A list of 100 villages that have been selected for having two main characteristics: “their small size” and “their cultural and scenic richness”. These are the criteria for the towns that the travel experts of the national Geographic magazine have been selected as the most beautiful in Spain. And they have considered that the third most beautiful village of our geography is located in the Community of Madrid.
This Honor of bronze has corresponded to Buitrago del Lozoya, only behind Santillana del Mar (Cantabria) and Ayllón (Segovia). The first of the requirements is met: the population does not reach 2,000 inhabitants, according to the final details published by the National Institute of Statistics.
And as for the second, it has played in favor of its inclusion in the list its wall of 800 meters long and three access gates, which the magazine considers “one of its main attractions” and that makes it, on the other hand, one of the most attractive places in the world medieval villages in Madrid that is worth a visit.
what can be seen in Buitrago del Lozoya?
Within the walled enclosure, of which National Geographic highlights its good state of preservation, there is only one medieval church still standing: Santa María del Castillo.
And very close to it, what the National Geographic magazine describes as “one of the best kept secrets of this town” and which, given the idiosyncrasy of this medium, we already talked about in this article the Picasso Museum – Eugenio Arias Collection, which houses drawings, photographs, ceramics, pyrography, a cagafierro, exhibition posters and books dedicated by the artist.
On the other hand, during the summer season, the most important part of the limelight is on the riosequillo pool one of the largest in Spain, with a capacity for more than 2,000 people.
Chinchón, the other Madrid town on the list
With the unmistakable Verde-colored balconies of its Plaza Mayor, you wouldn’t even have to say its name to know which town we’re talking about: Chinchón also has a little piece of the title of the most beautiful town in Spain, in 31st place – when last year it was in 31st place at number 8-.
The magazine highlights in the first place, as it could not be otherwise, the Plaza Mayor of irregular plan and medieval style with its galleries, balconies and arcades. But also the whole of the Monastery of the Augustinians and what he considers “the real jewel of Chinchón”: The Assumption of the Virgin Mary (1812), a work by Goya inside the Church of Our Lady of the Assumption.