# Lake Sanabria and Puebla de Sanabria The largest glacial lake on the Peninsula, with beaches, paths and mountain lagoons, and a medieval town with a castle fifteen minutes away. Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/castile-and-leon/sanabria-lake · Revisado: 2026-11-12 Lake Sanabria is the largest lake of glacial origin on the Iberian Peninsula, in the north-west of Zamora, surrounded by oak trees and with more than twenty lagoons in the sierra that feeds it. Fifteen minutes away, Puebla de Sanabria climbs a slate hillside up to its castle. A day is enough for the town and the shore; two, for going up to the mountain lagoons and doing a proper hike. ## How do I get there from Zamora? By the A-66 towards Benavente and the A-52 towards Ourense, to exit 79 for Puebla de Sanabria: a little over an hour. From Ourense, along the A-52 in the opposite direction, exit 85, around an hour and a half; from León, via Benavente, a little more. From Puebla to the lake it is about 15 minutes along the ZA-104, which passes the Park Visitor Centre, at the Rabanillo roundabout, and continues along the shore to Ribadelago. ## Where do I park? In Puebla, in the lower part, next to the river and the Parador. The Plaza Mayor only admits cars out of season: not at Easter, nor at weekends until 30 June, nor in July, August and September. At the lake, each beach has its car park beside the road. The Laguna de los Peces has a car park at the top, at the end of the San Martín de Castañeda road. For motorhomes there is a municipal area in Puebla, at €5 for 24 hours. ## How much time do I need? A day: the town and castle in the morning, lunch in the Plaza Mayor and the lake shore or San Martín de Castañeda in the afternoon. Two days: add the climb to the Laguna de los Peces, a route such as the Sotillo waterfall or the lake and monks path, and the Iberian Wolf Centre at Robledo, by reservation. ## When should I go? In summer the lake is a beach: Arenales de Vigo, El Folgoso, Custa Llago and Viquiella, with cold water even in August. In September and October the routes are better, with fewer people. In winter it snows in the sierra; the town, with its Christmas lighting, also has its audience. The Park Visitor Centre is open Thursday to Sunday in autumn and every day in summer. ## What to see in the town The castle of the Counts of Benavente houses the tourist office and a visitor centre; the joint ticket, with the Giants and Big-Heads museum, costs €4. Around it, the Plaza Mayor, the town hall and the church of El Azogue, and the streets that go down towards the Tera between houses with coats of arms. ## What to do at the lake and in the sierra Beside the north shore, San Martín de Castañeda looks out over the lake from above, with the Romanesque church of its Cistercian monastery. The road keeps climbing to the Laguna de los Peces, on the plateau of the Sierra Segundera, from where an easy 6 km walk leaves for the Laguna de las Yeguas. For more walking, the Junta has signposted the lake and monks path, 12 km, and the Sotillo waterfall, 6 km with 400 m of ascent among hollies. South of Puebla, at Robledo, the Iberian Wolf Centre shows wolves in large enclosures, in two-hour guided visits. The Helios catamaran, which used to leave from Custa Llago beach, was in the shipyard in autumn 2026: ask at the Park Visitor Centre whether it is back. ## Eating and sleeping In the Plaza Mayor, La Posada serves broad beans, boletus mushrooms and Sanabria beef chuletón every day except Wednesday. The Parador has a Sanabrian-cuisine restaurant, with octopus and game. La Cartería serves meals in three cellars dug into the slate. To sleep, the Parador, with a garden and seasonal pool, or the eight rooms of La Cartería, inside the town. ## Dónde está - Cerca: Las Médulas (a 37.8 km), Ribeira Sacra and the Sil canyon (a 71.0 km), Ourense (a 98.8 km), Leitariegos and the Laciana Valley (a 100.6 km) ## Qué hacer - **Castle of the Counts of Benavente, in Puebla de Sanabria** (40 min · For everyone · €4 · reduced €3 · under-7s free): The castle crowns the town above the rivers Tera and Castro. It was ordered built in the last quarter of the 15th century, as a castle-palace, by don Rodrigo Alonso Pimentel, fourth Count of Benavente, of one of the most powerful lineages in Castile. Inside are the tourist office and the visitor centre; from the keep you can see the whole sierra. The visit takes about 40 minutes. What you will see The