04-07-2025
The little-known 35C Spain sunspot on popular walking route with €2.50 pints and €21.99 Ryanair flights
IF YOU have yet to book your summer getaway and are looking to explore somewhere new, look no further than this little-known town.
Molinaseca is a little-known village located in the middle of El Bierzo,
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The Church of San Nicolas de Bari on the banks of the Meurelo River
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The streets are narrow and full of beautiful architecture
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The town is full of historic sites
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It's located on the French Way, which is the most popular path of the Camino de Santiago.
As a result, it is a must-visit for those on the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela.
The town had just 818 residents in 2010, so is perfect for a relaxing
The historic town is full of winding roads and impressive architecture, and is perfect for brightening up your
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There is evidence that settlements in the town date back to Roman times, but a Jacobean Route runs linear along the course of the river Meruelo.
The town was declared a Historic-Artistic site in 1975, and has become a must-
During Roman times, the town was flooded with settlements as the gold mines of Las Medulas were nearby – so many of the roads, causeways and bridges were created as gold trails towards Astorga.
You can visit Las Médulas, which was the largest open-pit gold mine during the Roman Empire, and was declared a Cultural Heritage Site in 1996.
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The name of Molinaseca translates to 'dry mill' in tribute to people who provided services to the monasteries.
Another main attraction in the town is Royal Road, which is known as the main artery of the village.
HISTORIC SITES
You can take a lovely walk along the road from the Roman Bridge to the Holy Christ high cross, and it also coincides with the route of the Way of Saint James.
Historic buildings along this route include Casona de Don Pelegrín, the Palace of the Balboa family, and the cultural heritage site of Palace of Cangas de Pambley.
Casona de Don Pelegrín is historic, as Queen Urraca of León used to stay there when she travelled to Galicia.
Or head to the Saint Nicholas of Bari Church to admire the history and architecture.
Another appeal of the town is the
Wine, cecina beef and botillo sausage are three of the most used ingredients in dishes from the El Bierzo region.
And even better, you can pick up a
Every August, the town holds a water festival in honour of Our Lady of Sorrows and Saint Roch as part of the Semana Grande festivities.
The course of the Meruelo river is moved to cross the main street to the Plaza del Rollo.
This festival means that locals and
The event happens to the backdrop of music from brass bands and is attended by 20,000 to 30,000 people.
To get there, you can fly to Santiago de Compostela with
It is then a two and a half hour drive to Molinaseca.
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The Roman bridge over the Meruelo river
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The historic Molinaseca Pilgrims Bridge
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