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
The rut in the Sierra de la Culebra, with the old town of Sanabria at midday.
The castle and old town of Puebla de Sanabria in the morning, habones and veal in the Plaza Mayor and, as evening falls, rutting stags with a Culebra guide. An hour and a quarter from Zamora.
Leaving from
Part of Lake Sanabria and Puebla de Sanabria
Add to my trip
Total time12 h
By car1 h 15 each way
WatchingAt dusk · 2–3 h with the guide
DifficultyEasy
Cost€60–90 pp
Best timeMid-September – mid-October
ReturnIn the dark
The plan
The day at a glance
Any part can be swapped for another without spoiling the day.
-
Leave Zamora 1 h 15 by car
from Zamora via the A-66 and the A-52, exit 79
-
1
Castle of the Counts of Benavente, in Puebla de Sanabria
castle and keep · 40 min · €4
- 2 min on foot
-
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
-
3
La Posada de la Puebla de Sanabria
La Posada, on the Plaza Mayor · habones (broad beans) and Sanabria beef · €€ · booking
Plaza Mayor, 3, 49300 Puebla de Sanabria · +34 980 61 00 94
Restaurant €€Book - 30 min by car18,3 km
-
4
Monastery of San Martín de Castañeda
San Martín de Castañeda and the lake viewpoint · €1
- 1 h by car58,5 km
-
5
The Red Deer Rut in the Sierra de la Culebra, with a Guide
AHERCA · rutting-season outing at dusk from Villardeciervos · 40 min by car · price on request
+34 625 751 996
Guide With AHERCABook -
Back home
You reach Zamora around 22:30; drive slowly through the sierra
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
From mid-September to mid-October, in the Sierra de la Culebra the stags come into rut and can be heard bellowing as evening falls. This is the berrea, and in few places in Spain can it be seen so close to a city: the Culebra is an hour from Zamora and half an hour from Puebla de Sanabria. This plan spends the morning in the medieval town of Puebla, has lunch in its Plaza Mayor and sets out at dusk with a local guide to see deer and, with luck, a wolf.
The day, hour by hour
10:00 · Set off. From Zamora, take the A-66 towards Benavente and the A-52 to exit 79. Leave the car down below, next to the Tera.
11:15 · Puebla Castle. The fortress of the Counts of Benavente, with the keep above the valley. About 40 minutes and €4.
12:00 · The old town. Streets of stone and slate, the church of the Azogue and the descent to the Tera by the slopes.
13:30 · Lunch at La Posada. On the Plaza Mayor. Open at midday from 13:15 to 15:30 every day except Wednesday. Book.
15:45 · San Martín de Castañeda. The Romanesque monastery above the lake, with its exhibition for €1, and the lake viewpoint.
18:00 · The rut with a guide. From San Martín to Villardeciervos it is about 40 minutes. AHERCA, Culebra guides, organises rut outings at dawn and dusk during those weeks: book beforehand by phone or email and confirm the time, which changes with the light. You watch from a distance, in silence, with binoculars or a telescope. Wear warm clothes in muted colours.
21:00 · Head home. In the dark and through the sierra: slowly, as deer cross the road. In Zamora around half past ten.
What to order
Habones to start, the big Sanabria bean stewed, and Sanabrese veal chuletón to share. For dessert, something from the house.
How the rut is seen
The male deer bellow to mark territory and attract the females, and fight with their antlers. They move little by day and come out into the clearings at dawn and dusk. Do not approach them or call to them: a guide knows where to watch from without disturbing them. The rut depends on the year: if it comes late, the first week of October can be the best.
Time40 min
Change the route
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.
.jpg)
© 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
Only in the rutting weeks, from mid-September to mid-October depending on the year. The rut outing is booked beforehand with the guide, who confirms the date and the meeting time.
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Best timeGood timeLow season
Tips
Worth knowing first
- 1Book the rut before the table
There are few outings and in small groups; the guide will tell you the meeting time.
- 2Bring binoculars and a coat
At nightfall it gets very cold in the sierra, even if it is warm at midday.
- 3Eat something beforehand
You come back late: bring a sandwich for after the outing.
We'd skip it
Outside the rutting weeks, the rut cannot be seen: swap the afternoon for the Robledo Wolf Centre or a wolf-watching outing.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
When is the rut in the Culebra?
From mid-September to mid-October, depending on the year.
How much does the outing cost?
AHERCA gives the price of the rut when you book; its wolf-watching outing costs €40 per person.
Will I definitely see them?
The deer are almost always heard; seeing them well depends on the day. With a guide, the chances improve.
Is it suitable for children?
For those over about 10 who can stay still and quiet in the cold.
More plans like this
Other days of walking and good food
geocalia.com/en/spain/castile-and-leon/sanabria-lake/itineraries/saturday-of-the-rut-and-lunch-in-puebla
Prices, opening hours and times are approximate: check them before you go. Each place has its own page on Geocalia.