14 essentials: best places to see in Guadalajara province

It is possible that the Guadalajara province It does not occupy the first positions in Spanish tourist destinations, but this does not mean that it lacks very interesting places that are well worth a visit.

Furthermore, many of them are less than 100 kilometers from Madrid.

This means that those who reside in the capital have numerous places in this province that can become destinations of various kinds. weekend getaways or long weekends.

Places to see and visit in the province of Guadalajara

After several trips through the province of Guadalajara We are going to discover the most interesting places, either for their cultural or natural heritage.

Sigüenza, the town of Doncel

Upon arriving at Sigüenza, the first thing that stands out is the old castle, now occupied by a tourist hostel and that it was previously a Roman fort and a Muslim citadel.

Episcopal city, its cathedral It is considered the building with the greatest artistic importance in the province.

With a sober appearance, almost a fortress on the outside, it keeps numerous treasures in its naves and chapels, including the tomb of the Doncel de Sigüenza.

Outside, the Plaza Mayor with arcades branches out into alleys that overlook palaces and noble houses.

The complex maintains a great environmental unity and is one of those places where it is a pleasure to walk aimlessly, allowing yourself to be surprised by what you find around a corner, or paying attention to small details of the houses that are several centuries old.

Palazuelos, castle and medieval town

Arrive at Palazuelos It's like taking a leap in time.

This small village It has maintained the same dimensions since the 15th century and remains protected by its walls, which are preserved almost complete.

El Palazuelos castle, which dominates the complex, can only be admired from the outside.

Several of the doors through which you access Palazuelos They retain the same structure from the Middle Ages.

intramurals, Palazuelos It is a small medieval urban planning museum, since its layout has remained unchanged throughout the centuries.

The surroundings, full of nature, are also a good area to take short hiking tours.

Carabias, Romanesque church

From Palazuelos it is advisable to go to Carabias, located about three kilometers away, to be able to admire its romanesque church.

This church surprises with its large dimensions, and what stands out most is the porticoed gallery that runs through two sides.

Both Palazuelos and Carabias are districts of Sigüenza.

Atienza, a town with a medieval atmosphere

start It is one of the best preserved towns in the entire region. Guadalajara province.

Its history is closely related to different kings who granted great privileges to its inhabitants.

start He played an important role in the struggle for power between Castile and León.

A memory of those times is the famous Caballada de Atienza, One oldest traditional festivals of those celebrated today.

 

Of its economic splendor in other times, the remains of the castle and several churches, three of which are converted into museums.

A walk through its streets and squares allows you to discover its set of architecture with a strong medieval flavor.

La Wheat Square It is one of the most harmonious in all of Guadalajara.

It is, like Sigüenza or Molina de Aragón, one of those places that seem anchored in history and where part of the attraction of the visit is to wander aimlessly to discover the atmosphere and the details.

Río Dulce Natural Park, setting for documentaries by Rodríguez de la Fuente

El sweet River has carved a series of cannons, in which nature shows its splendor.

The place was one of the main filming scenarios for documentaries Felix Rodriguez de la Fuente on the Iberian fauna.

Stop at the viewpoint dedicated to Rodriguez de la Fuente, which is on the road that connects the A-2 highway with Pelegrina, is usually the way to start the visit to get a general idea.

But, of course, the best way to visit it is to do Hiking and with a walking tour from Pelegrina, where is one of the park visitor centers.

El walk along the banks of the sweet River, at the bottom of the gorge, allows you to enter a riverside forest.

The rocky cliffs They are the refuge of numerous species of birds.

The walking tour presents no problems, and in fact it can be done even if you bring a baby stroller.

Imón Salt Flats

Addition sweet River, through this part of Guadalajara runs the Salty river.

This is the reason for the existence of several salt flats in the area, such as those of Imón and Olmeda de Jadraque.

The Imón Salt Flats They are the easiest to access since we will probably come across them on our journey.

To reach those of Olmeda de Jadraque, you do have to deviate from the usual itineraries, although the distance is not very great.

The salt flats, apart from their aesthetic appeal, tell us about the culture and history of the region.

In fact, part of the wealth of Bishopric of Sigüenza, responsible for the magnificence of its cathedral, came from the control and sale of the salt from these salt flats.

Hita, the archpriest's footprints

The memory of Juan Ruiz, the famous archpriest of Hita and author of Good Love Book, flies over this town of ancient origin.

It is enough to cross the wall through the arch of Saint Mary and get to the Plaza Mayor to imagine this character writing one of the masterpieces of medieval Spanish literature.

En hita There are hardly any remains of the castle but it is very interesting to visit the wineries and the “bodegos”, the houses excavated in the rock and that were used until recently.

