Badajoz
Alongside the Serena reservoir is Puebla de Alcocer, a settlement formerly known as Aldevieja. It was governed and controlled by the inhabitants of its castle, an imposing fortress that has withstood the passing of time. Next to the hermitage is the Virgen de la Cueva and inside the village, the church of Santiago, the Osuna palace, the house of the Inquisition and the abandoned Franciscan monastery.

 

Another village noted for its Celtic origin is Feria. This settlement, found on the southern slopes of the so-called Sierra Vieja, harks back to the 6th century BC and the remains of various civilizations have been discovered: the Celts, Romans and Arabs, as well as the French during the Napoleonic invasion. The 15th century church of  San Bartolom� is not to be missed.

 

A journey around the medieval villages of Badajoz could not overlook Burguillos del Cerro: an historical settlement including architectural and sculptural remains from Roman, Visigoth, Arab and Templar times. At the highest point is the castle, remodelled in the 15th century and below the ruins of the Templar church of Santa Mar�a, from the same period. From the plaza Alta you can access the ruins of the church of 15th century church of San Juan Bautista.

 

Burgos
Founded by Count Fern�n Gonz�lez, the buildings and monuments of Covarrubias are evidence of Roman and Visigoth past. Declared a historical-artistic town of special interest, Covarrubias is located on the banks of the river Arlanza, and is noted for the style of its houses, complete with wooden beams and fa�ades covered with flowers. The oldest buildings are the mud�jar tower of Do�a Urraca, with thick walls and turrets and the 15th century Colegiata de San Cosme y San Dami�n, with a Romanesque base and gothic roof. This church houses an excellent museum in which works by Van Eyck and Berrugete can be found, alongside gold and silver works and a triptych of the Three Kings by Gil de Silo�.

 

C�ceres
The most important monument in Granadilla is the monumental 14th century fortress built over an ancient muslim alcazar. The village was abandoned in the 1960s when the reservoir of Gabriel y Gal�n was built, but it was later declared a historical-artistic town of location of special interest, which led to many of its monuments being saved. Surrounded by a walled enclosure, remains of medieval buildings can be seen, including the 16th century church of the Ascensi�n and the castle, protected by robust towers, portcullis and embrasure.

 

Cuenca
Built on a hillock, the Castillo de Garcimu�oz conserves the unbreachable walls and towers of the Arab fortress that gives this village its name and in which can be found its 17th century church. This was a land of numerous skirmishes during the Reconquista and under the regency of Isabel la Cat�lica. A town of white fa�ades with charming iron railings and renaissance and baroque details. The remains of a 14th century convent can still be seen, in which elements of the old cloister and church are to be found.

 

Guadalajara
Hita, cradle of the archpriest Juan Ruiz, author of the Libro de Buen Amor, can be found in the Henares valley crowned by the ruins of its castle. The mud�jar church of San Juan can be seen, alongside  the ruins of the church of San Pedro and the door of Santa Mar�a, which once led to the walls where an evocative feast of jousting was once held.

 

The other unmissable sight in this region is Valverde de los Arroyos, a village with many black slate buildings located in the sierra del Ocej�n. Its origin is fairly unknown, but it still keeps its old charm intact, as if it had remained stuck in time.

 

Madrid
Just 60 kilometres northeast of Madrid is Patones de Arriba, located on a slate-covered slope. Its most representative buildings are the 17th century church of San Jos�, the cave paintings of the cueva del Reguerillo and the hermitage of Virgen de la Oliva, Romanesque-Mud�jar in style (12th-13th century). But the best way to appreciate it is to walk along its steep streets and enjoy its popular architecture.

 

Salamanca
In the sierra de Francia, alongside a Roman road, is the ancient locality of San Mart�n del Casta�ar, whose importance harks back to the 12th century, remnants of which can be seen in the monastery and castle that belonged to the bishop of Salamanca. The portals and wooden balconies of this mountain houses give the whole village a genuinely medieval character. Just a few kilometres away is the walled village of Miranda del Casta�ar, alongside the sierra de Quilamas. Located in a fertile green valley and surrounded by trees and small streams, the village houses a 15th century castle and several emblazoned houses which point to its noble past.

 

Segovia
Ayll�n, a Celtic-Iberian settlement, which gave refuge to �lvaro de Luna during the reign of Juan II, is nowadays one of the most important vestiges of the Middle Ages in Spain. It has 13 parishes, churches from different periods, palaces and an impressive Plaza Mayor in which annual festivals and medieval tournaments are held.

 

A few kilometres away is Maderuelo, a walled city located atop a hillock with genuine historical treasures such as the church of Santa Mar�a.

 

Soria
An old settlement with Celtic, Roman and Arab origins is Medinaceli, located on a hill dominating the valley of Jal�n. Over the centuries it has preserved its monumental riches such as the Romanesque Colegiata of Santa Mar�a, the Plaza Mayor, the palacio Ducal, the convent of Santa Isabel and the beaterio de San Rom�n, which may have been a synagogue in the times of Abderraman III.