Best Things to do in Soria and Around

November 18, 2019
soria duero douro river rio spain otoño autumn fall foliage
Soria is a hidden gem located in central northern Spain, at the eastern end of the Castile and Leon region. This land of poets is about two hours from Madrid and is one of the least populated regions in Spain. The city lies by river Douro (or Duero as we say in Spanish) which is right now surrounded by spectacular fall foliage. Therefore fall is the optimal season to visit the area.

On this blog post you are going to find a complete guide to Soria and the surrounding area: best things to do, what to see, day trips, typical food and much more. Let's take a look at this gem waiting to be discovered. At the end of this post you can find a map that you can take with you on your trip.
soria duero douro river rio spain otoño autumn fall foliage
soria duero douro river rio spain otoño autumn fall foliage
soria duero douro river rio spain otoño autumn fall foliage landscape
soria duero douro river rio spain otoño autumn fall foliage
More interesting places in Castile and Leon:
The Complete Guide to Leon
A Guide to Avila for First Time Visitors
Spectacular Roman Ruins in Palencia
Palacio de la Granja de San Ildefonso in Segovia

THINGS TO DO IN SORIA: HERITAGE

Soria's heritage is a history lovers dream. From the archeological site of Numancia, to its numerous Romanic churches, Soria is one of the most important parts of Spain in terms of historical sites. Plus, it has been birthplace and home to very important poets and writers such as Antonio Machado, Gerardo Diego, Gustavo Adolfo Becquer and athletes as well.

These are the places in Soria that you can't miss:
  • Numancia: just 8 kilometres from Soria there is a settlement that dates back to the 3rd century BC and is set atop a hill. Here you can find defensive walls, streets, houses or thermal baths. Part of it has been reconstructed which helps you imagine what life was like back in the day. If you go there in summer, on the last Saturday in July, different episodes from the war between Romans and Numancians are re-enacted in the very ruins of the city. Plan your visit
  • Arcos de San Juan de Duero: this monastery was built between the 12th and 13th centuries and the most impressive feature is the arcaded cloister that still maintains the original Gothic and Mudejar elements.
  • Ermita de San Saturio: this 18th-century Baroque chapel blends perfectly with the mountain and looks as if the building had naturally grown from the stone. Inside you can see impressive frescos that narrate the life of San Saturio, a hermit from the 5th-century family who donated all his goods to the poor and went to live in this grotto where you can find his tomb.
  • Walking paths to San Saturio are lovely specially this time of the year. Leave the car and walk along river Duero from Arcos de San Juan to Ermita de San Saturio and enjoy the landscape. It takes about 30 minutes.
  • Church of Santo Domingo: this spectacular Romanesque temple was built using the façade of the church of Notre-Dame la Grande in Poitiers as a reference.
  • Palacio de los Condes de Gomara: this impressive 16th-century Renaissance palace cannot be visited as it is being used as the Provincial Court, but admiring the architecture is totally worth it.
soria spain numancia yacimiento arqueologico
soria spain numancia yacimiento arqueologico
arcos monasterio san juan duero soria
arcos monasterio san juan duero soria
soria spain chapel san saturio ermita autumn otoño fall foliage landscape

THINGS TO DO IN SORIA: DAY TRIPS

Soria is a natural paradise with stunning forests and rivers. It's a predominantly agricultural region and thanks to the vast areas of countryside we can admire spectacular views and scenes around the area. When you visit Soria make sure you have time for the following:
  • Natural Park of the Urbion Mountain Range and Laguna Negra: this fascinating lagoon lies within massive granite walls surrounded by infinite pine groves. Since you are in the area, you can't miss the quaint village of Calatañazor.
  • Cañon del Rio Lobos: this beautiful natural park belongs to two regions, Burgos and Soria. It is a deep 25-kilometre-long calcareous canyon formed by the erosion of the Lobos River passing through this land. 
  • Acebal Garagüeta: this is the biggest holly forest in the Iberian Peninsula and in southern Europe. If you continue driving north you can find Yanguas a village that is on the list of the Most Beautiful Villages in Spain.
  • Medinaceli is also on the list of the Most Beautiful Villages in Spain. The spectacular old town is on top of a mountain and consists of houses made of stone and several Catholic heritage buildings. We stopped at Medinaceli for lunch on our way back to Madrid and we really enjoyed the visit. We had a delicious meal at Bavieca Restaurant. They have an amazing menu that includes starter, main and dessert for just 20€. 
medinaceli soria spain pueblo bonito calle casa piedra quaint
medinaceli soria spain pueblo bonito calle casa piedra quaint
medinaceli soria spain pueblo bonito paisaje

