Plaza del Coso

The Plaza del Coso is Peñafiel's bullring: a large earth enclosure closed in by houses with wooden balconies, with the castle watching from above. It is documented from the 14th century and the Town Council describes it as a unique heritage jewel in Castilla y León. You can stroll in it free at any hour, and the tourist office is here.

What it is like

Its layout is irregular and it is enclosed by more than fifty traditional houses, with wooden balconies from which, for centuries, the town's festivities, shows and popular rites have been watched. It was created for bullfighting festivities, but is used for other events throughout the year, and mixes the domestic with the ceremonial. Walk round it unhurried, looking at the balconies and raising your eyes to the castle. With a dog, on a lead.

Fiestas and shows

From 14 to 18 August, at the fiestas of Nuestra Señora and San Roque, declared of Regional Tourist Interest, a portable ring is set up inside the square for the release of cattle in the town's style: one bull inside the ring and another outside, a custom that has made the Peñafiel fiestas famous. The bull runs go along the Paseo del Valdobar to the Coso, and on the 15th, 16th and 17th the Chúndara, a melody adapted from the pasodoble “La Entrada”, accompanies the route from the Plaza de España to the Coso with the Municipal Band and water thrown from the balconies.

On Easter Sunday the square hosts the Bajada del Ángel, a festival of National Tourist Interest since 2011, documented since at least 1799. At midday the Virgen de la Asunción, patron saint of Peñafiel, leaves the church of Santa María and arrives at the Coso, where she is placed between two towers about five metres high built for the occasion; from one a white balloon that serves as a cloud emerges, and from it an angel descends who releases two doves and removes the black veil from the image.

In addition, the Town Council programmes light and sound shows in the square. In October and November 2026 they are on Fridays and Saturdays at 21:00, 21:15 and 21:30; in June, July and August they were on Fridays and Saturdays at 22:45, 23:00 and 23:15. Check the programme at turismopenafiel.es for later dates.

The tourist office and Cosovisión

The tourist office is at Plaza del Coso 31-32. It is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10:30 to 14:00 and from 17:00 to 20:00; on Sundays, only in the morning. Telephone: 983 881 526. There you book the Ribera House Museum and buy the Ribera Friendly tourist card. In August the office moves to the Sacred Art Museum. The Cosovisión interpretation centre, on the square, is temporarily closed for refurbishment, according to the November 2026 leaflet of the Valladolid Tourist Office.

What to combine

From the Coso you walk up to the castle and Provincial Wine Museum along Calle Subida al Castillo, a short, steep slope. If you want to sleep with a balcony onto the square, La Casa del Coso is a whole house for groups.