A trip connected with Villaviciosa can be planned around two themes: archaeological remains and granite landscapes. The options range from fortified settlements and the architectural history of the castle to striking rock formations. Would you like to focus mainly on settlement history, explore geological formations, or plan your stay around a festival date?

Castle, Settlements and Archaeological Sites

Castillo de Villaviciosa was built between the 15th and 16th centuries and is also known as Castillo de Nuño González del Águila. A second Verraco sculpture from the area around Ulaca is kept beside the castle. It is 1.6 metres long and has no head. Its origin and storage location should be distinguished: the sculpture comes from the area around Ulaca; it is kept beside the castle.

Ulaca was a fortified Vetton settlement covering an area of about 70 hectares. Its oval defensive wall is more than three kilometres long. These two figures refer to different scales: the area refers to the settlement, while the length refers to the wall. La Cabeza de Navasangil is another fortified archaeological settlement, more specifically a Hispano-Visigothic one, in Villaviciosa (Solosancho). Las Antas adds to the picture of archaeological sites: a tomb carved into granite can be seen there.

For Navasangil, visitors are said to need to obtain a key from Solosancho Town Hall. Check with the town hall to find out whether this procedure is still in force.

Routes from Villaviciosa

The route “Historia y naturaleza en un mismo camino” begins in Villaviciosa, as does the “Alrededores de Ulaca” walking route. The approach to Castro de Ulaca from Villaviciosa involves climbing to the hilltop, a section that must largely be covered on foot. Check the trail conditions before travelling if you plan to take this approach.

Granite Formations and Landscape

The granite formations near Pico Gavilán in Villaviciosa include extensive boulder fields, large rounded granite blocks and rock basins where water can collect. The forms differ: boulder fields are extensive accumulations, alongside individual rounded boulders, while rock basins are depressions where water can collect. On the Sendero de Las Veredas de Solosancho, hikers can see and walk among granite formations created by the weathering and erosion of Palaeozoic granite. Anyone interested in how landscapes form can connect the visible rock formations here with a specific geological process.

Luna Celta in August

Luna Celta is a three-day festival that always takes place on the penultimate weekend in August and is also held in Villaviciosa. If you would like to plan your stay around it, check the programme for the relevant year. This lets you use the recurring dates as a guide and plan your trip around the current festival programme.

Discover more destinations: Robledillo

Return to the main travel overview: Solosancho.