plan is square and regular, surrounded by an outer wall with broad towers and vaulted gun chambers, and a very characteristic parade ground. In the centre rises the great keep, which in the town they call “el Macho”, with several floors and a projecting bridge. Inside the tower is the Fortifications Interpretation Centre, organised around three themes: the town and its fortress through history, a territory of fortifications and daily life in the tower. The visit ends on the wall walk, with a view of Puebla as it was in the 18th century that you can compare with today's. In the northern part of the enclosure, the Governor's House hosts an exhibition on the resources of the region, and the castle also houses the cultural centre and the library. Opening hours and tickets From 10 September to 30 June it opens every day from 11:00 to 14:00 and from 16:00 to 20:00, and in summer, from 4 July to 6 September, from 11:00 to 14:00 and from 17:00 to 21:00. Last entry is before closing: the Junta says 20 minutes and the Zamora tourist office leaflet says 40. From 7 to 9 September it closes for the fiestas. The joint ticket, with the Giants and Big-Heads museum and the Ungilde mycology school, costs €4; €3 reduced (ages 7 to 12, pensioners, students, large families) and free for under-7s. It closes on 24, 25 and 31 December, on 1 and 6 January and on the afternoon of 5 January. Telephone: 980 62 07 34. The official sources give somewhat different hours for the tourist office; if you are cutting it fine, call. With children and how to get there With children, the visit is short and rewarding: the wall walk and the views from the tower. Under-7s do not pay. The castle is at the top of the town, next to the Plaza Mayor: walk up from the river through the old town of Puebla, especially in season, when you cannot park at the top. For the rest of the region, ask at the tourist office, which is inside the castle itself. - **Walk through the town of Puebla de Sanabria** (1 h · For everyone · Free): The medieval town climbs from the River Tera to the castle, along streets of slate and granite between houses with coats of arms. It is declared a historic ensemble for its monuments and for a civil architecture protected by walled enclosures, and belongs to the association Los Pueblos Más Bonitos de España (The Most Beautiful Villages of Spain). It can be seen in an hour on foot, uphill, and it is the best way to start a stay in Sanabria. A little history Puebla was repopulated in the 12th century as the head of the territory. By 1220 it was already a stronghold facing Portugal, and in the 13th century it was one of the most important military bases in the kingdom. The Counts of Benavente, lords of the town for four centuries, built the castle. Outside the walls the suburb of San Francisco grew, when the enclosure became too small. What to see at the top At the top are the Plaza Mayor, the town hall and the church of Nuestra Señora del Azogue. The Casa Consistorial (town hall) dates from the 15th century, built of rubble masonry with ashlar blocks at the corners and a main façade of lighter granite. The Azogue church, also called Santa María la Mayor, dates from the 12th century and preserves Romanesque remains, with capitals on the main doorway and later additions. It is open Tuesday to Sunday from 11:00 to 14:00 and from 17:00 to 20:00 (Mass on Sunday at 12:30) and is free. The chapel of San Cayetano, next door, also free, is closed on Tuesdays. On the same height is the castle of the Counts of Benavente, with the tourist office inside. The joint castle ticket includes the Giants and Big-Heads museum (Gigantes y Cabezudos): 33 big-headed figures and 10 giants that have paraded through the streets since the mid-19th century at the fiestas of the Victorias. Parking and going up In the Plaza Mayor you can only park out of season: not during Easter Week, nor on weekends from Easter Week to 30 June, nor from 1 July to 30 September. On those days leave the car below, beside the river, and walk up. The slope is short but steep and cobbled: with a pushchair it is hard going, and in the rain the stone is slippery. When to go All year round. On weekdays outside summer it is quiet; in August and on long weekends, full. Since 2017 its medieval market has been a festival of tourist interest in Castilla y León. For eating in the town, see La Posada or La Cartería; for sleeping, the Parador. For opening times and information on everything