Within the region of Las Vegas, you’ll be able to enjoy the perfect destination for some rural tourism in Colmenar de Oreja, a municipality situated in the south of the Community of Madrid that you can take advantage of for a peaceful escape.
It’s a locality that’s only 50km from the capital and that is home to a lot of history for you to discover. Do you want to know where its name comes from? It originates from the phrase “Apis Aurelia” in Latin. “Apis” means “Colmenar” and “Aurelia” means “Oreja” which means ear and was previously Orellia and Orella.
As well as its patrimony, you can also enjoy its natural landscapes that two rivers flow through: the Tajo and the Tajuña. If you follow them, they’ll lead you to some very interesting places which their more than 8000 habitants enjoy, or their more than 8000 Colmenaretes (as the people are formally known as) enjoy.
So, what is there for you to see? There are lots of things for you to do and see purely just by taking a walk through the centre. In fact, if you only have one day to spend there, you can participate in a guided visit that will make sure you see everything worth visiting and learn about its most important historical facts while there.
We recommend you start off the visit with the Plaza Mayor (the main square) where you can observe traditional Castilian architecture from the 18th and 19th century. It’s the perfect place for you to have something to eat as it has a wide variety of bars and restaurants for you try some traditional food. You’ll also find the town council building here as well.
Another thing you absolutely cannot miss is the Museum of Ulpiano Checa which honours the works of a famous painter who was born in the locality. His paintings are spread about a few different museums, but the majority of his work is kept here.
The Arch and the Gardens of Zalacatín are emblems of the town. The Arch is more like a bridge that stands over the waters of a stream that flows near the Plaza Mayor and the gardens are the perfect place to go for a nice walk. You’ll even come across the Fuente del Barranco, a fountain that dates back to the 18th century that has since been restored.
In terms of the religious patrimony the main building is the church of Santa María la Mayor where you can admire a spectacular 60-metre-tall tower located right in the centre. However, there’s a presence of religious monuments dotted about all over like the chapel of Santo Cristo del Humilladero that dates back to the 16th century. Lastly, you need to visit the Baroque Convent of La Encarnación.
When do the festivities take place? In this town there’s a different festival every month of the year, although the most important ones are the patron festivals in honour of the Virgin of La Soledad, where there is bull running, concerts and brass bands. The other one is San Isidro Labrador that puts on lots of events for you to participate in like wine tasting. If you like the wine, there are of course opportunities for you to buy a bottle to enjoy in the comfort of your home.
So, what’s the best way to get there? The area is very well connected by motorway so you can either go by car or bus.
And if you like the look of it that much and want to spend a few nights there you can find some amazing holiday cottages in Colmenar de Oreja for you to enjoy your holiday. You can even rent one with a pool and there are plenty of cheap options if you’re travelling out of peak season.
