Historic Downtown, Castile and Leon, Spain
4.5 (573 reviews) Spent Ranking #1 in Province of Salamanca Historic Sites • Scenic Walking Areas
Outstanding and lovely old village
I do not know where the “Downtown” comes from. Much more appropriate would be Casco Historic or Historic Centre The Lonely Planet Guide to Spain says “this mountainous region with wooded hillsides and pretty stone and timber villages is among Castilla y Leon’s best kept secrets … you could easily spend days exploring .. the pace of life remains relatively untouched by the modern world”. La Alberca is the main and most visited of the 5 historic villages in the area. Of the others, Mogarraz is best. In fact it is wonderful. It is like La Alberca without any visitors, San Martin del Castañar was next best, Miranda del Castañar was Ok and Sequeros was a bit disappointing. All three La Alberca, Mogarraz and San Martin del Castañar are very similar, with fabulous narrow lanes full of “gloriously ramshackle” half-timbered houses built of stone, wood, lathe and plaster. Try to avoid weekends to see them at their quietest and best.
Address
Plaza Mayor 11, 37624 La Alberca Spain
Mobile
Website
http://www.laalberca.com
Current local date and time now
Wednesday, May 15, 2024, 15:50
User Ratings
4.5 based on (573 reviews)
Reviews
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5Leeza9 5:00 PM Oct 20, 2015
Unreal
La Alberca is an absolutely beautiful place. They have preserved the town very well. It is like what you see in medieval movies, except its REAL! The downtown area is a great place to get turron and other treats. The shops have very unique items.
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5adventureexperience1 5:00 PM Jan 2, 2017
Great, Quaint, Sentimental, Photographic Small Town
Visited here twice. Town itself is small and is easily walkable. Type of place you could spend 30 minutes, or an entire day. Walking from one end to the other in town is about 10 minutes, however, experiencing all the small streets is where more time is needed. There are not many streets, but the architecture and style of the town are engaging for the visually minded. It is a photographers delight. The streets are very narrow. While I was not in any of the homes, I have a suspicion that some of the homes may be very modern inside, as I saw in a few open doors. However, the externals of the town are old and historic. I explored every street, shot hundreds of photos, and made sure to walk the perimeter of the town also, Make sure to not only walk in town, but walk on the roads leading at least 3/4 of a mile away from town. Check out the cemetery about 1/2 mile from town (easily walkable). Notice the water troughs in town and walking to the cemetery. Notice the crosses in and around town. Notice the small chapel about 1/2 mile outside of town. There are some touristy shops in town and a couple of restaurants, but don't count on any fast food places, big grocery stores, or department stores! I hung around the town and explored as much as possible and saw some older residents and young children who were living day to day life. Make sure to research prior to visiting if you want to visit the church, restaurants, and shops to make sure they are open. One time while I was there for a few days, the church was never open and I wanted to see the inside. The other time I was there I did have the opportunity to see inside, but that was a special arrangement made for a group. Likewise, I was there once in the summer and once in the winter and openings for restaurants was very sparse in the winter. Since it is a small town, it can get tourist jammed on the main street. Take an extra 5 minute walk from the square in the middle to get away from the tourists and experience the side streets. The shops in town are very touristy, but still fun and OK, and a good place to get a few trinkets. In all of my travels, this has been one of my 'surprise' experiences and one of my favorite towns. I would easily go back with friends, or by myself, if I was in the area. (My visits were a few years ago, not Sept. 2016 as indicated, but this is a stop I want to recommend if someone is in the area).