else, call in at the tourist office. - **Lake Sanabria Beaches** (3 h · Families · Free): Lake Sanabria is the largest glacial lake in the Iberian Peninsula, and in summer it works as an inland beach. The Junta lists four beaches: Los Arenales de Vigo–Los Enanos, El Folgoso, Custa Llago and Viquiella, all on the shore, on one side of the ZA-104 road from Puebla de Sanabria to Ribadelago, among oak woods. The water is cold even in August. Each beach Los Arenales and El Folgoso are next to each other, in the northern part: you reach them by a turning on the right at kilometre 12 of the ZA-104, about 4 km from Galende by road. Both have a bar, restaurant, toilets and access for people with reduced mobility; Los Arenales also has Braille panels, and at El Folgoso pedalos can be rented in summer. From the side of El Folgoso starts the path that climbs to San Martín de Castañeda. Custa Llago, about 2 km from Ribadelago, is the large beach and the best equipped: bar, restaurant, kiosk, car park, toilets, 35 tables, boat hire in summer and the boarding point for the environmental cruise on the lake. La Viquiella, a kilometre from Ribadelago, has a bar-restaurant, 37 tables, 10 barbecues and, according to the Zamora Provincial Council's beach catalogue, a Red Cross post in summer. The same catalogue warns that, except on the beaches where it is indicated, there is no lifeguard. The boat The catamaran Helios, which leaves from Custa Llago beach, was not taking bookings in autumn 2026 because it was in the shipyard; check at europarques.com or on 980 557 557 before counting on it. Tips In July and August there are many people: arrive in the morning or late in the afternoon if you want a spot near the water's edge. With children, choose a beach with services and do not lose sight of the little ones, especially where there is no lifeguard. Ask at the Park House about the swimming and dog rules at each beach. Outside summer, the beaches are a quiet walk along the shore, among oaks. From Los Enanos starts the lake and monks trail, and from near Custa Llago, the traditional path from Ribadelago to Sotillo, which links up with the Sotillo waterfall. If you are travelling by campervan, see the campervan area in Puebla. - **The Lake and Monks Trail** (4 h · 12 km · Regular walkers · Self-guided · free): Trail 1 of the Natural Park, “El lago y los monjes” (The Lake and the Monks), goes round the northern part of Lake Sanabria and climbs to San Martín de Castañeda, the village that looks out over the water from the slope. The Junta describes it as a circular route of 12 km, about four hours on foot or by bike, of medium difficulty. It is the best way to see the lake from below and from above on the same day, and to understand why the Cistercian monks chose this spot. The route The version published by Castilla y León Tourism as route Z3 leaves from the Los Enanos beach car park. It is 10 km circular with about 250 metres of ascent. You head first towards the camping area and El Folgoso beach; past the car park of this second beach, a marked path enters the oak forest and climbs to San Martín de Castañeda, which they call the balcony of Sanabria. On the way out of the village is the Peces viewpoint. From there you go down towards Ribadelago and return along the shore and its beaches to the starting point. The park leaflet recommends a detour near the Los Robles campsite to see Bouzas, one of the loveliest corners of the shore. If you are short of time, the stretch from El Folgoso to San Martín and back already gives the most striking part. The monks and the monastery In San Martín de Castañeda stands the church of the former monastery, founded in the 10th century and Cistercian from the 12th, with an exhibition in its outbuildings. It is worth stopping, but bear in mind that outside summer it opens mainly at weekends: check the hours on the page for the monastery of San Martín de Castañeda before counting on going in. When and how to go Spring and autumn are the best times: the oak forest is green or russet and it is not hot on the climb. In summer, set off early; the beach car parks fill up and the shore stretch is very busy. The climb to San Martín is felt in the legs, but has no difficult passages; take water, because between the forest and the village there are no marked fountains on the official leaflet. Before setting out, call in at the Park House, on the lake road, where they tell you which trails are passable