The 10 Spanish towns that aspire to be the capital of rural tourism 2020

1Artenara (Las Palmas) 205 candidates were presented and the list has been reduced to 10 finalist towns - all with less than 10,000 inhabitants and tourist attractions to visit -, among which will be the Spanish capital of rural tourism 2020. The winner will be chosen to through an online vote, organized by EscapadaRural.com and ending on June 28.

Artenara, in the province of Las Palmas, is the highest town in Gran Canaria: 1,270 meters above sea level. And a perfect place from which to discover the almost intact archaeological sites of the island and which show what life was like for the Canarian aborigines. In the area of ​​the municipality are the troglodyte town of Acusa or the archaeological site of Risco Caídos, declared a Unesco world heritage site in July 2019. In addition, eight walking routes depart from its town center or the main square of Artenara, such as the that runs through part of the Tamadaba natural park. From the Balcony of Unamuno, very close to the church of San Matías (from the 19th century, and with a Neomudéjar-style interior), and the viewpoint of the Corazón de Jesús, on the top of the La Cilla mountain, you get splendid panoramic views of the mountainous landscape of the entire area, part of the Gran Canaria Biosphere Reserve. An area where there are still places where you can see the effects of the devastating fires suffered in August last year.

More information: artenara.es Karol Kozlowski alamy

2Ayna (Albacete) Ayna, a town in the Albacete region of the Sierra del Segura, claims to be “La Suiza Manchega”, due to the similarity of its environment with the alpine landscapes. Nestled in the gorge that forms the Mundo river, in addition to its overflowing landscape it offers visitors the opportunity to see the Mudejar coffered ceiling of the Ermita de los Remedios, the paleolithic cave paintings of the Cueva del Niño (half an hour by car) or the remains of the Castillo de la Yedra, of Islamic origin. And for lovers of hiking and nature, nothing like following the Ruta de los Miradores: Ayna has five scattered throughout the municipality and another in the nearby village of Royo-Odrea, from where you can enjoy privileged views of the Mundo River valley. and the rugged areas between which it runs. One more reason to visit it? Most of the scenes from 'Amanece que no es poco' (1989), the first film that director José Luis Cuerda shot on his land, were filmed in this town.

More information: ayna.es José Juan Noguerón GETTY images

3Cazalla de la Sierra (Seville) This town is part of the Sierra Norte de Sevilla Natural Park, an enclave that alternates wide meadows with lush forests of holm oaks, cork oaks, gall oaks, chestnuts, pines and elms. To the attractiveness of its landscape we must add the monumental wealth of its urban area, in which religious constructions prevail. The Cartuja de la Inmaculada Concepción monastery stands out, about five kilometers from Cazalla de la Sierra. From the 16th century (and today a national monument), it was built on the remains of a hunting lodge of King Pedro I el Cruel. Inside the historic compound there is a Guest House, originally used by monks since the 15th century, and where the 'suites' and rooms are converted cells. Other interesting visits are the church of Nuestra Señora de la Consolación, in the Plaza Mayor, or the Aguardiente de Cazalla Center, whose tradition of wines and spirits dates back to the 16th century.

More information: cazalla.org Guo Qiuda age

4Colombres (Asturias) In this small town, capital of the Asturian council of Ribadedeva, is the largest and best preserved ensemble of Indian architecture in the entire Cantabrian coast, thanks to which it was declared, in 2013, of cultural interest. In Colombres, about 125 kilometers east of Oviedo, are some of the most representative constructions of Asturian Indian architecture, such as La Solana, Villa las Palmeras, Villa Ignacia or Quinta Guadalupe (in the image), striking for its blue facade and headquarters of the Archive of Indianos and Museum of Emigration. Some rooms with furniture from the period have been rebuilt and, in its halls, the foundation offers an interesting and valuable collection of objects, documents, photographs and books on the phenomenon of Asturian emigration to America in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. . And just 6 kilometers from Colombres awaits the Pindal cave, the first enclave of rock art discovered in Asturias and on whose walls you can see the figures of a deer, a horse head, two bison and abstract signs from about 17,000 years ago.

More information: turismoasturias.es Jerónimo Alba alamy

5Guadalupe (Cáceres) Member of the Association of the Most Beautiful Towns of Spain and declared a Historic-Artistic Site and world heritage in 1993, in this town the Royal Monastery of Our Lady of Guadalupe takes all eyes. Mix of Gothic, Mudejar, Renaissance, Baroque and Neoclassical styles, since its construction began in the 14th century and lasted until the 18th, this monastery has witnessed historical moments: this is how Columbus arrived following the Catholic Monarchs in their attempt to seek support for his great journey and, in 1493, the discoverer would return to thank the Virgin of Guadalupe for her success. A walk through its cobbled streets encourages you to discover the typical mountain architecture with its balconies and arcades full of flowers and the five medieval arches that are spread over its two walls. A clue: about five kilometers from Guadalupe it is worth visiting the Gothic-Mudejar chapel of Humilladero, located on a hill that offers good views of the town of Cáceres and its monastery, and which houses paintings by Goya, El Greco and Zurbarán.

In addition, Guadalupe is part of the Villuercas-Ibores-Jara Geopark, which offers the traveler places of geological and natural interest, such as the Castañar de Ibor cave, which is located about 35 kilometers north of the town.

