned, in Maderuelo there is not one bridge, but two. Specifically, the Old Bridge (which we can only see when the water of the swamp recedes) and the New Bridge, built in parallel. To see the views in all their splendor, go to the Mirador del Embalse de Linares del Arroyo.
At the main entrance of the town, the Gate of the town shines, an entrance that protects the west access. In the center of town we discover the Plaza de San Miguel, where the Hermitage of San Miguel is located. Inside said hermitage, we can observe a polychrome carving of Saint Michael from the 16th century. The Plaza del Baile is dedicated to Pérez de Seoane, benefactor of Maderuelo.
In the end, as happens with most towns of these characteristics, the best thing is to get lost in its streets and go discovering its treasures without a map.
Extra note: the patron saint festivities are celebrated on the last Sunday of September, in honor of Our Lady of Castroboda, as we read on the website of the Maderuelo City Council. In case you want to visit the town during the festival season.
Where to eat in Maderuelo
Although Maderuelo is a small town, that doesn’t mean there aren’t restaurants and bars where you can satisfy your stomach. The first stop is “Maderuelo, Mirador De Los Templarios”, a restaurant located on Calle San Miguel. In just a few meters, we can eat at the “Restaurant Posada del Medievo” (C. San Miguel, 4).
If you are looking for something more informal or just want to have a drink, you can go to the “Bar Cafeteria Veracruz”. By having such a reduced restaurant offer, We recommend that if you are going to go on a weekend, book in advance.
Where to sleep in Maderuelo
As with the gastronomic alternatives, being such a small town there are not many hotels, but the ones that exist are worth it for a rural getaway. The “El secreto del Castillo Rural Hotel” (C. Castillo, 2) is very charming, as is the “Eco Hotel Boutique & Spa Chapter Trece – Adults Only” (C. San Miguel, 18), an ideal place for a romantic night.
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