Overview
A five day, self-guided walking holiday through the Sierra de Francia in southern Salamanca, a mountain region that incorporates Las Batuecas–Sierra de Francia Natural Park, which is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. The region is also celebrated for its cultural and architectural heritage, particularly in six of its villages, which are official Historical Sites, thanks to their well-preserved traditional stone-and-timber buildings. The most famous are La Alberca, where you spend the first two nights and last night of this Sierra de Franca short break. You also spend a night in Miranda del Castañar, a walled medieval town with intact fortifications, cobbled streets and a castle.
- La Alberca
- Mogarraz
- Miranda del Castañar
- San Martín del Castañar
- Peña de Francia
- Bosque de los Espejos
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in La Alberca
Arrive in La Alberca, a medieval village of stone and timber at 1,000m, declared a National Historic-Artistic Monument in 1940 and one of the best-preserved in Spain. Take time to walk the narrow lanes of the Old Quarter, visit the main square and its 18th-century church, and get a sense of the Sierra region. There are several good restaurants where you can taste traditional calderillo bejarano (beef stew) and hornazos (meat pie), and a handful of shops selling the region’s well-known Guijuelo ham, cheese and wines.
- Accommodation: Hotel Antiguas Eras or similar in La Alberca
- Optional hotel upgrade: Abadía de los Templarios or similar in La Alberca
Day 2: Peña de Francia | 20.1km
Hike from La Alberca to the summit of Peña de Francia, the highest point in the Sierra at 1,727m. The route follows the main ridge towards Valle Hondo, taking you past small rural shrines and traditional stone structures before the final walk up to the summit, where a Dominican monastery has stood since the 15th century. On clear days, the views extend across Las Batuecas–Sierra de Francia Natural Park, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. After taking in the views, walk down via forested paths back to La Alberca.
- Walking for the day: 20.1km, ↑810m ↓810m
- Accommodation: Hotel Antiguas Eras or similar in La Alberca
- Optional hotel upgrade: Abadía de los Templarios or similar in La Alberca
Day 3: La Alberca – Mogarraz – Miranda del Castañar | 20.1km
Leaving La Alberca, the route follows the Camino de Las Raíces trail through oak forest, passing San Marcos lagoon and crossing the traditional stone bridge Puente de los Tres Ojos. The trail continues its ascent into Mogarraz, a town that’s renowned for a remarkable project: some 400 portrait photographs of former residents, painted by local artist Florencio Maíllo, covering the facades of the stone houses.The path continues south through oak forest and vineyards to Miranda del Castañar, a walled medieval town with intact fortifications, cobbled streets and a castle, and a fascinating place to spend the night
- Walking for the day: 20.1km, ↑330m ↓760m
- Accommodation: Posada Miranda or similar in Miranda del Castañar
Day 4: Miranda del Castañar – San Martín del Castañar – La Alberca | 20km
From Miranda, the trail passes through Villanueva del Conde and Sequeros before entering the Bosque de los Espejos (Forest of Mirrors), an art trail with sculptures scattered through dense oak and hazel forest. From there, the route climbs towards San Martín del Castañar, a protected historic village with a 15th-century castle, where you also get great views from the tower. The final stretch continues along a quiet trail that takes you through the La Legoriza archaeological site, before crossing the Río Francia to return to La Alberca.
- Walking for the day: 20km, ↑880m ↓440m
- Accommodation: Hotel Antiguas Eras or similar in La Alberca
- Optional hotel upgrade: Abadía de los Templarios or similar in La Alberca
Day 5: Departure
Departure after breakfast.
What to expect
Accommodation
Accommodation on this tour includes a mix of mostly small, locally-owned hotels, B&Bs and traditional guesthouses. They have been carefully selected based on a variety of criteria including their location, warm hospitality, fine local food or commitment to natural adventures. All rooms have en-suite or private bathrooms.
