MADRID – The Association of the Most Beautiful Villages in Spain has announced six new additions. This happened during the national assembly in Chinchón (Madrid). The six acquisitions for 2023 are on the list from January 1.
All the municipalities of the villages on the list collaborate with the Association of the Most Beautiful Villages in Spain to promote their destinations. They are all gems to put on your list to visit during 2023. The new additions to the list of the most beautiful villages in Spain are Durro, Arties and Garós in the province of Lérida, Castrojeriz in Burgos, El Burgo de Osma in Soria and Trevélez in Granada. These villages join the prestigious club of 111 locations.
Purpose
The purpose of the Association of the Most Beautiful Villages in Spain is “to make known small municipalities, preferably nationwide, grouped under the same quality brand, through promotional actions and cultural events that the association undertakes both inside and outside Spain”.
Forty criteria
The villages on the list must meet the more than forty criteria that are set. Think of aspects such as care for heritage, harmony in the municipality, cleanliness, preservation of facades, traffic situation, care of flowers and green areas, planned cultural activity or attention to traditions. We present to you the new ‘Pueblos Más Bonitos de España’.
Durro (Lerida)
Durro is a small village with only 80 inhabitants. It is located in the Bohí Valley, in the Alta Ribagorza region at an altitude of 1,384 metres. The medieval beauty invites the visitor to stroll through the cobbled streets and enjoy the tranquillity and beautiful surroundings. Interesting is the 12th-century church Iglesia de la Natividad de la Madre de Diós. The five-storey tower is recognised as a World Heritage Site. The church is part of the group of Romanesque churches of the Bohí Valley.
On the outskirts of the city, on top of a mountain, the hermitage of San Quirce is accessible on foot or by car and offers a beautiful viewpoint of the surroundings.
Arties (Lerida)
Located in the Catalan Pyrenees at the point where the rivers Valarties and Garona meet in the Valle d’Arán, Arties is another hidden gem in the Catalan Pyrenees. It is located at an altitude of 1,144 metres and has 486 inhabitants. Also here is a Romanesque church from the 12th century. It has been declared a Cultural Heritage of National Importance. Inside is an original 15th-century altarpiece depicting various biblical scenes from the Virgin Mary’s life, considered a masterpiece of Gothic painting.
Also visit the church of San Juan, in Gothic style; the remains of the castle of Arties or Entrasaigües; the tower and chapel of the Casa de Los Portolà, from the 16th century; or the Baths of Arties.
Garos (Lerida)
In the same Catalan mountain province, we go to Garós, also in the Aran valley. This village is located at an altitude of 1,115 metres on the right slope of the Garonne. Garós with only 136 inhabitants is an ideal base to enjoy the mountains, tranquillity and nature.
In the centre of the town is the Romanesque-Gothic parish church of San Julián. It was built in the 12th century and renovated in the 15th century. The interior houses a carved Christ, a Gothic statue of the Virgin and a silver processional cross.
Castrojeriz (Burgos)
The town of Castrojeriz in Burgos belongs to the Odra-Pisguerga region and is a popular stop on the Camino de Santiago. With a rich historical heritage, especially the Castle of Castrojeriz, the Casa El Fuerte, the Tower, the Parish Church of Santa María, San Juan and Santo Domingo, the Church of Nuestra Señora del Manzano – which currently houses the Museum of Sacred Art– and the Monastery of Santa Clara is worth a visit.
In addition, the ruins of the Monastery of San Antón are located on the road from Castrojeriz to the municipality of Hontanas (3 kilometres outside the village). It is an ancient temple whose arch welcomes pilgrims and promises them that there is little distance left before the next stop on their pilgrimage route.
El Burgo de Osma (Soria)
El Burgo de Osma is the largest of these six villages on the list, with almost 5,000 inhabitants. It had already been declared a Village of Tourist Interest and a Historic-Artistic Site. The town is home to incredible treasures of great historical-artistic value. Below, is the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption (12th-18th century). Three artistic styles coexist here: Romanesque, Gothic (making up most of the building) and Renaissance (the façade and the staircase).
Also interesting are the city wall (15th century), the Hospital de San Agustín (17th and 18th century), the Iglesia del Carmen (16th century), the University of Santa Catalina (16th century), the Episcopal Palace (16th century) and the Town Hall (18th century).
The castle is located on the edge of El Burgo de Osma. Dating from the 10th, 11th and 18th centuries, it offers spectacular views over the city and the gorge.
Trevelez (Granada)
The Alpujarra of Granada is home to wonderful villages. Three of them were already on the list of the most beautiful villages in Spain, namely Pampaneira, Bubión and Capileira. Now Trevelez can also join them. This is the highest village in the south of Spain. It is located on the southern flank of the highest mountain on the Spanish mainland, the Mulhacen. The history of Trevelez is far-reaching, as remains of Neolithic settlements have been found there.
Related: Forgotten villages in Andalucia
The arrival of the Arabs in this part of Spain largely shaped the current municipality, just like the other villages in this area. The layout had a lot to do with the irrigation system. Lots of terraced agriculture and a village divided into three: high, middle and low.
Trevelez is located in the Sierra Nevada National Park at almost 1,500 metres above sea level. The air is fresh and clean and is used to dry the famous hams that come from there.
Lovers of nature and the great outdoors will find Trévelez a paradise to explore through 14 scenic itineraries. In the village, it is nice to visit the San Benito church, the Hermitage of San Antonio, and La Virgen de Las Nieves.
The elected municipalities have pledged to cherish and improve all that makes their villages so special.
Click here for the list of all the most beautiful villages in Spain.