and give you the map. With small children, an alternative is to drive up to San Martín de Castañeda and do only the walk along the shore between the lake beaches. If you have energy to spare the next day, the road that continues from the village leads to the Laguna de los Peces. - **Sotillo Waterfall Walk** (3 h · 6 km · Regular walkers · Self-guided · free): Trail 6 of the Natural Park leaves from Sotillo de Sanabria and climbs through a very well-preserved damp forest, with large holly trees, to the waterfall on the Sotillo stream. The Junta describes it as a circular route of 6 km and about 400 m of ascent, three hours on foot and medium difficulty. It is one of the most beautiful short routes in the park and the one that best shows the forest of the sierra. What you will see The path gains height among oaks and large holly trees, in one of the best-preserved forests in the park. The waterfall comes down from the Sotillo stream, which rises above, on the plateau of the lakes. It is at its best with more water, in winter and spring; at the end of summer it carries much less. In its mountains the park gathers more than twenty glacial lakes, and the Sotillo lake is one of them, though beyond this short route. Variants Those who want more have trail 5, from Ribadelago Nuevo to the Sotillo lake: linear, 12 km, about six hours and 600 m of ascent, medium-high difficulty. The official leaflet recommends coming down from the lake towards Sotillo by the link with trail 6, precisely to see the waterfalls. It is a full mountain day, with two cars or an agreed return. There is also a traditional path between Ribadelago and Sotillo de Sanabria: the Zamora Provincial Council's beach catalogue places its start about 700 metres from Custa Llago beach and a kilometre from La Viquiella beach, on the ZA-104 road. It is useful for combining the waterfall with an afternoon at the lake beaches. Practical tips Wear boots with a good sole: with ice or heavy rain the path is slippery. In winter, ask about snow beforehand at the Park House, in Rabanillo, where they also give you the trail map. Allow three hours with stops and do not leave the marked path around the waterfall, where wet rocks are deceptive. For children, it is a good first mountain route if they already walk well for a few hours, because the reward comes halfway. Sotillo de Sanabria is south of the lake, so the route fits well with the lake and monks trail over a weekend, or with a visit to the Wolf Centre the next day. - **Laguna de los Peces and Laguna de las Yeguas** (2 h · 6 km · Families · Self-guided · free): From the Park House a mountain road climbs through San Martín de Castañeda, with viewpoints over the lake, to the car park at the Laguna de los Peces, on the plateau of the Sierra Segundera. Natural Heritage suggests it as a drive of about 45 km from the Park House, three hours with stops. Up here the landscape changes: you leave the oak forest and enter a highland of granite, heather and glacial lakes. The walk to the Laguna de las Yeguas Trail 9 of the Natural Park leaves from the Laguna de los Peces car park and reaches the Laguna de las Yeguas: linear, 6 km and about two hours, with low difficulty according to the Junta. It is the easiest walk for getting to know the upper part of the park, which gathers more than twenty lakes scattered across the mountains. You come back the same way. There are no trees or shade, and the wind is noticeable even when it is a fine day below, so bring a jacket, a hat and water. For mountain walkers: Peña Trevinca From the same car park starts trail 7, to Peña Trevinca, the highest point of the protected area at 2,172 metres. It is 24 km circular, about ten hours, 400 m of ascent and high difficulty. The Junta advises against doing it in fog, which on this plateau comes in fast and wipes out any landmark. It is a route for people used to finding their way in the mountains; the GR 84 also crosses the sierra with stages between refuges. When to go up From May to October, without snow. In winter the road may have snow or ice, and the plateau, blizzards. Ask at the Park House, on the lake road at Rabanillo, about the state of the road and the trails: they also give you the map there. Take water and something to eat for the walk on the plateau. How to combine it The road passes through San Martín de Castañeda: stop at the San Martín monastery if it is open and at the viewpoint over the lake. If you are staying