Discover Alarcia: Hiking Trails, Nature and Romanesque Culture

The Ruta de los Pagos runs through the northern part of Alarcia. This easy 7.5 km trail is suitable for all groups and provides access to three natural viewpoints. A detour of around 150 m leads to a rocky outcrop called “Cabeza del Buitre”; from there, Pico Trigaza and the La Tejera and La Genciana streams can be seen.

Nature

Pico Trigaza is 2,034 m high and the second-highest peak in the province of Burgos. The southern part of Alarcia, known as “La Reserva”, lies entirely within the Natura 2000 network and the Sierra de la Demanda Special Protection Area for birds. Vultures, eagles and deer can be observed in Alarcia’s protected habitats; red deer can also be seen there during the rutting season.

Hiking Trails

The Ruta de La Genciana is just over 17 km long and has a moderate difficulty level. It runs through the Ebro and Duero river basins and is officially designated by FEDME as the short-distance trail PRC-BU-84. Together with the easier Ruta de los Pagos, it offers routes with different trail profiles.

For day planning, the routes can be compared based on their different lengths and difficulty levels; they also differ in that one offers viewpoints, while the other features the Ebro and Duero river basins and official trail designation. This makes the trails’ specific characteristics clear without reducing them to a single standard trail profile.

Culture

Alarcia is home to a Romanesque church dating from the 12th century. Its portal has three archivolts decorated with primitive geometric motifs. Outside the town centre, there is also a church dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. It is no longer used for services and is in a semi-derelict state.

The Cantina de Alarcia serves typical dishes from the Sierra de la Demanda. These include Olla Podrida, various game dishes and locally produced meat. Alarcia also has two mushroom-picking areas where mushrooms can be collected during the season, provided the required permits have been obtained in advance.

When choosing a holiday apartment in Alarcia, the respective listing pages provide information on travel dates, room category and cancellation conditions; these three points can be matched to the desired travel period and preferred type of stay. This keeps the focus on the personal framework of the trip.

Other Places

Other places for planning your trip include Miraveche, Pradoluengo, Valle De Las Navas, Renuncio, Ibeas de Juarros, Miñón, Cigüenza and Oquillas.

Getting Around and Events

Alarcia is a listed stop on the provincial government of Burgos’s demand-responsive rural MAR public transport service. The patron saint’s festival in honour of Saint Bartholomew takes place on 24 August; if necessary, it is moved to the nearest weekend.

For the overarching travel overview: Burgos.