Introduction

CASTILLA… NATURE MEDIEVAL VILLAGES AND GREGORIAN CHANTS

4 days/3 nights – Santo Domingo de Silos
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Castilla: medieval villages

The GASTRONOMIC EXPERIENCE. This kind of itinerary could become in a genial opportunity to taste local specialties in charming restaurants some of them inside singular buildings etc, A very special suggestion.. Every day you will be able to listen the unique spectacle of Gregorian chants of the Benedictins monks, at the end of the journey during your stay in S.Domingo.

Other itinerary suggestion: We could add in itinerary SEGOVIA (Alcazar and the best preserved Roman Acqueduc), PEDRAZA (whole village a National Monument),… Also you could add some more walking portion (about 1 to 2 hrs each): Canyon Rio Lobos, Canyon Rio Riaza (vultures and huge birds WWF reserve). So this itinerary could become easily till 5, 6 or 7 days full of interest.

DAY 1 MADRID-SANTO DOMINGO DE SILOS

Airport Arrival to Madrid airport and direct departure to Lerma. LERMA (200 kms, 2 hrs 15 minutes ) If time available, we suggest a short stop to walk in exceptional main square from XVIIth century STO DOMINGO SILOS
(30 kms, 40 minutes). Monastery of Santo Domingo Silos was very important in middle age as center of wisdom and culture.. Presently it is one of the few places in the world where you can listen and watch mass in Gregorian rite, a ‘must’ for classic music lovers (timetable depends on season and day of the week). Dinner and overnight at hotel.

DAY 2 STO DOMINGO SILOS-PINEDA DE LA SIERRA-COVARRUBIAS-QUINTANILLA DE LAS VILLAS-STO. DOMINGO DE SILOS

Breakfast, dinner and overnight at hotel. We will drive with the coach till Barbadillo de los Herreros (40 kms, about 1 hour) or Riocabado de la Sierra where we will start to walk along the The Green Routes (= Via Verde) in Sierra la Demanda…Spectacular. I suggest you to walk till Pineda de la Sierra about 20 kms, very easy to reach in about 4 hours along a nice natural untouched mountains route inside a wood of oaks. PINEDA SIERRA is considered for many people the nicest village of Burgos : exceptional tiny medieval village.Take your time to enjoy it. In the afternoon we will visit COVARRUBIAS nice village, with middle age atmosphere streets. And the little church of QUINTANILLA VIÑAS which is a very singular masterpiece of visigothic art, due to it was built before the muslim occupation, VIIIth century, there are a few in Spain. Return to hotel.

DAY 3 STO DOMINGO SILOS-BURGOS-SANTO DOMINGO DE SILOS

Breakfast, dinner and overnight at hotel. We will drive with the coach till Pineda de la Sierra (50 kms, about 55 minutes) where we will had end the previous day, and today we will follow along the The via Verde in Sierra la Demanda. I suggest you walk till Urrez about 15 kms, very easy to reach in about 3 hours along the woods in the side of the lake formed by the dam of river Arlanzon. We will drive till the near BURGOS (30 kms, 35 minutes) Afternoon guided city tour ,We will visita medieval village, which still maintains itsoriginal structure andin particularits cathedral, perhaps the bestofGothicSpain.Evena visit to theCartuja(Charterhouse).. Return to hotel.

DAY 4 S. DOMINGO SILOS-MADRID

Breakfast at hotel. Departure to MADRID airport (200 kms, 2hrs 45 minutes). Transfer to the airport.