Promoting tourism among the local population. That is the goal of the “Paredes que Hablan” route—a bus tour with stops in the towns of the Sierra Norte de Madrid to discover the artistic and natural heritage of this part of the region in a unique way, set to begin this September.
There is only one essential requirement to join any of these routes—organized by the Sierra Norte de Madrid Tourism Innovation Center (Villa San Roque)—: you must be a registered resident of one of the 42 municipalities in the Sierra Norte, a condition that will be verified with the corresponding municipal government.
From there, the journey will take visitors on a tour of a sort of open-air museum, where the exhibits to be admired are none other than the landscape itself, the traditions, and the customs of the region… as well as a total of 42 murals scattered throughout the different towns, created by more than thirty artists.
In addition to bus transportation, the tour will feature commentary from a tour guide and also includes a tasting of local products in the main town of each route.
What routes are available, and when do they take place?
The tours begin at 9:30 a.m., are conducted in groups of up to 25 people, and follow these itineraries:
- Route 1. Upper Lozoya Valley – September 26. It passes through Canencia, Gargantilla del Lozoya, Pinilla del Valle, Alameda del Valle, and Rascafría.
- Route 2. Middle Lozoya Valley – September 27. It passes through Braojos de la Sierra, La Serna del Monte, Gascones, Villavieja del Lozoya, La Acebeda, Robregordo, and Somosierra.
- Route 3. Lower Lozoya Valley and Puebla de la Sierra—October 4. It passes through Cinco Villas, Mangirón, Paredes de Buitrago, Serrada de la Fuente, Berzosa del Lozoya, Robledillo de la Jara, Puebla de la Sierra, and Cervera de Buitrago.
- Route 4. Villages of the Sierra de La Cabrera – October 17. The route passes through La Cabrera, Valdemanco, Bustarviejo, Navalafuente, Cabanillas de la Sierra, Redueña, Venturada, and El Vellón.
- Route 5. Jarama Valley – October 24. It passes through Las Navas de Buitrago, El Berrueco, Torrelaguna, Torremocha del Jarama, Patones, and El Atazar.
- Route 6. Villages of the Sierra del Rincón—October 25. The route passes through Gandullas, Madarcos, Horcajo de la Sierra-Aoslos, Montejo de la Sierra, and La Hiruela.
How to sign up for the free Sierra Norte tours
To sign up for these free tours through the Sierra Norte de Madrid, all you need to do is fill out a form at the Sierra del Guadarrama / Viajes Madroño Reservation Center. However, it’s important to keep a few requirements in mind.
First, participants may only take one tour, and each tour is limited to a maximum of four people. As an exception, if there are any remaining spots on another tour, it will be possible to sign up for a waiting list by emailing reservas@sierradelguadarrama.com.
Spots will be assigned strictly in the order in which applications are received , and those who secure a spot will receive a confirmation email (which must be presented on the day of the excursion) containing all the necessary practical information: schedules, meeting points, and full details of the chosen route.
If you secure a spot but are unable to attend, you must give three days’ notice prior to the departure date. Failure to do so will result in you being unable to sign up for any other tour.