in Puebla, a full day could be going up in the morning to the lakes, coming down for lunch and finishing the afternoon at the lake beaches. With children, the walk to the Laguna de las Yeguas is manageable if they already walk for a couple of hours; for the smallest, it is enough to go as far as the Laguna de los Peces, next to the car park. - **Monastery of San Martín de Castañeda** (45 min · For everyone · 1 €): San Martín de Castañeda looks out over the lake from the northern slope. What remains of the monastery is the church, in granite and slate, and in its outbuildings an exhibition on the monastery, the ethnography of the region, Unamuno, a display of recovered sacred art and an information point of the Atlantic Romanesque Plan. It is the only church preserved intact of the Cistercian monasteries that existed in the province of Zamora, and the only one founded in the mountains. A little history According to Castilla y León Tourism, it was founded in the 10th century by the abbot Martino and a group of Mozarabic monks who came from San Cebrián de Mazote, in Valladolid, making use of the remains of an earlier Visigothic foundation. In the 12th century it joined Cluny and later passed to Cîteaux; the abbot Pedro Cristino, appointed in 1150, drove the great building works, and in the 12th and 13th centuries the monastery dominated the Sanabria valley. It is a Historic-Artistic Monument. What to look at On the west façade, a double arch and a proto-Gothic rose window; the main doorway is an addition of 1571. Look for the relief of Saint Martin dividing his cloak with a beggar and the inscription of the original foundation. Inside, the exhibition explains the history of the monastery, the traditional life of the region and Miguel de Unamuno's relationship with the place, and brings together recovered sacred-art pieces. Allow about 45 minutes for the church and the exhibition. Opening hours and admission Admission costs €1. The opening hours change a great deal with the time of year: 1 November to 30 December: Fridays from 16:00 to 20:00; Saturdays and Sundays from 11:00 to 14:00 and from 16:00 to 20:00. 1 January to 8 February: closed. 9 to 28 February: Fridays from 15:30 to 19:30; Saturdays and Sundays from 10:00 to 14:00 and from 15:30 to 19:30. 1 March to 15 June and 18 September to 31 October: Friday afternoons and weekends. 16 June to 17 September: Tuesday to Sunday, from 10:00 to 14:00 and from 16:00 to 20:00. The two official sources do not fully agree on the winter hours, so confirm with the Galende tourist office, 980 62 14 08, especially on public holidays and long weekends. How to combine it San Martín is on the road that climbs to the Laguna de los Peces, and the lake and monks trail passes through the village. On the way out of the village, according to the Z3 route leaflet, is the Peces viewpoint, with a view over the lake. Bring a little cash for the entrance fee just in case. - **Iberian Wolf Centre of Castilla y León, in Robledo** (2 h · Families · €8 · reduced €6 and €4): In Robledo, south of Puebla de Sanabria, the Junta's Iberian Wolf Centre “Félix Rodríguez de la Fuente” keeps Iberian wolves in large woodland enclosures, in semi-liberty. It is not a zoo: the visit is always guided, in small groups, and combines a museum on the wolf with watching the animals from raised observation points. What the visit is like It has two parts. First, an interpretive guide takes you through the building, of 1,800 m², half-buried and with a planted roof, with four rooms: knowledge and management of the wolf, intangible heritage, material heritage and the wolf as a night hunter, plus a corridor on livestock farming and the wolf. Afterwards, with the keepers, you go out to see the wolves. There are two main enclosures of about 3 hectares each, with natural vegetation, shelters and ponds, and three raised observatories for watching them without disturbing them. Some paths to the observation points are accessible. Most of the wolves were born in captivity and came from other parks; some were rescued from the wild and could not return to it. All visits last about two hours, according to the Zamora tourist office's resource leaflet. Opening hours, tickets and booking The centre is open Monday to Thursday from 9:00 to 16:00 and Friday to Sunday from 10:00 to 18:00; the specific sessions can be seen in the booking calendar. Booking and payment are compulsory online, at centrodellobo.es: you choose