· 5 min read
Atienza is one of those escapes that improve when lived two by two. No queues, no traffic, with golden sunset light on the crag and silent nights in the walled old town.
Mid-afternoon arrival
Leave Madrid after lunch. The A-2 and CM-1101 get you to Atienza in 1h 45. Arrive with enough light to climb the castle before sunset.
Dinner at a charming hotel-restaurant
Book at one of the village's charming hotels: Palacio de Atienza (produce-driven cuisine in a palatial setting), Convento Santa Ana (in a restored former convent) or El Mirador (mountain roasts with views).
Night walk through the old town
After dinner, a walk. Atienza by night is pure silence: amber lights bathe the Plaza del Trigo, the porches and the Arrebatacapas Arch. If there is a moon, the castle silhouettes against the sky.
Where to sleep
Hotel Palacio de Atienza for something special. Hotel Convento Santa Ana for monumental atmosphere. La Casa de San Gil or Ca' la Rosi for a more intimate country house.
Day 2: hermitages and Sigüenza
If you stay overnight, a perfect second day: Val hermitage in the morning (Romanesque from 1138, 500 m from the old town), tasting-menu lunch, afternoon trip to Sigüenza via the CM-110.
