Discover Piedralaves: Nature, Hiking Trails and Festivals

Piedralaves lies on the southern slopes of the Sierra de Gredos in the Tiétar Valley. The town is situated on an extensive, terraced hillside between the peaks of the eastern Gredos massif and the Tiétar River, which flows from east to west along the valley floor.

When booking a holiday apartment in Piedralaves, you can compare travel dates, room categories and cancellation policies on the listing pages. Treat these three fields as separate decision points: the period, the accommodation layout and the conditions each represent a distinct aspect of the offer.

Nature and Trails

Piedralaves lies within the protected areas of the Tiétar Valley designated as LIC and ZEPA sites in the Natura 2000 network. Piotea starts at Parque del Venerito and is an easy, family-friendly environmental and educational trail that is signposted along its entire route. On the Piotea route, typical animals of this ecosystem can be observed, including roe deer, red deer and wild boar.

The Ruta de la Angostura is a moderately difficult, fully signposted circular hike through a chestnut forest and the remarkable Pyrenean oak forest of Castañar de la Angostura. The hiking trails described for Piedralaves are marked with wooden trail signs and information boards; some also have viewpoints. Las Minas is an easy, fully signposted out-and-back hike to the former mines of Piedralaves, where feldspar and mica were extracted.

La Serradilla is one of the most difficult routes in the Piedralaves catalogue; hikers should be accustomed to walks of more than six hours for the ascent and carry suitable mountain equipment, provisions, a map or GPS, and a first-aid kit. Charca de la Nieta was redesigned in the mid-1950s and converted into its present form as a pond.

Other Experiences

The Piedralaves Stargazing Viewpoint is located in Pradera de los Berezales and offers a sky map and a planisphere for observing stars and planets. Activities, lectures and workshops for all age groups take place at the Stargazing Viewpoint.

Culture and Festivals

Piedralaves is officially a Pueblo Mágico and has been included in the Red de Pueblos Mágicos de España. The two fundamental elements of Piedralaves folklore are La Ronda del Cántaro and Las danzas del Maquilandrón.

Luminarias is celebrated in Piedralaves on the evening of 14 May, the eve of the Feast of San Isidro; fires are lit in the different neighbourhoods using broom, Spanish broom and rosemary. The Romería de San Isidro takes place on the weekend after 15 May and includes horses, flamenco and a parade of floats through Piedralaves. Calbotada takes place on the first weekend of November in Prao de San Roque; chestnuts are roasted over a fire and stories are told.

Further destinations: Fontiveros, Santa María Del Tiétar, Fuente El Saúz, Arévalo, La Angostura, Sotillo De La Adrada, Umbrías, Navalperal De Tormes

The Piedralaves tourist information office is located at Plaza de la Constitución 8, next to the Torre del Reloj, the former Toriles.

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