Free walking tours in Fuentidueña and what to see

Must-sees

Fuentidueña is a medieval town in north-eastern Segovia, overlooking the Duratón river and once the head of a Comunidad de Villa y Tierra. It keeps much of its walls, with gates such as that of Alfonso VIII, and on the hill stand the remains of its castle. On the town square are the town hall and the Comunidad house, and nearby is the Romanesque church of San Miguel, with its Puerta de los Perdones.

The most curious story is up the hill: the ruins of the church of San Martín, whose Romanesque apse was dismantled stone by stone and is now displayed at The Cloisters museum in New York. Next to it is the necropolis, with some two hundred tombs carved into the rock. Below, by the river, are the church of Santa María la Mayor, the old bridge and the ruins of the Magdalena hospital.

Free tours and guided visits

There are no regular free tours in Fuentidueña, and the town is easy to explore on your own, following the walls and climbing up to San Martín. The most practical plan is to combine it with your own route around the local Romanesque or the Duratón gorge. Trips to the north-east of the province leave from Segovia and Madrid, although they usually focus on Sepúlveda and do not always stop here.

How long to spend

Two or three hours let you see the walls, San Miguel, the ruins of San Martín with the necropolis and walk down to the river. It is a good half-day stop within a longer trip. If you like the Romanesque, give it the whole day and add other villages in the area; with a weekend you can reach Sepúlveda or Cuéllar.

Where to stay

Fuentidueña is very small and has hardly any accommodation, with the odd rural house in the town itself or nearby villages, ideal if you are looking for silence and clear skies. For more options, Cuéllar and Sepúlveda have more choice and are half an hour or a little more by car. Peñafiel, across the border in Valladolid, is another nearby base with wineries to visit.