the day and time and pay, and you receive an email with the booking number that you only need to show on your phone. You must arrive 15 minutes before your assigned time. General admission costs €8; €6 for pensioners and €4 for large families, youth card holders and people with disabilities; children up to 7 do not pay. There is a joint ticket with the lake's Park House, for €8. Telephones: 608 373 962 (Monday to Thursday) and 980 567 638 (Friday to Sunday). Getting there From Puebla de Sanabria, take the ZA-921 towards Ungilde and continue to Robledo; at the entrance to the village, a sign points to the centre, about 1,500 metres away. The centre warns you not to use the Pedroso to Robledo road, which is in poor condition, and that satnavs may send you along forest tracks. From the car park it is about 400 metres, ten minutes on foot, along a path and a wooden walkway. With children it is one of the best plans in the area: bring warm clothes and binoculars if you have them. It combines well with a walk around the town of Puebla de Sanabria and, in September and October, with the deer rut in the Sierra de la Culebra. - **The Red Deer Rut in the Sierra de la Culebra, with a Guide** (Adults and children who can keep quiet · Desde 40 € per person, the wolf-watching outing): The Sierra de la Culebra, between Sanabria and Aliste in north-west Zamora, has one of the densest red deer populations in the Iberian Peninsula and is also known for its wolves. From mid September to early or mid October the stags come into rut: this is the berrea, seen and heard above all at dawn and dusk, from a distance and in silence. With a guide who knows the clearings and the timings you have far better chances of seeing it well, and some chance of seeing a wolf too. What Happens on the Hillside in Those Weeks The rut begins when temperatures fall and the first rains of September arrive. The adult stags move through the open parts of the hillside marking territory, watching over their hinds and bellowing: that hoarse roar, which gives the berrea its name, serves to attract the hinds and to warn other stags. When neither will back down, they lock antlers; the fights are brief and intense. The hinds graze or rest in groups. During those weeks the stags barely eat, and by the end of the rut they are exhausted. Who to Go With AHERCA, local nature guides, organise dedicated rut outings in those weeks, at dawn and at dusk, from Villardeciervos or Villanueva de Valrojo, about 40 minutes by car from Puebla de Sanabria. Dates, meeting time and price are requested by phone or email, because they depend on the year and on how the rut is going. All year round they also run outings to watch free-living Iberian wolves, from €40 per person, and they hire out a telescope and tripod if you ask. The packages do not include accommodation, although they will tell you about the options in the area. How It Is Watched You go to the observation point with the guide, wait at a distance and in silence, and look through binoculars or a telescope. You do not approach the animals or call to them. Wear muted colours and warm clothes, because it is cold at daybreak even in September; bring binoculars if you have them, and patience. Completing the Trip If you are left wanting more wolves, the Iberian Wolf Centre, in Robledo, shows wolves in semi-freedom. For somewhere to sleep nearby, the Posada Real La Cartería, inside the medieval town of Puebla, and for dinner on the way back, La Posada, in the Plaza Mayor. ## Dónde comer - **La Posada de la Puebla de Sanabria** (Restaurant, Puebla de Sanabria, €€). Qué pedir: habones to start and the Sanabrian beef chuletón to share. - **Restaurant of the Parador de Puebla de Sanabria** (Restaurant, Puebla de Sanabria, €€€). Qué pedir: Sanabrian-style octopus and habones. - **Restaurant of the Posada Real La Cartería** (Restaurant, Puebla de Sanabria, €€€). Qué pedir: the Tera trout or some tostas by the tavern fireplace. ## By car: By car, along the A-52 and unhurried by the shore Sanabria is explored by car: Puebla is next to the A-52, the motorway from Benavente to Ourense, and the lake is about 15 minutes away along the ZA-104. The beaches, Ribadelago, San Martín de Castañeda and the Laguna de los Peces are on different roads, so the car does not stay still. Presupuesto orientativo: 70–130 € por persona y día. ### Dónde dormir if you're driving - **Parador de Puebla de Sanabria** (Hotel): The Parador de Puebla de