WHERE TO STAY IN SORIA

Paradores are our absolute favorite hotels in Spain. In fact, we are on a quest to visit all 98 of them. We love the remarkable quality and how friendly and professional the staff always is. My favorite Paradores are those located in historical buildings and even though the one in Soria is a modern building, it didn't disappoint. Being as cold as it was outside made the Parador extra cozy, especially on the morning we left when it started to snow and we could see a very Christmasy sight while having breakfast. Another unforgettable memory from Paradores...
You can book your stay at Parador de Soria here

Read more posts about Paradores
parador soria antonio machado hotel restaurante
parador soria antonio machado hotel restaurante pedro ximenez
parador soria antonio machado hotel restaurante fachada otoño

THINGS TO DO IN SORIA: FOOD YOU MUST TRY

Right now that is mushroom season, you have to try the different types that grow in the area. All year round torreznos de Soria are very typical, they are meat obtained from pork belly, marinated and once dried, cut into strips and fried in olive oil. The result is a very tasty and crunchy appetizer. Butter industry is also very big in Soria and they make with it a delicious sweet treat called mantequilla dulce (sweet butter). However, the number one dessert in this region is costrada, a classic and traditional pastry made with puff pastry and two fillings; meringue and pastry cream, crowned with almonds.
torreznos soria medinaceli restaurante bavieca

WHAT TO SHOP IN SORIA

The best place to buy Soria's top things, like sweet butter, is bakery and patisserie Mantequeria York.

THINGS TO DO IN SORIA: MAP

This Soria region map includes all the things you need to do in the area. Click on the star next to the title to save to your maps in Google.

WEATHER IN SORIA

Soria is famous for being one of the coldest places in Spain. The cold wind we experienced on the weekend we visited is one of the most freezing we've ever felt. So layer up!
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21 comments

  1. Soria is such a beautiful place. The foliage, the scenery and the architecture makes for a perfect backdrop and relaxing ambiance. Love your pom scarf and how you wore it.

    Maureen | www.littlemisscasual.com

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  2. Beautiful! Although I've never been to Soria, I did see similar terrain nearby along the Camino de Santiago many years ago. Such a lovely part of Spain. Thank you for sharing your experience.

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  3. http://ladyfi.wordpress.comNovember 19, 2019 at 5:54 PM

    Looks wonderful!

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  4. Lovely scenery!

    I'm happy to see your link at 'My Corner of the World' this week!


    My Corner of the World

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  5. What a gorgeous place indeed. Your photos are stunning dear!
    Jessica | notjessfashion.com

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  6. What a lovely place!


    Thanks for sharing at https://image-in-ing.blogspot.com/2019/11/urp.html

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  7. So beautiful! Love all the color. Cute winter look you have on too.

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  8. That looks a great place to visit!!

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  9. Your posts always inspire me to explore more of Spain and I love how you shed light on the lesser known areas. We really enjoyed our trip to Aragon so it looks as though I should explore further into Northern Spain next time. Thanks for sharing on #farwawayfiles

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  10. Thanks, Maureen! I'm glad you like the scarf, it's one of my favorites :)

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  11. Walking the Camino is on my bucket list. It must be such a rewarding experience

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  12. So beautiful! I have always wanted to go to Spain!

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  13. Ahh - thank you for highlighting this lesson known region of Spain. Soria looks lovely. It's one of the things I love about the #FarawayFiles travel blog community - always finding new places to explore. Cheers from Copenhagen.

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  14. Wow your pictures are absolutely stunning! Everything looks so enchanting - what a lovely review! Thanks for linking up with #KCACOLS and hope you come back again next time x

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  15. What a pretty spot - especially in autumn! I knew nothing about Soria before reading this, another great find! #FarawayFiles

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  16. Soria looks amazing! I have been to Spain many times but I have never been to Soria before. I lived in Madrid for a year and did a car road around the south of the country. It was mesmerising. Thanks so much for sharing your post with us at #kcacols :-) x

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  17. Amazing photos! I've never been to this part of Spain but it looks wonderful #KCACOLS

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  18. Wow this place looks absolutely amazing and who knew there was so many little great spots. Thank you for linking with us for #kcacols and we hope to see you next time.

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Thank you for taking out the time to leave a comment!