Close your eyes for a moment and picture a walled medieval village, with no modern buildings, completely unaffected by the passing of time. Now open and rejoice in the fact that a place like this still exists in the province of Segovia, Spain.
Think Game of Thrones but much, MUCH better. Why? Because itโs real. This is not a Hollywood set thatโll be torn down in a monthโs time. This village has remained unbelievably well-preserved for more than 700 years. Unlike a movie set, it isnโt going away any time soon.
This beautiful village has less than 500 inhabitants who help run the local hotels, restaurants, bars, shops, and galleries. Thereโs only a handful of these establishments, which isnโt surprising considering it only takes you about 20 minutes to walk around the entire village. Life is simple and quiet in Pedraza which is how the locals like it. Donโt get me wrong, they welcome visitors and are very proud to show off their history.
Pedraza was declared a national Historical Heritage site in 1951 and itโs easy to see why. The entire village is surrounded by a wall with one crumbling door which lets visitors in and out. Just imagine, more than two cars trying to get in and out at the same time can cause a terrible traffic jam! But Iโd choose rush hour in Pedraza over Los Angeles any day.
Spend time in the Main Plaza or, Plaza Mayor, and be sure to visit one of the bars. I think there are only two in total but they are very unique and keep the old Spanish tradition of serving a free tapa, or small plate of food, when you order a drink. If your Spanish is good enough, donโt be shy about conversing with the locals. If youโre lucky, one particular bar owner will share with you her fascinating family history. Sheโll be happy to explain how her bar has been in her family for five generations, and that she was born just upstairs. Youโll quickly realize that every building in Pedraza has a story. Above the door of many homes there are still Coats of Arms, some dating back to the 16th century.
From Thursday through Sunday, Pedraza Castle is open to visitors. This fortress dates back to the 13th century and was heavily transformed in the 15h century. Today it belongs to the Zuloaga Family where Spanish painter Ignacio Zuloaga displays his art work in one of the castleโs rooms. Be sure to climb the castle and walk around the wall for beautiful views of the village and the surrounding province of Segovia.
Another medieval attraction, and the only other one in Pedraza, would be a prison right at the entrance to the village. Itโs mostly open on the weekends and only costs a few euros to enter. Itโs small, dark, terrifying and utterly fascinating. Youโll leave feeling extremely thankful you werenโt a criminal back in medieval times.
On the first and second Saturday in July, the lights of the village are switched off and candles are replaced inside each house. The locals also decorate their patios and windows in an effort to light the entire village with candlelight. The Night of the Candles would be an ideal time to visit, and itโs certainly the only time of the year youโll see more than a few tourists in Pedraza at one given time!
There are a few tour companies who will take you from Madrid by bus to visit Segovia and Pedraza in a day. Thatโs probably the easiest way to get there. However, Iโd highly recommend visiting on your own. It might be a small village but a visit to Pedraza shouldnโt be rushed. A Spanish company called Linecar offers a bus from Madrid to Pedraza, but it only runs on certain days of the week. Iโd suggest contacting Madrid or Segoviaโs tourism boards to help organize your transportation since Linecarโs website might be difficult to navigate if you donโt speak Spanish. Or if youโre renting a car, itโs only a 90 minute drive from Madrid!
Pedraza is certainly a hidden gem, but I can assure you, itโs worth all of the effort once youโre there.
Is Pedraza on your travel list?
That place spells like awesome! The walls, the color, the vibe.
It’s definitely awesome! ๐
Oh this place is just gorgeous. Thanks for sharing!
It’s a very special place, Carmen!
oh my gosh, Pedraza is all kinds of awesome!! My heart is longing for it, even though I have never been!!!
You must visit! It’s definitely awesome! Thanks for reading ๐
The place looks seriously awesome! Loved all the photos. I’d love to visit this village someday.
I hope you get to visit too! It’s pretty special. Thanks for reading!
My Maiden Name is Pedraza. My father told me stories of his ancestors and they came from this Pedraza place. So awesome!
Oh that’s wonderful!! Thanks for sharing!
Pedraza sounds amazing! I already have a long-standing love affair with Spain, and I think this is yet another reason for a return visit ๐
Spain is just a wonderful country, I’m glad you agree!
I absolutely LOVE spain! It’s one of those countries that I’ve said I could live in. I have never heard of Pedraza though. So excited to find another gem that I can explore next time I go back ๐
I feel the same way about Spain!
Looks great! Reminds me of the Teruel region we visited last year, mainly La Fresneda.
I Would love to visit Pedraza in Spain, as it is my maiden’s name, My Dad’s last name Pedraza.
Thank you for sharing!
Maria Pedraza