To enjoy together

Roman Village La Olmeda Palencia — Roman Village La Olmeda

Cave of the Frenchmen Palencia — Cave of the French

Mineria de Barruelo Museum

Marshes Route Palencia — Marshes Route

Birdwatching

hiking routes — Ruta de los Pantanos

Niscalos, mushrooms, mushroom pickers — Basket of Saffron Milk Caps

Gloves Cave

See and do in the Palencia Mountain.

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Villa Romana La Olmeda
Cueva de los Franceses
Barruelo Mining Museum
Tourist Activities in Berrea
Route of the Reservoirs
Horse Riding
Ethnographic and Photographic Museum

Tower of San Román de Entrepeñas, rural house Santibañez de la Peña, rural house Las Heras de la Peña, rural house Intorcisa, rural house in Villanueva de Arriba, rural house in Muñeca de la Peña, — San Roman Tower

The Tower of San Román is located near Santibañez de la Peña. These are the remains of an ancient Monastery that began its decline after the Mendizabal disentailment. Its surroundings offer a unique landscape full of freshness and water, ideal for a small hiking route. The municipality of Santibañez de la Peña is nestled in the western half of the Palentina Mountain. It is composed of thirteen villages or hamlets, each of which holds a unique charm. In the locality of Santibañez de la Peña, venturing into its mountains, we find the remains of the 10th-century Monastery of San Román de Entrepeñas. A tower is the only preserved vestige of this religious center, which had significant economic and social influence throughout the region. Some experts have pointed out the existence of very ancient Roman art indications in the tower. Much has been written about the immense importance and influence of this monastery over the centuries. Currently in private hands, it is in a state of ruin, preserving only one of the monastery's towers and facing the challenge of lacking any drawings, designs, or plans that could aid in its rehabilitation, as its structure and dimensions are not known with certainty. Starting from the La Estación neighborhood in Santibañez de la Peña, we must head to the original Santibañez village, as the locals call it, so that once there, we can access the route that leads us to the refuge. Just a few hundred meters away, on a path among trees that exudes great freshness, we reach the stream that indicates the presence of the Tower of San Román, which we must locate hidden by the vegetation.

viewpoint of Alba de los Cardaños, route of the reservoirs, Alba de los Cardaños, — Mirador de Alba de los Cardaños

In the heart of the Montaña Palentina lies one of the most beautiful places in this province. It is the viewpoint of Alba de los Cardaños, next to the Camporredondo reservoir and belonging to the municipality of Velilla del Río Carrión. The history of this small but beautiful population is inevitably linked to that of the reservoir, which pours its waters into the Carrión River. The construction of this dam, one of the oldest in our country, forced its inhabitants to move to its current location, as the former river neighborhood was to be submerged under the waters. Although this engineering work began construction in 1914, the project was not completed until 1930, allowing the replacement of traditional dryland crops with others such as corn or beet, even in the province of Valladolid. The viewpoint of Alba de los Cardaños, on the P-210 road, is a special place that offers movie-like sunsets, with witnesses such as the Espigüete or Peña Redonda peaks, two of the most emblematic of the Montaña Palentina region, and is a mandatory stop on the so-called Pantanos Route, which covers 91 kilometers of the Compuerto, Camporredondo, Ruesga, Requejada, and Aguilar de Campoo reservoirs. This rural environment is a paradise for nature lovers, gastronomy enthusiasts, and those who seek places less exploited by mass tourism, what is now called a low-density destination.
On the Pantanos Route, it is a mandatory stop for observation from a privileged location of the Camporredondo reservoir. This viewpoint is perfectly prepared for taking photographs or simply losing our sight in 360 degrees. It has a large parking area and an excellent restaurant with a bar. An informative sign situates us on what we see with all the names of the resources and their exact location.

