The most beautiful town in Spain to visit in January is in Castilla y León, according to National Geographic

An ideal place for a weekend getaway, and according to the prestigious National Geographic magazine it’s the town most beautiful in Spain to visit in January. It does not seem that it was by chance that this town located in the province of Salamanca80 kilometers from the capital, was the first rural town in Spain declared National Historical Monumentback in 1940. Since then, a whopping 85 years ago, it proudly defends the charms that make it always among the most attractive places to go on a getaway at any time of the year.

A sparrow wanders loose through the streets of La Alberca

Located about three hours from Madrid, Calle del Puente and Plaza Mayor are enough to understand the reasons for its majesty, although the most valuable monument in this town, where barely a thousand people live, stands in its own square. . A pig, the so-called San Anton pigwhich is raffled, giving the proceeds of the ballots to an NGO, always before the massacre, around January 17, the day of the festival of the patron saint of animals. Of course, the tourist will see it loose in the streets as long as they go to this place, built in stone and surrounded by nature, between the seven months that go from June 13 – the festival of San Antonio de Padua, until the aforementioned popular celebration .

It is the “tradition”, its inhabitants insist as soon as they are asked about this curiosity. They take care of him and feed him together, they defend him, after the ceremony is held in the summer in which he is blessed and a bell is placed on him so that everyone can hear him and know where he is. What’s more, at night he is sheltered in some outbuilding for what might happen in the darkness of Salamanca.

Flowers and vines to transport us to times past

«Three materials are enough for its popular architecture to create an exquisite rhythm, as if it were a sequel to Mudejar art: on a ground floor of granite rock with the air of a fortress, then one or two floors are raised with adobe walls. and wood, forming a warm and accessible framework, almost as if it were a lattice. Nor should we detract from the persistent custom of filling windows and balconies with flowers“, cites the National Geographic article in which the benefits of this corner are collected, which the magazine says is “sheltered by the Las Batuecas National Parkthe Marian sanctuary Virgen de la Peña watches over the town from the top of a peak. That image of a brown virgin is another of the municipality’s claims.

Today there are more accommodation places (1,268) than the residents registered in the town (1,071). Between corners and squares, the tourist passes through curious scenes, where films such as El lazarillo de Tormes, Marcelino Pan y Vino, El Gran Secreto, El Valle de las Espadas, La Guerrilla or Santa Teresa have been filmed.

Magical lights, embutismo and exquisite views to visit this corner of Salamanca

To delve deeper into their customs, next to the square, the nerve center of the town, you can visit the Sátur Juanela House Museum, inside which the structure of the typical local house is maintained, just as it used to be until the beginning of the 20th century. Another curious collection that tells us about tradition and folklore is displayed in the Albercano Traditional Costume Museum. In the center stands an 18th century granite transept with engravings and representation of the Passion of Christ. It won’t take us long to visit it from top to bottom if we include a stop to taste the traditional cuisine or buy some of the area’s obligatory sausage.

Visitors can still, as long as they hurry, enjoy the rush of Christmas. And the lights will shine at least until January 20 in a town that won the title of ‘Together We Shine More’ in 2023, awarded by Ferrero Rocher. And with the freezing weather, it goes without saying that it is one of the most beautiful places to see when the snow falls in the mountains. The winter season of La Covatilla is not far away.

Outside of La Alberca it is also recommended to go to the Sierra de Francia to discover the Sanctuary of the Virgin of La Peñabuilt to venerate a Virgin who appeared in the 15th century. From up there, at 1,723 altitudeyou get beautiful and wide views of the Sierras de Béjar and Gata.