Valdevarnés offers several distinct points of interest for a stay: the Romanesque Iglesia Parroquial de San Cristóbal, the underground wineries on the hillside and the Hoz de Valdevarnés in the area surrounding the river of the same name. There is also a route whose length and duration warrant setting aside a dedicated block of time. This lets you weigh up architectural and cultural heritage, landscape and an activity lasting several hours.

Church and Cultural Heritage

The Iglesia Parroquial de San Cristóbal is a single-nave Romanesque church. Its Romanesque portal preserves bricked-up arches. Different architectural features come together here: the single nave describes the floor plan, while the portal is distinguished by its arches. The church also contains 16th-century Neoclassical paintings by Gabriel de Sosa. The Ermita de Nuestra Señora de la Esperanza is also part of the town’s monumental heritage. Thus, the cultural theme encompasses both specific details of San Cristóbal and another distinct building.

Hillside Wineries

Numerous underground wineries lie above the settlement. Their wooden doors open outwards and are framed by large stone jambs and stone lintels. Their location and design give the wineries a distinctive architectural form: the rooms are underground on the hillside, and their entrances are marked by the wood and stone surrounds. At the same time, they continue to serve a social purpose. Although winegrowing disappeared several decades ago, the wineries are still used for festive gatherings with family and friends. Visitors who want to explore Valdevarnés beyond its religious buildings will find a different theme here: underground spaces and communal use.

Landscape and Route

The Hoz de Valdevarnés nature area lies in the vicinity of the Valdevarnés River. This landscape theme adds a distinct connection to the river and its surroundings to the town’s architectural features. The nature area and the route are separate aspects: the La hoz de Valdevarnés route is listed as 15.88 kilometres long, of moderate difficulty and with an approximate duration of four to five hours. It runs from Maderuelo to the Santuario de Hornuez.

With this duration, the route is not a short addition between other activities, but an outing lasting several hours. Bear this time commitment in mind when planning your day, and leave room for the other interests you would like to pursue in Valdevarnés. The Romanesque church and the wineries offer a different focus from the route; which themes can be combined therefore also depends on how much time you set aside for the longer journey.

Planning Your Stay

The different scales of the attractions can help you choose between culture, landscape and activity: San Cristóbal can be appreciated through its floor plan, portal and paintings; the Ermita is another part of the monumental heritage. The wineries combine a distinctive underground architectural form with their current use for festive gatherings. The nature area is part of the river’s surroundings, while the named route has a clearly defined time commitment and its own start and end points. If you want to focus on a longer activity, factor the approximate four to five hours into your plans. If you are more interested in architectural and local features, the church and wineries offer different points of interest for your stay.

Discover more destinations: La Velilla, Cabezuela, Valverde Del Majano, Coca, Saldaña de Ayllón, Zarzuela del Pinar, Espirdo, La Lastrilla

For the wider travel overview: Segovia.