More information: turismoextremadura.com M. Ramírez alamy

6Leitza (Navarra) The fundamental objective of this initiative is to give visibility to the municipalities that bet on this type of rural tourism and turn the winning people, and the finalists, into reference destinations for nature lovers.

The sixth on this list is Leitza, surrounded by mountains in the Leitzaran Valley, northwest of Navarra. In its charming old town, visible from many points in the town, stands the church of San Miguel, with its striking tower, a neoclassical porch and the peculiar bluish-gray color of its stone. Other curious visits are the Aiene washhouse, an excellent example of popular architecture dating from 1863, and Peru-Harri, a museum dedicated to stone and rural sports two kilometers from the town center. Two more tracks: the Plazaola greenway runs through the town, which was one of the scenes of the blockbuster 'Eight Basque surnames' (2014), and about 13 kilometers away is the Leitzalarrea forest, populated by beech, oak and megalithic monuments.

More information: turismo.navarra.es IHervas GETTY images

7Potes (Cantabria) With documentary references as early as the 9th century, from the late medieval years Potes was linked to the Casa del Marqués de Santillana, first, and that of the Infantado, later. It is located in the heart of the Liébana region and is one of the most charming towns in Cantabria. It stands out for the exuberant nature that surrounds it, since here the four valleys converge and the Deva and Quiviesa rivers join its waters, and it is the gateway to the Picos de Europa National Park. Potes is also known as the town of the bridges (hence its name) and the towers, highlighting that of the Infantado (today the headquarters of exhibitions) and that of Orejón de la Lama, both from the 15th century, and for their tasty Lebaniego stew , made from the typical local chickpeas (small and tender), jerky or meat, collard greens and stuffing.

More information: turismodecantabria.com Marcos Veiga alamy

8Rascafría (Madrid) About 85 kilometers north of Madrid, the natural landscapes that surround this town are one of its strengths. Located in the Lozoya Valley, its municipal area integrates the Sierra de Guadarrama National Park and the Peñalara Natural Park. But, like the rest of the candidate towns for the 2020 rural tourism capital, its attractions go beyond nature. Rascafría preserves the architecture of the Sierra de Guadarrama, and just two kilometers away the traveler finds the Santa María del Paular monastery, one of the most important in the region. Construction began in 1390, being the first charterhouse of the Kingdom of Castile, and today it is a jewel of undeniable value that can be visited, with different styles such as Gothic and Baroque. Just in front is the Forgiveness Bridge that spans the Lozoya River, and which owes its name to the trials that were held there in medieval times (later it would be built in stone by the monks to facilitate access to the Batanes paper mill ). For hiking enthusiasts, several routes depart from Rascafría that lead, for example, to the Peñalara lagoon or the Purgatorio waterfall.

More information: rascafria.org Daniel Hernanz Ramos GETTY images

9El Rasillo de Cameros (La Rioja) In the heart of the Rioja de Cameros mountain range, and in front of the González de la Casa reservoir (in its lower part), El Rasillo de Cameros is a perfect place to disconnect, either by walking along paths among pine forests, beech forests oak groves, well practicing water sports (in the reservoir is the El Rasillo Nautical Club). You should not leave without visiting the town's landmark: a centennial elm at the foot of its church. Located next to the town's pediment, another curious place is the ethnographic museum dedicated to Victoriano Labiano, a priest who dedicated himself to preserving and protecting the area's heritage by collecting objects and utensils from the Celtiberian era. A nearby excursion is to visit Ortigosa de Cameros, about five kilometers away. There are the Ortigosa caves, which can be visited on a guided tour. The La Paz grotto has a complete route of 236 meters and the La Viña grotto, 114 meters. Both display spectacular stalactites, stalagmites, and other limestone formations.

More information: elrasillodecameros.com El Rasillo de Cameros town hall

10Santo Domingo de Silos (Burgos) On July 3 the winner of the fourth edition of this initiative of EscapadaRural.com will be announced, a search engine for rural accommodation, which will take the witness of Santillana del Mar (Cantabria) as a benchmark for rural tourism in Spain.

The last candidate in the competition is Santo Domingo de Silos from Burgos. Located in the eastern part of the Tabladillo valley, sheltered by the Mataviejas river valley and surrounded by high mountains of limestone rocks, is this town that owes its name to its well-known monastery, a Benedictine monastery that had its origins in the 12th century (although the current one, in a neoclassical style, dates from the second half of the 18th century). During the guided tour, the cloister (a jewel of the Romanesque for the decoration of its capitals and reliefs - in the image -), the Botica de los Silos (with a library that keeps about 400 volumes, some from the 16th century) are visited. and the museum. The town has the remains of a 13th century wall and the sculptures 'Carmen awake' and 'Carmen dormida', by Antonio López, are installed in its streets. And just 2.5 kilometers away, a natural jewel awaits: the Yecla gorge. A deep and narrow gorge carved out of the thick limestone banks that characterize the relief of the Peñas de Cervera, which is traveled on foot by a series of bridges and hanging walkways on a simple route of about two hours.

More information: santodomingodesilos.es Juan Carlos Hernández Hernández GETTY images