The saying goes that Zamora was not won in an hour. how much reason The province of Zamora is undoubtedly one of the great unknown in Spain. With one of the lowest population densities in the country (17 inhab/km² compared to almost 800 in Madrid) and a powerful nature, Zamora combines tranquility, culture, nature and gastronomy like few other places in our geography.
As a starting point, a good option is to place the base camp in the capital itself. Located in the center of the province, it allows you to visit distant points in less than 100 kilometers. Another alternative is to rent a rural house in any of its towns. It is advisable, for reasons of mobility, if you are going to make a route through the province, look for accommodation in the towns located in the central area.
Romanesque, Romanesque and Romanesque:
Zamora is the city in Europe with the most Romanesque temples in its municipal area, up to a total of 23, of which 14 are in the historical case. Crowned by a Romanesque cathedral that bathes the Duero and that presents a dome with a particular external decoration of scales, in Zamora there is also a castle, walls, a bridge, two palaces and nine houses in this style. For this reason it is considered “the city of the Romanesque”.
The gathering of their processions
The city of Zamora has one of the most renowned Holy Weeks in Spain. The sobriety of its processions, which contrasts with the animation of those of the South, has moved travelers since time immemorial.
Stroll through the streets of the capital
Especially on Balborraz street, with a steep climb. It is convenient to climb it from the river, with fit legs, that is.
Santa Clara streets and its continuation, Ramos Carrion and Rua de los Francos, structure the axis of the city center.
You cannot leave without visiting the Plaza de Viriato, with a statue of the Lusitanian leader who, according to the locals, was born in this area. A kind of Colon a la Zamora, the object of some controversy.
An inspiring sight
The banks of the Duero are as Gabinete Caligari said in Soria, yes. But also in Zamora. Cross the river and walk along its shore, contemplating the view of the city, with the cathedral on top. It is worth sitting down to watch the calm of the river go by, meek, already on its way to its mouth after having traveled the fields of Castilla and about to enter Portugal.
Enjoy the modernist style
how do you hear Zamora experienced an important urban and architectural development from the mid-19th century, when the city expanded at the expense of a large part of the wall. Powerful buildings exponents of modernism prove it. There is a route to enjoy modernist Zamora.
Tasting el arroz a la zamorana
You will not go hungry in Zamora. It is a forceful rice, like a kind of soupy rice with a lot of slaughter. Forceful and powerful, with a flavor of Zamora, one of the best you can try in La Rua, located in the heart of Rua de Los Francos street (25 euros per beard).
Go for gray hair and pinchos in the center of Zamora
Some of the reference points are the Calle de los Herreros, which leaves from the Plaza Mayor. Classics on this street: Los Abuelos I, Lasal, almost at the end, which is famous for its elaborate pinchos.
“Chori”, with a grill where the specialty is chorizo. But without a doubt there is a place with magic in Zamora, where to sit and contemplate how this city moves is the ‘Viriato’. a modernist-style cafe with exceptional round tables and a variety of skewers.
Beber sin parar vino de Toro
Bottles of Matsu wine: the roguish, the strong and the old.
Toro wine is the quintessential wine from this area of Spain. It is a full-bodied, forceful wine.
Its wineries have innovated in the product (formerly seen as table wine), with the introduction of various varieties and winemakers from France to exploit the region’s wine wealth.
But the innovation has extended to the bottles, very original in many cases, either because of the glass itself, or because of the striking labeling.
Visit the collegiate church of Toro and its spectacular portico
An obligatory visit is the Collegiate Church of Toro, with its spectacular Romanesque dome, in direct competition with the Zamora in splendor and beauty. The collegiate church has a valued portico. You have to pay to enter, but nothing matters.
Live Los Arribes from a boat
Los Arribes are a jewel that nature gives us. They are made up of a zone of depression or of lower altitude, through which the Duero and several of its tributaries flow, and another of peneplain or of higher altitude.
The arribes are the steep slopes that are located on both sides of the rivers. To enjoy them, a good option is to see them from the boat that has its mooring in the vicinity of Miranda de Douro, on the other side of the border. By the way, it is undoubtedly a good option to walk through the streets of Miranda.
Stroll through Fermoselle
A town perched on a cliff, in the middle of some beautiful (perhaps beautiful) and calm lands, in the vicinity of the arribes del Duero. That is Fermoselle, a haven of peace that is well worth a walk through its streets and its mountains. It is a good base to visit the Arribes in its bordering area with Salamanca.
Buy a pottery casserole from Pereruela
The pottery in refractory clay from Pereruela de Sayago is a famous example of how tradition endures in these lands. With an important local industry dedicated to pottery, this town in the Sayago region is famous for its enameled pottery that has been made for centuries.
See a Visigothic church
The Church of San Pedro de la Nave, near the capital Zamora, is an example of a Visigothic Church, of which there are not many. It had to be moved stone by stone due to the construction of a swamp in the vicinity. But it is complete.
Eating in a cave
‘El Perdigon’ is known for its ‘bodegas’, located in many cases in caves. There you can taste all kinds of roast meat.
Go hiking in the lake of Sanabria
Lake Sanabria is the largest natural lake in Spain. It has several sand and stone beaches interspersed with trees and nature where both swimming and fishing are allowed. Walking around the lake will bring you closer to the heights.