Click to view standard hotels
- Hotel Antiguas Eras (La Alberca)
- Posada Miranda (Miranda del Castañar)
Hotels are subject to availability. In the event of a particular hotel being fully booked for your chosen dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal value and quality level. We will provide you with the exact accommodation details upon booking confirmation.
Click to view upgraded hotels
- Abadía de los Templarios (La Alberca)
Hotels are subject to availability. In the event of a particular hotel being fully booked for your chosen dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal value and quality level. We will provide you with the exact accommodation details upon booking confirmation.
Meals
Breakfast is included on all days. When no restaurant location is available en route, lunches and snacks can either be bought from local shops or packed lunches can be pre-ordered from your hotel the night before. Dinner is available either at the accommodation or from restaurants in the local area.
Difficulty and terrain
This walking holiday is suitable for regular walkers, with a good fitness level, who are used to hiking. Most walks described will be 13-20km, taking approximately 3-7h depending on the route. On Day 2 you can expect some extended steep ascents and descents that may also include high mountain terrain.
The routes cover a variety of terrain including dirt paths, forest trails, old mule tracks, and cobblestone streets, with some days involving a couple of steep ascents and descents (read more about difficulty grades).
We strongly advise you only to follow marked trails and never try to shorten the path through unknown and unmarked terrain. We will provide you with detailed route notes and maps and you can call our 24/7 local assistance phone number anytime. More detailed information on route navigation will be included in your holiday information pack.
When to go
This trip is available from March until October due to climate in the region.
The flexibility of self-guided holidays means that there are no fixed dates and you can start your trip on any date within the season.
The Sierra de Francia region enjoys a continental Mediterranean climate, with warm summers and mild spring and autumn conditions. During the winter months temperatures can drop significantly and occasional snow or ice can be found.
Spring (Mar–May) and autumn (September–October) typically see temperatures ranging from 08–22C, with fresh mornings, pleasant daytime conditions and occasional rain showers. These seasons are particularly good for walking, with green landscapes in spring and rich autumn colours later in the year.
Summer (June–August) temperatures generally range between 25–35C, with strong sunshine and very little rainfall. During this period, it is advisable to start walks early in the morning and allow time for rest during the hottest part of the day.
To find out more about when to go, take a look at our blog, the Best time to go to Spain blog.
Getting there
Click to view travel options
By plane
The advised airport to fly into and out of is Aeropuerto de Salamanca (SLM) or Aeropuerto Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas (MAD).
By train or bus
- From Madrid, there are daily train services. For more information visit Renfe or use the Omio planner above
- From Salamanca, there are bus services to La Alberca. For more information visit Autocares Cosme or use the Omio planner above
- A private transfer from and to Salamanca can be arranged at the start and at the end of the tour
Inclusions
Included
- 4 nights accommodation
- 4 breakfasts
- Daily luggage transfers (one piece per person, max 15kg)
- Tour materials: detailed roadbook including maps (digital format), a navigation app for smartphones, and GPS tracks
- 24/7 phone assistance by our local office/representative
Excluded
- International flights and land transfers
- Lunches and dinners, drinks and snacks
- Travel insurance (required – get a quote online)
- Additional travel-related changes in the programme due to bad weather
- Entrance fees for attractions and museums, local tourist tax
- Personal expenses
- Any items not specifically mentioned as included in the programme
- eSIM data for international travel (get an eSIM)
Options, extras and supplements
- If you’re travelling in a group, a supplement applies to group members who would like to have a room of their own
- This holiday is available for solo travellers. However, a supplement will be charged as the cost of rooms and also luggage or private transfers (when applicable) is not shared. Please note that solo travellers are always accommodated in their own room. For logistical reasons, we don’t offer an option for solo travellers to share rooms with other solo travellers
- Hotel upgrade in La Alberca
- A private transfer from and to Salamanca can be arranged at the start and at the end of the tour
- Extra nights before and at the end of the tour can be booked on request
