Castle of the Counts of Benavente, in Puebla de Sanabria

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.