The 16th-century Palacio del Obispo, which houses the town hall, and the 21.2-kilometre Sendero del Belosillo show two different sides of Hontoria de Valdearados: local history and trails through a historically shaped landscape. There is also a church with a three-aisled basilica plan, an ethnographic museum, and a surrounding area of vineyards, plains and pine forest. These specific buildings and landscape features offer a way to get to know the town.

Palace, Museum and Church

The Palacio del Obispo dates from the 16th century and now serves as the town hall of Hontoria de Valdearados. The Museo Etnográfico de Hontoria de Valdearados is housed in a room on the building’s ground floor. The museum has assembled more than 500 items. The town hall and museum are therefore located in the same historic building, which also serves a public purpose in the town.

The Iglesia de San Esteban Protomártir has a basilica plan with three naves. Its high altar features a Calvary group of three polychrome wooden figures dating from the 16th century. The floor plan and the altar group offer two different points of interest: the church’s spatial layout and the craftsmanship of a specific ensemble. Together with the Palacio del Obispo, they provide a focus on architectural and cultural history without requiring a long list of sights.

The Sendero del Belosillo and the Cañada Real

The Sendero del Belosillo PRC-BU 164 starts in Hontoria de Valdearados and is 21.2 kilometres long. Its route follows the Cañada Real Segoviana, which was part of the historic livestock trail network of the Mesta. The trail thus links a specifically named route with a historic landscape.

There, the Cañada Real Segoviana is a 75-metre-wide natural corridor, mostly covered with large juniper and holm oak trees. The Sendero also leads to the Ermita de la Virgen de la Serna. The chapel was built in the 18th century and restored in 1995; along the route, it is the last stop before a river crossing. This same trail brings together historic route structures, vegetation and a building with its own history.

Rivers, Bridge and Springs

The area around Hontoria de Valdearados includes a fertile plain, vineyards and an extensive pine forest. The rivers Aranzuelo and Segunde flow through the area, both with low water levels.

Puente Canto is a stone bridge with two arches over the Río Aranzuelo. It is another distinctive structure in the town’s landscape. Springs in the surrounding area include Juanriza, Hontanillas and Santa Marta; two more are within the built-up area. Their names and locations distinguish the springs in the surrounding area from those within the built-up area, giving a clearer picture of the local water landscape.

Plan Your Visits and Dates

Visits to the Museo Etnográfico de Hontoria de Valdearados can be booked through the town hall; the listed telephone number is 947 553 051. Check the booking information before your trip. According to the tourist description, a celebration takes place each year at the Ermita de la Virgen de la Serna on 8 September. If you would like to plan your trip around this date, check the programme for the relevant year. The museum and the celebration offer different planning options: a booking for a museum visit and an annual date at the chapel.

Discover more destinations: Villafranca Montes De Oca, Ailanes, Quintanilla del Agua, Espinosa De Cervera, Espinosa De Los Monteros, Soncillo, San Juan De Ortega, Castrillo Del Val.

For the main travel overview: Burgos.