In the heart of the Sierra de Guadarrama, less than an hour from the capital, lies Cercedilla, a town with an inexhaustible offer of heritage, leisure, gastronomy and culture.

Cercedilla is known for its imposing Roman road, a Roman vestige that has been preserved in surprisingly good condition and which crosses this municipality to connect our province with Segovia, via the Puerto de la Fuenfría pass. In times gone by, this route crossed the mountainous area and made Cercedilla a place of passage for traders, stockbreeders and other travellers.

The road can be enjoyed thanks to numerous hiking trails in the surrounding area. This is the case of the Senda Schmidt, which is up to 12 km long and unravels the ancient route of this Roman road. The area is also full of other remains from the past, such as the four Roman bridges that make up the passage of this stone road.

In addition to the natural surroundings, full of Scots pine in its valleys and abundant in holly, yew and oak trees, Cercedilla offers something for everyone. Its church of San Sebastián, dating from the 13th century and its late Romanesque style, which can be visited in the town, is from another era but is also of great heritage value. Other temples preserved in the town are the church of Nuestra Señora del Carmen or the Chapel of Santa María, from the 18th century.

Cercedilla also has a Ski Museum, a centre dedicated to this sport in honour of the skier Paco Fernández Ochoa. The Fábrica de la Luz can also be visited, by prior reservation, to see how a hydroelectric power station once worked in the 1920s and 1930s.

If the season is good, the Las Berceas recreational park offers pools to cool off in and meadows to enjoy splendid views among the pine trees and spend a day with the family. And, in the opposite case, if the season does not invite swimming, the Puerto de Navacerrada is just a short distance from the town and offers, in addition to its views, snow and high altitude, the possibility of doing winter sports in its facilities.

Don't miss Cercedilla; at any time of year, it will surprise you!

More information: Tourism in Cercedilla

Image credits: Cercedilla © Alfonso Fernandez. Shutterstock