La Posada de la Puebla de Sanabria
What to order: habones to start and the Sanabrian beef chuletón to share.
geocalia
Day itinerary · 42.12° N · 6.72° W
Sanabria: castle, Plaza Mayor and the lake from above.
The medieval village of Puebla and its castle in the morning, broad beans and Sanabria veal on the Plaza Mayor and, in the afternoon, the lake from San Martín de Castañeda.
Leaving from
Part of Lake Sanabria and Puebla de Sanabria
Add to my trip
Total time8 h 30
By car1 h 15 each way
Walking1 h · slopes
DifficultyEasy
Cost€30–50 pp
Best timeSeptember – June
With childrenYes
With a dogAround the village, yes; at La Posada, ground floor
The plan
The day at a glance
Any part can be swapped for another without spoiling the day.
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Leave Zamora 1 h 15 by car
via the A-66 and the A-52, exit 79
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1
Castle of the Counts of Benavente, in Puebla de Sanabria
Castle and keep · 40 min · €4
- 2 min on foot
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2
Walk through the town of Puebla de Sanabria
The town, the Azogue and the descent to the Tera · 1 h
- 1 min on foot
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3
La Posada de la Puebla de Sanabria
La Posada, on the Plaza Mayor · first sitting · €€ · booking required
Plaza Mayor, 3, 49300 Puebla de Sanabria · +34 980 61 00 94
Restaurant €€Book - 30 min by car18,3 km
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4
Monastery of San Martín de Castañeda
San Martín de Castañeda and the lake viewpoint · €1
- 5 min by car3 km
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5
Lake Sanabria Beaches
Walk along the shore at Custa Llago or El Folgoso · 30 min
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Back home
You reach Zamora around 19:15
Approximate cost
About €20–35 per person
Adds up the activities and meals in the plan at their published prices; travel and accommodation not included.
The route
Castle of the Counts of Benavente, in Puebla de Sanabria
Sanabria makes a well-rounded Sunday without putting on walking boots. In the morning, the village of Puebla and its castle; at midday, a table on the Plaza Mayor; in the afternoon, the lake seen from San Martín de Castañeda, the village that looks out over it from the north slope, and a stroll along the shore before heading home.
The Day, Hour by Hour
9:30 · Departure. From Zamora, take the A-66 to Benavente and the A-52 to exit 79, a little over an hour. Park in the lower part of Puebla, by the river: you cannot park on the Plaza Mayor at weekends in spring or in summer.
10:45 · Castle. Walk up to the village. The castle opens every day from 11:00 to 14:00 outside summer; the joint ticket, with the Giants and Big-Heads museum and the mycology school at Ungilde, costs €4 and is free for under-7s. Inside is the tourist office: pick up the map.
11:45 · The village. Plaza Mayor, town hall and the church of the Azogue, which opens on Sundays from 11:00 to 14:00 (Mass is at 12:30). Afterwards walk down the cobbled streets towards the Tera and back up: there are slopes.
13:15 · Lunch at La Posada. On the Plaza Mayor, opposite the Azogue. It works in two sittings at midday, at 13:15 and 15:15; take the first. Order the broad beans and a Sanabria veal chuletón to share. It closes on Wednesdays; on Sunday it is open. Book by phone.
15:30 · San Martín de Castañeda. Take the car and drive along the north shore of the lake, about 25 minutes. The Romanesque church of the old Cistercian monastery and its exhibition open on Sundays from 15:30 to 19:30 in November and December and from 16:00 to 20:00 in spring and autumn, for €1. From the village you see the whole lake.
17:00 · The shore. Go down to one of the beaches, Custa Llago or El Folgoso, and walk for a while beside the water. In summer, take a dip: it is cold.
17:45 · Return. You reach Zamora around a quarter past seven.
With Children
The castle has a tower and they like it. If you prefer something livelier in the afternoon, swap the monastery for the Iberian Wolf Centre at Robledo: two guided hours to see wolves, €8 and free up to age 7, with online booking and payment. For the village, a baby carrier is better than a pushchair.
Time40 min
Change the route
With children: two guided hours, book online:
Iberian Wolf Centre of Castilla y León, in Robledo
In good weather and without snow: drive up and walk to the Laguna de las Yeguas:
Laguna de los Peces and Laguna de las Yeguas
If you do not want to climb to the square: dining room with parking:
Restaurant of the Parador de Puebla de Sanabria
Where to eat
Where to eat?
Lunch is half the plan: book before you set off.
© ParadoresRestaurant of the Parador de Puebla de Sanabria
What to order: Sanabrian-style octopus and habones.
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© Posada Real La CarteríaRestaurant of the Posada Real La Cartería
What to order: the Tera trout or some tostas by the tavern fireplace.
Map
The stops, in order
With where to park at each one.
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
Getting there
By car or without one?
When to go
When to go to Lake Sanabria and Puebla de Sanabria
Any Sunday of the year except with snow in the mountains. The San Martín monastery opens on Sundays from 10:00 to 14:00 and from 15:30 to 19:30 in November and December, and closes from 1 January to 8 February.
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Best timeGood timeLow season
Tips
Worth knowing first
- 1Book lunch
La Posada holds the table for ten minutes and works with fixed sittings.
- 2Check the monastery calendar
It is closed from 1 January to 8 February, and outside summer it does not open from Monday to Thursday.
- 3Wear comfortable footwear
The village is cobbled and steep.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take from Zamora?
A little over an hour to Puebla and a quarter of an hour more to the lake.
Is the castle open on Sundays?
Yes, every day, from 11:00 to 14:00 and from 16:00 to 20:00 outside summer.
Can you do it in the rain?
Yes: castle, church, lunch and monastery are all under cover. Leave the shore for another day.
Can I take a dog?
Around the village, on a lead. At La Posada they seat it on the ground floor if there is room; say so when you book.
More plans like this
Other days of walking and good food
geocalia.com/en/spain/castile-and-leon/sanabria-lake/itineraries/sanabria-puebla-castle-and-monastery-by-the-lake
Prices, opening hours and times are approximate: check them before you go. Each place has its own page on Geocalia.