The banks of the Río Duero are lined with poignant ruined castles amid pretty old towns such as El Burgo de Osma and Lerma. The river cuts through two dramatic networks of canyons, the Cañón del Río Lobos and the Hoz del Duratón. Add to this the Ribera del Duero wine-producing region, one of Spain's most respected, and you could easily spend the best part of a week exploring the area.
These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Ribera del Duero.
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Some 14km south of El Burgo de Osma, one of Spain's most remarkable castles rises above the virtual ghost town of Gormaz (population 21). Built by the Muslims in the 10th century and reportedly the largest Muslim fortress in Europe, the castle was for centuries an important bastion along the frontier between Islamic armies and the Christian forces of the Reconquista. Most of its 21 towers remain and the walls stretch for over a kilometre.
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Perched dramatically over Peñafiel, this castle houses the state-of-the-art Museo Provincial del Vino. A comprehensive story of the region's wines, this wonderful museum has interactive displays, dioramas and wine-tasting (book ahead). The rest of the castle, one of Spain's narrowest, is visited on a 40-minute guided tour which explores the castle's crenellated walls and towers (stretching over 200m, they're little more than 20m across). They were built and modified over 400 years, from the 10th century onward.
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Dating back to the 12th century, the cathedral's architecture evolved as a combination of the Gothic and, subsequently, baroque (notable in the weighty tower). The sanctuary is filled with art treasures, including the 16th-century main altarpiece and the Beato de Osma, a precious 11th-century codex (manuscript) displayed in the Capilla Mayor. Also of note are the circular Capilla de Palafox, a rare example of the neoclassical style in this region, and the beautiful cloister with original Romanesque traces.
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About 8km southeast of Berlanga de Duero stands the Ermita de San Baudelio, the simple exterior of which conceals a remarkable 11th-century Mozarabic interior. A great pillar in the centre of the only nave opens up at the top like a palm tree to create delicate horseshoe arches. It's one of rural Castilla's most surprising finds.
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Get your camera lens poised for one of Spain's most unusual town squares. This rectangular, sandy-floored 15th-century 'square' was one of the first to be laid out for this purpose – it's considered one of the most important forerunners to the plazas mayores across Spain. It's still used for bullfights on ceremonial occasions, and it's watched over by distinctive, half-timbered facades, as well as the grande dame of the castle up on the hill.
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When Fernando seized the Castillo de Gormaz from its Islamic defenders in 1059, one of his first acts in the following year was to construct this small hermitage on the slopes below the castle. While it's not much to look at from the outside, the frescoes inside the main sanctuary are stunning, and one of the region's best-kept secrets. The church is just beyond the village of Gormaz, on the road up to the castle.
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In ruins now, this hermitage was founded in the 7th century by San Frutos and his siblings, San Valentín and Santa Engracia. They lie buried in a tiny chapel nearby. This is a magical place, overlooking one of the many serpentine bends in the gorge, with squadrons of buzzards and eagles soaring above.
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Just outside El Burgo de Osma lie the ruins of Uxama. Originally a Celto-Iberian settlement, it became an important Roman town after falling under Roman control in 99 BCE; it eventually fell to the Muslims in the 8th century. Low-lying remains of a former home and other fragments make you wonder what else lies beneath the earth waiting to be excavated. Further into the site, the 9th-century Atalaya (watchtower) affords fabulous views over the surrounding countryside.
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With Celtiberian roots, Tiermes dates to the 1st century AD and is one of the most important Roman sites in Castilla y León. The pretty 12th-century Romanesque Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de Tiermes that watches over the site serves as testament to its use down through the millennia. Traces of the Roman town remain, including what's left of the houses, mosaic floors, forum and aqueduct, all make this a worthwhile excursion. It's 7km southeast of Montejo de Tiermes.