El Barraco is the starting point for stages 20 and 21 of the Camino de Santiago del Sureste, also known as the Camino de Alicante a Santiago. There are also recurring pilgrimages, churches and other historic buildings. The municipality also includes natural landmarks: the Embalse del Burguillo reservoir and the Valle de Iruelas.

Pilgrimages, Processions and Dates

The pilgrimage in honour of San Marcos Evangelista takes place on the Sunday after 25 April. The saint is carried from the parish church to the Ermita de San Marcos, two kilometres away, where a mass is celebrated in his honour. Another pilgrimage is dedicated to San Cristóbal, the patron saint of motorists. It takes place every year on the Sunday after 10 July. If you are planning a trip specifically for one of these occasions, check the date for your chosen year. You should also check the route details before setting out on the Camino.

For Las Candelas, the local Quintos sing songs for the Virgen de la Piedad every year. On Good Friday, stone crosses mark the Via Crucis procession, during which the town's patron saint is carried to Mount Tres Cruces. The customs have different emphases—from the annual songs for the Virgen to the processional route marked by the stone crosses.

Churches and Architectural History

The Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción de El Barraco was built in the early 16th century. The church tower offers panoramic views of the town. The Ermita de Nuestra Señora de la Piedad has different architectural features: it is built of ashlar stone and has a single rectangular nave.

The Puente de Visillo also tells the story of the town's architectural history. The single-arch Romanesque-style bridge was built in the first half of the 17th century to cross the River Gaznata. A later historic landmark is the Plaza de Toros de El Barraco, inaugurated on 15 September 1930 for the Fiestas in honour of the Santísimo Cristo de Gracia. Taken together, these architectural landmarks span the period from the early 16th century to the 20th century.

Landscape and Events

The municipality of El Barraco includes both the Embalse del Burguillo reservoir and the Valle de Iruelas. If you would like to include nature as well as pilgrimages and local history in your travel plans, the Museo de la naturaleza Valle del Alberche offers another point of interest. The museum accepts reservations for interpretive routes for groups of ten or more.

Events take place at the Mirador Astronómico de El Barraco and the Museo de la Naturaleza according to the monthly programme or by request. If you would like to plan your trip around an event, consult the monthly programme or enquire about a date. This makes it possible to plan around different interests: a trip for a recurring festival, a look at the town's architectural history or a group programme with an interpretive route.

Discover more destinations: Villanueva De Ávila, Santiago Del Collado, Pozanco, Hoyos Del Espino, Mingorría, Santo Tomé De Zabarcos, Tornadizos De Ávila, Cardeñosa.

For the overview of the wider area: Avila.