Ayllón

About an hour’s drive from the city of Segovia, the old quarter of Ayllón has been declared an Asset of Cultural Interest. The best way to appreciate the allure of Ayllón is to stroll through its narrow cobbled streets and take in its stately houses and dwellings featuring traditional architecture.

The archway bearing coats of arms from the 16th century leads to the old quarter. You will soon see the Palacio de los Contreras palace, boasting beautiful artesonado (wooden coffered) ceilings inside and an Elizabethan façade also emblazoned with coats of arms. Continuing along the street you will soon reach the Plaza Mayor square, with its irregular structure and impressive stone arcades. This is the site of the Town Hall, which dates back to the 16th century, and the Romanesque church of San Miguel, featuring its magnificent belfry and rose windows. Sitting right next to it is the oldest building in the town, the Casa de la Torre. As you leave the Plaza Mayor you will see other stately homes, including the Palacio del Obispo Velosillo palace or the Casa del Águila. If you pay a visit to the Church of Santa María la Mayor, you can marvel at its majestic altarpiece, originally from the old Convent of San Francisco, the remains of which are located outside the walled town. Dramatised tours of the town are organised at weekends. The medieval festival of Ayllón is typically held on the last weekend of July, when the inhabitants dress up in period costume and hold a medieval street market. On the outskirts of the town is the Peña Estebanvela site, the only known Upper Paleolithic site in the province of Segovia.