Much of the historic center of Hita was destroyed during the Civil War, so many houses that we see today are relatively recent constructions, but built with certain criteria of style and homogeneity.

Jadraque Castle

In Jadraque our steps lead to the castle, outside the town and crowning a conical hill.

The place is perfect to build a fortress since it is easily defendable, and from there you can control a good extension of territory in the Henares Valley.

It is usually known as the Cid Castle, one more reminder that we are in the midst of Camino del Cid route that runs through a good part of the Guadalajara province.

What we see was built at the end of the 15th century and is a good example of palace-castle, in which comfort takes precedence in addition to defensive needs.

Black Towns of Guadalajara

La route of the black towns travels through a series of towns in which its peculiar stone architecture.

Its main feature is the use of the blackboard as a fundamental construction material, both in walls and roofs of houses and in churches, fences, bridges, etc.

That is why there is a general tone of dark color in these towns.

This route includes towns that are located north of the province of Guadalajara, close to those of Segovia and Madrid.

Some of the towns not to be missed are Majaelrayo, Campillejo, Camp of Frogs o Valverde of the Streams.

This area is especially attractive in autumn, when the forests begin to turn yellow and the landscape reaches its maximum chromatic splendor.

Molina de Aragón, great castle from the 12th century

Molina de Aragon is one of towns with the most attractive heritage in the province of Guadalajara.

Your name, Molina de Aragon, is because for a time it belonged to the Crown of Aragon before joining that of Castile.

As we approach, the first thing we will see is the silhouette of the castle, which was built in the 12th century from the previous Muslim citadel.

Its vision, crowning the hill next to which the town stands, is unforgettable.

But before going up to meet him, you have to dedicate time to tour its historic center, where we will see several interesting churches, the Old Bridge and Jewish Quarter.

There are many surprising details of its architecture that are worth knowing.

Zafra Castle, spectacular setting for Game of Thrones

El Zafra Castle It is one of the many fortifications that we find in Spain and that were almost unknown to almost everyone until recently.

But the fact of having served protagonist scenario in the series Game of Thrones has suddenly put it on the travel wish list of many of us.

As is usually the case with historic castles, it has been used throughout different eras and has undergone changes over time.

The Visigoths already had a fortress on this imposing rock, but it really gained importance during the reconquest.

Su peculiar location on a rugged rock promotes a spectacular image which really makes it very attractive.

You have to know that Zafra castle is private property and cannot be visited.

However, the attractive appearance of its exterior is well worth a visit, which combines very well with that of the Molina-Alto Tajo Geopark.

Molina-Alto Tajo Geopark, gorges and historical heritage

El Molina-Alto Tajo Geopark can be the perfect complement to a visit to Molina de Aragón since this is how we combine nature with historical heritage in a complete tour.

The geoparks They are territories in which geology is one of their fundamental attractions, such as cliffs, cannons y gorges.

In this geopark there are exceptional places such as Sunken Armallones, ravine of the sickle and Sierra de Caldereros, where the spectacular geological formations They are combined with forests and river currents.

But although nature, especially geology, is what defines a geopark, in Molina-Alto Tajo we will also find a rich historical heritage.

Molina de Aragon It is the main attraction of the area, but we should not miss knowing the Zafra and Embid castles and Celtiberian forts of Peña Moñuz and El Ceremeño.

La Alcarria, Cela's route

The Alcarria It is one of the regions with the most personality in all of Guadalajara.

Many of the visitors continue the footprints of Camilo José Cela, who in his famous book Trip to the Alcarria describes the route he followed in 1946 through these lands.

En Tory can be visit the castle and the museum dedicated to the Journey to Alcarria.

Another of the most charming places is brihuega.

In addition to its historical set, the place has become popular in recent years for its extensive lavender plantations which bloom spectacularly in the month of July.

In Alcarria you should not miss knowing Cifuentes, Trillo y Zorita de los Canes.

En ZoriteIn addition to its historic center there are two fundamental visits, it is its castle and the Recópolis archaeological park.

City of Guadalajara and the Infantado Palace

The capital of the province is not usually on many tourist itineraries in the province, but it has a artistic heritage that is worth knowing.

His greatest treasure is Infantado Palace, from the 15th century, Gothic-Mudejar style but already with Renaissance influences., which stands out for its great ornamental richness.

The façade is adorned with reliefs in the shape of diamond points and has a very attractive high gallery. The patio is also very ornate.

Just to see this palace it would be worth visiting the capital of the province.

But you also have to go through the Calle Mayor and the small squares in the center, which are the setting for a pleasant walk.

Along the way we will find other monuments, such as churches, towers and bridges that tell us about the long history of Guadalajara.