Spring is knocking on the door and with it, one more year, Escapadarural.com is looking for the Capital of Rural Tourism, an initiative that aims to select the most attractive towns for a getaway away from the big city. As in previous editions - and there are already eight -, the portal allies itself with Internet users so that they are the ones who express their preferences.
The website has published the ten finalist locations, chosen from more than 200 candidates. These are ten towns with less than ten thousand inhabitants spread throughout Spain whose common elements are having rural accommodation and, in the words of Juadith Monmany, head of communication for the portal, "having a lot of charm to attract and fall in love with the visitor." .
Travelers will be able to vote for their favorite until April 15 on the organizing website, and three days later - on the 18th - the name of the winning town will be announced. In previous editions, the award went to Campo Lameiro (2023); Cazorla (2022); Olvera (2021); Potes (2020); Santillana del Mar (2019); Aínsa (2018), and Sigüenza (2017).
It barely exceeds 3,500 inhabitants, however, this town nestled between the Palancia valley and the Sierra Calderona, can boast of its natural and monumental attractions. The walled enclosure, the Plaza Mayor, the church of San Miguel Arcángel, in Valencian Gothic style, or the parish church of San Miguel Arcángel, which houses the altarpiece, a 15th century altarpiece from the charterhouse of Vall de Christ, will not leave you alone. indifferent Come to the oil museum and, above all, take the opportunity to discover its surroundings. There are numerous routes, such as the Berro greenway.
Located just 20 minutes from Olite, Artajona surprises with its castle. And this small town with less than 1,700 inhabitants has one of the most spectacular medieval fortifications in Navarra. Known as El Cerco, it was built in the 11th century and later rebuilt with notable success. It is a must to get lost in its labyrinthine streets on a relaxing journey that will take us back to the Middle Ages. The church of San Pedro and the basilica of Our Lady of Jerusalem, both in baroque style, or the hermitage of San Bartolomé will surprise you.
At the beginning of summer, the lavender fields of this small town in La Mancha, known as the Alcarria Garden, have little to envy of French Provence, especially when its famous festival is celebrated. Internationally recognized as a quality rural attraction, its fields provide an unforgettable experience at sunset. Beyond the flowering, the urban center of Brihuega is worth a visit. The castle, its gates and walls, its churches and convents, reflecting the splendor of Cistercian architecture, and the civil work of the architects of Ferdinand VI and Charles III become other of its attractions.
From the color of lavender to that of the cherry blossom. And Cabezuela del Valle dresses up to celebrate Spring and Cherry Blossom in the Jerte Valley, an essential event for those who wish to contemplate the spectacle of Extremaduran flowering. The town, declared a historical-artistic complex, is one of the most monumental in the region. Its urban layout is characteristic of medieval Jewish quarters, with steep streets full of twists and turns. Despite having only 2,150 inhabitants, Cabezuela has two very curious cultural facilities: the Cherry Museum and the Water Interpretation Center, and several 18th century hermitages scattered throughout the nearby fields.
This white town in the Axarquía of Malaga, known as the Cornice of the Costa del Sol due to its privileged location, extends through the natural park of the Sierras de Tejeda, Almijara and Alhama. It has an enviable landscape heritage, with the vine as the protagonist of its crops. Its urban center is made up of a network of streets of whitewashed houses that give it a sign of its own identity, forming part of the well-known Mudejar Route.
On the border with the province of Soria, in a mountainous area in the valley of the Cidacos River, Enciso is known for housing one of the best sites of dinosaur remains on the Old Continent. These animals, which lived millions of years ago, left more than three thousand icnites in what is today called the Dinosaur Trail. Here we find the Paleontological Interpretation Center, which helps to understand how the dinosaur ichnites were formed in La Rioja and to which species they belonged. Those who are also interested in its architectural heritage can visit the parish church of Santa María de la Estrella and the church of San Pedro, or the hermitage of San Emeterio and San Celedonio.
This Castilian town of barely five thousand souls proudly holds the title of Cradle of the Ribera del Duero. The fortified town, defended by its famous castle perched on a hill that also houses a wine museum, forms a group of half-timbered houses and narrow streets where the smell of wine fermentation wafts over. Peñafiel greets visitors with the spectacular Bodegas Protos complex, a work by architect Richard Rogers that takes the shape of a group of lying wine barrels.
The capital of Les Guilleries, a still very unknown wild massif located between the regions of Osona and La Selva, is a privileged corner for nature lovers. The town, which has less than six thousand inhabitants, has more than a hundred sources of pure water. The construction of the Font Picant spa during the second half of the 19th century turned it into an important summer resort that has lasted to the present day. It has numerous streets, squares and historical buildings, among which the Can Rovira building stands out, a 16th century residence that today houses the Sant Hilari tourist office.
With barely 450 inhabitants, Santa Eulalia de Oscos is the tourist capital of the area, converted into a true showcase of traditional crafts. This is the case of the "ferreiros" in the Mazonovo Ethnographic Complex, the Irene Loom, the knife craftsman Hyottoko, or the birthplace of the Marquis of Sargadelos. The town is a paradise for hiking lovers, who can enjoy of routes such as Seimeira, with a waterfall with more than 30 meters of fall.
Nestled in a mountainous region in the south of Tenerife, surrounded by pine forests and a stone's throw from Teide, Vilaflor is a quiet little town with cobblestone streets that has less than two thousand inhabitants. Surrounded by spectacular landscapes dotted with potato crops, vineyards and almond trees, it is one of the highest towns in Spain. For centuries, it has been frequented by visitors to the Camino Real de Chasna, botanists, scientists and patients who wanted to enjoy the climate and tranquility of the area.
