Guided tour of the castle, the medieval town and the church of Santiago

Two official Sigüenza guides take the group round the upper part of the city. You start at the castle, the former palace of the bishops and now a Parador, with its parade ground and, if the Parador allows, its halls. You go down alleys and small squares, such as the Plazuela de la Cárcel, to the San Vicente doorway, the Plazuela of the Casa del Doncel and the church of Santiago, where you enter the province's Romanesque interpretation centre. It ends along Calle Mayor and the Puerta del Sol in the Plaza Mayor, at the company's office, which has a small shop and a space devoted to local produce.

Time and price

It leaves at 11:00, and on Saturdays also at 17:30; on other days, enquire. It costs €12, €7 for ages 12 to 16 and children do not pay; you pay at the end, in cash or by card. It lasts an hour and three quarters and a minimum of five people is needed. It includes entry to the church of Santiago, but not the cathedral. The meeting point is the main gate of the castle, beneath the two flag towers. There is free parking at the end of Calle Valencia, next to the castle; in the Plaza del Castillo parking is regulated and paid for with the Telepark app.

With the cathedral

Monday to Friday, the same company also offers the cathedral with a guide, at 12:55, just after the city tour: the Doncel chapel with its famous tomb, the Sacristía Mayor with its vault, the altarpiece of Santa Librada, the trascoro, the ambulatory, the choir and the high altar. It costs €12, €8 for ages 12 to 16, and is free for children.

If you want both one after the other, there is a combined tour Monday to Friday, from 11:00 to 14:00, which joins monumental Sigüenza with the cathedral and the Diocesan Museum, with tickets included: €22, €14 for ages 12 to 16 and free for children. Inside the cathedral you listen to the guide through an audio system that must be returned at the end.

Tips

Bring warm clothes, especially in winter: Sigüenza is at 998 metres above sea level. The monuments have some steps and the city is cobbled, although the route is level and downhill; for the combined tour, the company describes it as wheelchair accessible, with some stairs in the castle and three at the entrance of Santiago. Go to the toilet beforehand, because there are no stops for this during the tour. You may take photos, without flash in the cathedral, but not film video. Pets can join the city tour, but are not allowed in the castle-parador or the cathedral.

The company's office is at Calle Cardenal Mendoza 5, about 50 metres from the cathedral, and is open Tuesday to Sunday, except Sunday afternoon. If you prefer to go on your own, the walk from the Plaza Mayor to the castle covers the same route in reverse, and the joint ticket to the Casa del Doncel, La Plazuela and Santiago costs €4.