Segovia Natural Spaces
Hoces del Río Riaza
The river Riaza has excavated the hard limestone of the Segovian
plains to create one of the largest collections of gorges, canyons,
cliffs and ravines in the Iberian Peninsula.
In addition to its spectacular landscape, this isolated geographical
region is the home of an important concentration of birds of prey,
most notably 200 pairs of Griffon vultures. The hillsides and
rocky escarpments are covered with woods of incense junipers,
a real living fossil of the Tertiary epoch. In an opening of the
canyon, one can visit the solitary Romanesque remains of the convent
of El Casuar.
Built amongst the surrounding gorges, there is a series of small
villages that still maintain their rural heritage and purest traditions:
Maderuelo, with its walled country house; Montejo de la Vega de
la Serrezuela, with its ethnological museum and rural activity
centre; and Fuentelcésped with its unique dancers. This
zone also boasts gastronomy of the highest quality: roast lamb
and the red wines of Ribera del Duero.
Hoces del Río Duratón
The Parque Natural de las Hoces del río Duratón
is situated to the northeast of Segovia, downstream from the town
of Sepúlveda. In this area, the river has settled inside
a deep canyon which in some places has over 100 metre drops. To
the landscape's beauty and interest we must add the great archaeological
and historic richness contained inside the gorge.
Up in the rocks presiding the gorge, almost 250 pairs of Griffon
vultures have built their nests, accompanied by a large number
of Egyptian vultures, golden eagles and peregrine falcons.
The area's natural value is also enhanced both historically and
artistically by the Romanesque sanctuary of San Frutos, caves
with paintings from the Bronze Era and the architectural collection
of Sepúlveda. In this town, it is almost obligatory to
taste the delicious local roast meats.
Hayedo de Riofrío de Riaza
The beech woods of the Segovian side of the Ayllón massif
are the southernmost forests of this species in Europe, along
with those in Madrid, Guadalajara, Tarragona and Sicily.
Their great bio-geographical interest, along with the beautiful
landscape in which they grow, make these pine woods an important
area of investigation and an obligatory visit for those wishing
to understand the world of flora in the Iberian peninsular. Mountain
ash, oak, holly, birch and yew grow alongside the beech trees,
further enriching this privileged natural space. Very nearby is
the beautiful town of Riaza, immersed with the typical flavour
of popular mountain architecture.
Segovia guide