Free walking tours in Vinuesa and what to see

Must-sees

Vinuesa is a village in the Pinares district, in northern Soria, at the foot of the Sierra de Urbión and beside the Cuerda del Pozo reservoir. Its cobbled old town keeps stone manor houses and palaces from the 17th and 18th centuries, a legacy of the heyday of transhumant sheep farming, such as the Casa de los Ramos on Calle Luenga and the palace of the Marquises of Vilueña. The Gothic-Renaissance church of Nuestra Señora del Pino holds a Baroque main altarpiece, one of the most valuable in the province.

The great natural attraction is the Laguna Negra, a glacial lake surrounded by rock walls and pine forests, within the Laguna Negra y Circos Glaciares de Urbión Nature Park. From there, trails lead to the Laguna de Urbión and the Pico de Urbión. On the way is the park visitor centre, with an exhibition and an interpretive trail. Near the village, a Roman bridge emerges from the reservoir when the water drops.

Free tours and guided visits

There are no regular free walking tours in Vinuesa. The village is easy to explore on your own, and for the natural side the most useful stop is the park visitor centre, which has information on routes and activities in the protected area. Guided hikes are organised in the pine forests and mountains and, in autumn, outings to hear the red deer rut. Day trips to the Laguna Negra also run from Soria.

How long to spend

A couple of hours are enough for the old town. The Laguna Negra and the visitor centre take half a day, as for much of the year you can't drive to the shore and must walk the last stretch from the car park. With two days you can climb the Pico de Urbión. In mid-August the Virgen del Pino fiestas are held, with the Pinochada, the village's most unusual festival.

Where to stay

The best option is to stay in Vinuesa's old town, where there are rural houses in traditional buildings, or on the outskirts facing the reservoir. That way the Laguna Negra is a few kilometres away and the village is on foot for dinner. If you can't find a room, Covaleda, Duruelo de la Sierra or Molinos de Duero, in the same district, have more rural accommodation.