Fuente de La Reana, la Reana Velilla del Río Carrión, — Fountain of La Reana

Velilla del Río Carrión has a spring that flows without rules. Located within the town, it is easily recognizable by the stone arches that surround it. There is no scientific explanation for the dates when it flows and when it does not. Logically, one would think that during the rainy season, it is more likely for the water to surface in its enclosure, but reality has shown over the centuries that this is not the case. Similarly, in summer, there are occasions when the water gushes in large quantities, but on other nearby dates, it stops doing so. For all these reasons, it is a spring that maintains a mystery that no one has been able to solve until now. The Fuente de la Reana is the quintessential symbol of Velilla del Río Carrión. Also known as Fuentes Tamaricas, they were already named and located by the Roman historian and geographer Pliny the Elder in classical Cantabria. The spring is known from the time of the Roman conquest of the Cantabrians, where its curious peculiarity of emptying and filling without any explanation is already mentioned. It has been a provincial monument since May 9, 1961, and a BIC (Bien de Interés Cultural, or Asset of Cultural Interest) since July 11, 2002. It is a rectangular pond with three stone arches, of which only one is original; the other two were added in 1980 and 1981 to restore this ancient construction to its original form. When filling, it is preceded by an underground noise indicating its filling activity. It has three drains that provide water for irrigation in the area. Nearby is the 12th-century hermitage of San Juan, on an esplanade where the San Juan festival is celebrated today. Studies have been conducted but without conclusions, giving it an air of mystery and mysticism.

Pilgrimage of the Virgen del Brezo, Sanctuary of the Virgen del Brezo, Virgen del Brezo Villafria de la Peña, — Virgin of the Heather

Sanctuary of the Virgin of Brezo in Villafria de la Peña enjoys great religious devotion from the inhabitants of the entire Palencia Mountain and even from other provinces of Spain. It is the chosen place for many couples to get married for decades. Currently, its festival is celebrated on September 21st, accompanied by a grand pilgrimage.

Compuerto reservoir, — Compuerto Swamp

The Compuerto Reservoir is the first in a series of bodies of water in the north of Palencia, specifically in the Palencia Mountain. We leave the town of Velilla del Río Carrión and find its wall just 9 kilometers away. Its construction was completed in 1960 and it is fed by the waters of the Carrión River. It is located within the Palencia Mountain Natural Park.

Moarves de Ojeda Church of San Juan Bautista — Moarves de Ojeda

To settle any possible discussion, the province of Palencia has the highest concentration of Romanesque churches in Europe. Moarves de Ojeda, a locality that belongs to the municipality of Olmos de Ojeda and is situated in the northern third of the province of Palencia, is also the area that boasts some of the oldest and even the most striking and impressive Romanesque temples, such as the Church of San Juan Bautista.

But why is there so much Romanesque architecture concentrated here? Experts attribute it to poverty. When a place was economically prosperous or had a nearby benefactor, the old parish with an outdated style was either demolished or remodeled, and the materials from these rural Romanesque constructions were used to erect new, larger buildings dedicated to worship, following the prevailing architectural style of the time. Fortunately for us, this has allowed many truly valuable temples to be preserved. Specifically, the Church of San Juan Bautista, from the 12th century but with late Gothic details, preserves Romanesque elements that leave any art lover speechless. Starting with the sculptural frieze under the canopy of the south portal, featuring a Pantocrator in the center and the twelve apostles to the right and left, along with abundant symbolic elements, and continuing with the archivolts below, formed by successive checkered borders influenced by the French Way of St. James, and the boldly carved columns in the capitals, brimming with the creativity of master sculptors. Inside, a 13th-century baptismal font stands out.

UNESCO World Geopark. The Parrots — UNESCO World Geopark. The Parrots

Declared in May 2017 by UNESCO, a World Geopark due to its great geological, natural and cultural heritage, it is the only one in Castilla y León to date. This territory occupies part of the north of the provinces of Burgos and Palencia, including the natural monuments and Protected Landscapes of Covalagua and Las Tuerces, in the province of Palencia, with spectacular landscapes, a great variety of ecosystems, important archaeological remains and an exceptional Romanesque .