Sanabria is a stone building from the mid-20th century, built for the old State Roadside Inns Network, on Avenida del Lago, in the lower part of the town. It is not a monument like other Paradores: its strengths are the garden, the pool and the setting, with the medieval town above and the Lake Sanabria Natural Park, the largest glacial lake in the peninsula, about 12 km away. Avenue below, castle above From the Parador you walk up to the medieval old town, on the hill surrounded by the rivers Tera and Castro: the Plaza Mayor, the Azogue church and the castle, whose keep houses the fortifications interpretation centre and gives the best views of the surroundings. By car, the lake and its beaches are about fifteen minutes away. On the A-52, it lies between Madrid and Vigo, with exits 79 and 85. Forty-two rooms There are 42 rooms of four types: standard double, superior double, junior suite and accessible double. They have flat-screen television, minibar, a safe with room for a laptop and air conditioning, and you can order breakfast in the room. The hotel has a lift, free wifi and laundry and ironing service. Rates are on the Paradores website, room only, with breakfast or half board. Garden, pool and padel for the children The building is surrounded by a large garden with a seasonal outdoor pool, playground and padel court, and inside there is a children's games room. With small children, they have somewhere to run around without leaving the hotel. Car, bike and electric charging There is free outdoor parking and, for a fee, covered parking and a garage. It has an electric-car charging point and is set up for cycle tourists. The dining room of habones and octopus The restaurant serves Sanabrian cooking, with Castilian, Galician and Portuguese influence: habones, trout, Sanabrian-style octopus, Zamora cheeses, local cured meats and soupy venison rice. Breakfast is from 8:00 to 11:00. In winter, lunches from 13:30 to 15:30 and dinners from 20:30 to 23:00; in summer, from 13:30 to 16:00 and from 21:00 to 23:30. The café is open from 11:00 until 23:30, or until midnight in summer. Winter closure The Parador closes from 3 January to 1 March 2027. - **Posada Real La Cartería** (Small hotel): La Cartería is a Posada Real on the Rúa, the street that climbs through the historic centre of Puebla de Sanabria, tucked inside the walls of the castle of the Counts of Benavente and looking out over the River Tera. The building dates from the 18th century: it was the house where the Cistercian monks of San Martín de Castañeda collected the tithes and later the region's post office, which is where the name comes from. Inside the walls, above the Tera Sleeping here means having the medieval town at your door: the castle, the cobbled streets, the Plaza Mayor and the Giants and Big-Heads Museum are a few steps away, and at night you do not need to take the car. The lake is about 12 km away. You get here by the A-52: exit 79 coming from Madrid and 85 coming from Galicia; from Portugal, via Calabor or Rihonor de Castilla. Eight rooms, five of them suites There are three standard doubles and five suites, one of them a family suite. The adobe, stone and wood walls sit alongside designer furniture. Number 1 has a gallery over the Tera; 5 and 8 are in the attic, with a large bed beneath the roof's structure of poles and reed lath. All have television and minibar, and wifi is free throughout the house. Bookings are made through the booking engine on its website. Sauna, Turkish bath and library The inn has a wellness area with gym, sauna, Turkish bath and Scotch shower. There are two guest lounges with a reading area, television and a computer with internet, and a terrace towards the wall. Eating in cellars cut into the slate The dining rooms are former medieval cellars cut into the slate on which the town sits. The cooking is home-style and local: habones, beef, Tera trout, and also mushrooms, game and more modern dishes, with wines mostly from the Duero. For something light, the café serves tostas by the fireplace, with views of the river. If you prefer to eat out, La Posada, on the Plaza Mayor, has habones and Sanabrian beef chuletón. Excursions from the Rúa By car, the lake and monks trail and the monastery of San Martín de Castañeda, the very one that collected tithes here, are about twenty minutes away. In September and October, the deer rut in the Sierra de la Culebra is about 40 minutes away. ## As a family: A castle, a