San Juan de la Encinilla can be explored through three distinct themes: the Albornos–San Juan de la Encinilla interpretive circular route, the Iglesia de San Juan Bautista and Laguna Redonda. Together, they represent ecological themes, the history of water use, and church architecture and sacred art. When planning your visit, you can decide whether to focus on nature and the history of water or on architectural and art history.
Circular Route with Nature and Water History
A project report from July 2025 describes the Albornos–San Juan de la Encinilla interpretive route as a circular walk. It is part of the LIFE IP Duero network of interpretive routes. At ecological and cultural points of interest, visitors learn about the area’s natural heritage, local flora and fauna, and the history of water use in the region. Nature and the historical use of water are thus presented side by side, giving the route both a cultural and an ecological focus.
Iglesia de San Juan Bautista: Architecture and Altarpiece
The Iglesia de San Juan Bautista was declared a historic-artistic monument in 1982. It is a three-nave church, with the naves separated by large round arches resting on Doric columns. The main chapel has a different form: it is pentagonal and covered by a ribbed vault with tiercerons and curved ribs. Tiercerons are additional ribs that further divide the vault’s pattern.
The main altarpiece also has a clear art-historical chronology: it dates from the 16th century and was completed in 1553. It depicts scenes from the lives of John the Baptist, the Virgin Mary and Jesus, from the Annunciation to Pentecost. The sculptors Isidro de Villoldo and Cornielis de Holanda were among those who worked on it. While the naves and main chapel define the church’s interior, the altarpiece adds a narrative dimension. Its sequence of scenes makes it a pictorial program rather than a single image.
Laguna Redonda: Water and Vegetation
Laguna Redonda lies two kilometres from San Juan de la Encinilla, along the road to Sigeres in the Canalizas area. It has permanently brackish, shallow water and extensive floating or surface-level vegetation. Water conditions can vary seasonally. Its permanent brackishness should be distinguished from these seasonal changes.
In 2022, the LIFE-IP-Duero project signed an agreement with San Juan de la Encinilla to restore Laguna Redonda. This adds the story of a specific restoration measure to the site’s natural features.
The lagoon and the circular route share an ecological perspective. The difference lies in their focus: Laguna Redonda represents a specific wetland with water and vegetation, while the route connects several ecological and cultural points of interest, including local flora and fauna and the history of water use.
Discover more destinations: San Bartolomé de Tormes, Piedralaves, Fuente El Saúz, Muñogalindo, Hoyocasero, Tórtoles, Nava Del Barco, Manjabálago.
For the broader travel overview: Avila.
