From gentle strolls to challenging long-distance hikes
Walking Holidays
Soria is eminently rural, and above all wild, covered with woodland and moorland. It is ideal country for all sorts of outdoor pursuits and a delight for nature lovers. Practically nothing is fenced off, and as the countryside is criss-crossed with paths and tracks, it is easy to walk, cycle or drive to almost any point. Wherever you are, you'll always find an opportunity to set off on a pleasant walk.
So there is no shortage of opportunities to get to know the province on foot. Whatever your level, whether you fancy just an occasional stroll on a sightseeing tour or a full programme of longer walks, we can always suggest appropriate routes and provide you with relevant information and instructions.
For visitors who would like a full programme of daily walks, the five-day walking itinerary shown on this page offers plenty of flexibility to allow for different levels and preferences.
Suggested Itinerary - Five Days Walking in Soria
One of the most striking things about Soria is how varied the landscape is. This 5-day visit will take you to five different parts of western Soria, all quite close to home, giving you a taste of the different flavours of our province.
Day One. El Cañón del Río Lobos.
The Lobos Gorge offers spectacular wild scenery and abundant birdlife, especially birds of prey, and one of the largest Griffon Vulture colonies in Spain. A number of well signposted walks are available, going from a short stroll to the beautiful setting of an enigmatic medieval chapel, to longer routes that take in panoramic viewpoints and sites such as the templar castle at Ucero, or even following the footpath that runs through the entire 25 km of the gorge.
Day Two. Sierra de Urbión.
A thick swathe of mixed pine and oak forests covers the hills and valleys that run up to the high peaks of the Sierra de Urbión. Easy walks can be had along the upper reaches of the river Douro, right up to its source, and visiting beauty spots such as the Black Lagoon, Soria's jewel in the crown. More challenging mountain walks are also an option, such as the route that takes you up past a number of glacial lagoons to the Pico de Urbión at 2,228 metres.
Day Three. El Burgo de Osma and Gormaz Castle.
The charming little walled town of El Burgo de Osma has no more than 5,000 inhabitants but packs a historic punch with its impressive gothic cathedral, renaissance public buildings and medieval castle. The town stands at the meeting point of the rivers Ucero and Abión and is a stone's throw from its original Celtiberian site. Many local walks weave around the town and its pretty surroundings, and a signposted cross-country hike will take you to the Caliph's fortress at Gormaz, one of Europe's great castle sites with commanding views over the Douro basin.
Day Four. The Caracena Valley and Roman Tiermes.
The tiny village of Caracena, with barely 20 houses, but with a medieval gaol and pillory, a renaissance castle and two Romanesque churches, sits magnificently at the top of an enchanting river valley. The footpath from Caracena, climbing up through a scenic gorge, leads us through the hills beyond to Soria's south-western hinterland, hidden away and full of treasures like a secret garden. Against a stunningly colourful backdrop of red earth, green hills and blue sky, the deserted ruins of Roman Tiermes stand at the centre of a network of footpaths providing walking choices for all abilities.
Day Five. Sierra de Cabrejas and Calatañazor.
Sierra de Cabrejas is a broad limestone ridge of rough and rocky terrain, covered for mile upon mile by striking incense juniper woodland with an aromatic underbrush of rosemary, thyme and lavender. For centuries this harsh ecosystem was considered prime sheep-grazing territory, and the land is dotted with long-forgotten stone walls and sheep pens and criss-crossed with paths and tracks, a number of which have recently been signposted for walkers. Your walk can take in the impressive source of the river Abión, where its turquoise waters well up out of the stony ground, and the picturesque medieval village of Calatañazor.