lake and real wolves Sanabria is one of the most complete destinations in the north-west for going with children: a castle with a tower, a lake with beaches and a centre where you can see Iberian wolves. ### What works best The castle of Puebla, 40 minutes, free for under-7s The lake beaches in summer, and the walk along the shore the rest of the year The Wolf Centre at Robledo, two guided hours, booked online The Laguna de los Peces, which you reach by car, and a flat walk to the Laguna de las Yeguas ### Sleep Parador, with seasonal pool, playground and games room La Cartería, with a family suite in the town ### Eat La Posada, on the Plaza Mayor, with fixed sittings at midday Parador restaurant, without taking the car up to the town ### Keep in mind The lake water is cold even in August The Wolf Centre cannot be visited without a prior booking The town's streets are steep and cobbled ### Qué hacer as a family - Castle of the Counts of Benavente, in Puebla de Sanabria - Walk through the town of Puebla de Sanabria - Lake Sanabria Beaches - Sotillo Waterfall Walk - Laguna de los Peces and Laguna de las Yeguas - Monastery of San Martín de Castañeda - Iberian Wolf Centre of Castilla y León, in Robledo ## With young children: Short distances and a freshwater beach With small children, combine the beach or the lake shore with a spell at the castle and leave the long trails. ### What works best The lake beaches: sand and calm water in summer The castle of Puebla, with a tower to climb The Wolf Centre, free up to age 7 The flat walk at the Laguna de los Peces ### Sleep Parador, with playground and pool ### Eat Parador restaurant, with a garden next door ### Keep in mind For the town, a backpack is better than a pushchair: there are slopes and cobbles At the beaches, bring shade: there are stretches without trees ### Qué hacer with young children - Castle of the Counts of Benavente, in Puebla de Sanabria - Lake Sanabria Beaches - Laguna de los Peces and Laguna de las Yeguas - Iberian Wolf Centre of Castilla y León, in Robledo ## With teenagers: Mountain routes and a glacial lake From age 12 up, Sanabria is mountains: trails of several hours, waterfalls and glacial lakes. ### What works best The Sotillo waterfall, 6 km and 400 m of ascent The lake and monks trail, 12 km, on foot or by bike The Laguna de los Peces and, for the strongest, the route to Peña Trevinca The Wolf Centre: two hours to see wolves and understand the conflict ### Sleep La Cartería, with sauna and Turkish bath, inside the town ### Eat La Posada: Sanabrian beef chuletón to share ### Keep in mind The route to Peña Trevinca takes ten hours: not in fog In summer, the lake has more atmosphere; in autumn, more silence ### Qué hacer with teenagers - Castle of the Counts of Benavente, in Puebla de Sanabria - Walk through the town of Puebla de Sanabria - Lake Sanabria Beaches - The Lake and Monks Trail - Sotillo Waterfall Walk - Laguna de los Peces and Laguna de las Yeguas - Iberian Wolf Centre of Castilla y León, in Robledo - The Red Deer Rut in the Sierra de la Culebra, with a Guide ## Consejos ### Go up to the Laguna de los Peces early The road is narrow and the car park at the top fills up in summer and on long weekends. ### Book the Wolf Centre Without a reservation and online payment you can't get in. ### Leave the car down in Puebla The climb to the castle is ten minutes on foot, and in season you can't park in the plaza. ### Bring a waterproof at the lake Even in summer the water is cold and the weather changes fast in the sierra. ## Preguntas frecuentes ### How long does it take from Zamora? A little over an hour to Puebla, along the A-66 and A-52, and about 15 minutes more to the lake. ### Can I swim in the lake? Yes, in summer, at its beaches: Arenales de Vigo, El Folgoso, Custa Llago and Viquiella. The water is cold. ### Is the lake boat running? In autumn 2026 the Helios catamaran was in the shipyard and wasn't taking bookings. Check at europarques.com before you go. ### What can I see in Puebla de Sanabria in a morning? The castle, the Plaza Mayor, the church of El Azogue and the streets that go down to the Tera. ### Can I go with a dog? On the town's streets, yes, on a lead. In the Natural Park, ask about the rules for each beach and path at the Park Visitor Centre. La Posada seats dogs on its ground floor if there is room. ### How many days do I need? One for the town and the shore; two to go up to the lagoons and do a hike.