Free walking tours in Somosierra and what to see

Must-sees

Somosierra is the northernmost and highest municipality in the Madrid region, next to the mountain pass of the same name, at over 1,400 metres, which separates Madrid's Sierra Norte from Segovia province. It is a very small village with few inhabitants that grew up as an obligatory crossing between the two Castiles on the old road from Madrid to Burgos. Its parish church is Nuestra Señora de las Nieves, rebuilt several times over its history.

The place with the most history is the hermitage of Nuestra Señora de la Soledad, at the top of the pass, beside the old road. It recalls the Battle of Somosierra in 1808, during the Peninsular War, when Napoleon's Polish light cavalry charged the Spanish positions. The hermitage has plaques in memory of the soldiers. Nearby, the Dehesa Bonita forest and the Litueros waterfall, on the Segovia side, stand out.

Free tours and guided visits

There are no free walking tours or regular guided visits in Somosierra, which you can see on your own in a short time. The activities are in the surroundings: the best known is canyoning on the river Duratón, in Segovia province, a guided water and rock experience. There are also hiking routes in the Sierra Norte you can do on your own along waymarked paths.

How long to spend

The village and the hermitage at the pass can be seen in an hour or two. If you add a walk through the Dehesa Bonita or to the Litueros waterfall, allow half a day or a full day. Over a weekend you can combine it with Buitrago de Lozoya and other Sierra Norte villages, or with Sepúlveda and the Duratón gorges on the other side of the pass.

Where to stay

Accommodation in Somosierra is very limited, so look in neighbouring villages. On the Madrid side, Robregordo, La Acebeda or Buitrago de Lozoya have rural houses and places to stay in the heart of the Sierra Norte. On the Segovia side, Sepúlveda is the best base if you are canyoning or walking along the Duratón, with more services and a very charming old town.