Peñacoba: Natural Environment, Fossils and Cid History

Spanish junipers grow around Peñacoba, particularly along the cultivated areas. Peñacoba is located in the protected natural area of La Yecla - Los Sabinares del Arlanza, which is characterised by limestone cliffs, karst formations and hanging synclines.

You can consider these topics according to your own interests: the landscape, wildlife, geological history and traditional culture each offer different focal points. When booking a holiday apartment in Peñacoba, the accommodation pages allow you to compare travel dates, room category and cancellation conditions side by side.

Nature

Egyptian vultures, griffon vultures and Bonelli’s eagles can be found in the protected natural area of La Yecla - Los Sabinares del Arlanza. The animal species lend the landscape a natural-history dimension, while two palaeontological sites offer different types of finds.

Scales of Lepidotes fish were found at the Las Adoberas palaeontological site in Peñacoba. Vertebrate bones of the genus Dinosauria were found at the Las Cabezas palaeontological site in Peñacoba.

The Desfiladero de Peñacoba is a limestone gorge carved out by a stream. Depending on your interests, the Spanish junipers, the birds of prey found here, the sites and the gorge can be considered as separate natural-history focal points.

History

On 12 May 1076, El Cid and Doña Jimena donated the village of Peñacoba to the Monastery of San Sebastián de Silos and its abbot, Fortunio. This date and the people named establish a specific historical connection in the history of the village.

At the exit from Peñacoba towards Huerta, a small rest area with a sword called Colada stuck into the ground commemorates the village’s connection with El Cid.

The BU 911 road between Santo Domingo de Silos and the turn-off to Peñacoba is designated a “Carretera Singular” on the El Destierro route. Those wishing to combine historical narratives with impressions of the landscape can incorporate these different points of reference separately into their own planning.

Culture

The ancient site of Clunia and the ancient site of Colonia Clunia Sulpicia are located in the wider area around Peñacoba. The Church of Santa María de Quintanilla de las Viñas is also located in the wider surrounding area.

The Cañón del Río Lobos Nature Park is located in the wider area around Peñacoba. Alongside local natural and cultural topics, this also provides points of reference in the wider surrounding area for destinations with ancient, ecclesiastical and nature-related significance.

Other locations to consider include Cótar, La Cueva De Roa, Hornillos Del Camino, Quintanilla Vivar, Rebolledo De La Torre, Medina de Pomar, Crespos and Neila.

Festivities

Depending on your personal travel plans, you can give different weight to natural-history discoveries, historical connections or a fixed date. In Peñacoba, patron saint festivities in honour of Santa Isabel, known locally as Virgen del Cerro, are celebrated on 2 July; the festivities last three days.

The traditional celebrations include decorating the roofs of houses in which unmarried young women live.

For the general travel overview: Burgos.