A route by car through the Sierra del Rincón, a Madrid Biosphere Reserve

An hour north of the city of Madrid is a mountain range, unknown to many, which is one of the great wonders that this autonomous community hides. We are talking about the Sierra del Rincón, a protected area declared a Biosphere Reserve in 2005 that will surely surprise you.

In addition to enjoying nature in its purest form, and one of the most important beech forests in Europe, you can enjoy some enviable towns. If you also travel outside the weekends you can enjoy it much more without crowds.

Here we offer you a tour by car through the Sierra del Rincón visiting its most interesting places and that you cannot miss.

Route by car through the Sierra del Rincón

Prádena del Rincón and the Salmoral Lagoon

The first town that you will find going from Madrid to the Sierra del Rincón is Prádena del Rincón, a small town with less than a hundred inhabitants whose main monument that you will discover in its streets is the Church of Santo Domingo de Silos, a Romanesque jewel of the thirteenth century.

Next to the church you can enjoy the typical architecture of the area and some alleys that you should walk through to get to know the town before heading, either by car or on a pleasant walk to Laguna del Salmoral.

Laguna del Salmoral is a small lagoon located about 2 km from the town where you can take a circular route between hawthorns, poplars or ash trees as well as enjoy various birds that frequent the area.

Horcajuelo of the Sierra

A few kilometers from Prádena del Rincón is another of the towns in the area that you should visit. We are talking about Horcajuelo de la Sierra, which also has a hundred inhabitants.

In Horcajuelo de la Sierra you can enjoy the tranquility walking through its streets as well as the nature that surrounds it since it is located between two streams, which makes it a very special visit.

The main point of interest in the town is the Ethnographic Museum, since in it you can learn about the history of the Sierra del Rincón as well as the way of life of its inhabitants. It is located in a building that recreates an old house in the area and is next to the Church of San Nicolás de Bari the places you must visit in Horcajuelo de la Sierra.

Montejo de la Sierra and the Montejo Beech Forest

Going back on our route we arrive at Montejo de la Sierra, possibly the most visited place in the Sierra del Rincón, especially on weekends. In it we can enjoy monuments such as the Church of San Pedro en Cátedra or the Ermita de la Soledad.

But what stands out most about this town is not found among its streets but a few kilometers to the north, and it is none other than the Montejo Beech Forest, which in autumn takes on great prominence due to its color and majesty. To visit it you have to book in advance as it is a protected area and visits are very limited.

Together with other beech forests in Spain, such as the Selva de Irati, Tejera Negra or those of the Picos de Europa and beech forests in 11 other countries, it forms a World Heritage Site that you cannot miss.

The hiruela

After visiting the most important natural wonder of the Sierra del Rincón, it is time to enjoy the landscape that you find along the narrow road that takes you to La Hiruela, a town where time seems to have stopped and which is a must-see.

This fairytale town also has a spectacular natural environment through which you can take different routes, more or less long according to your needs and that will take you among oak trees to places as interesting as the Flour Mill that is next to the Jarama River or an apiary of 300 years that will be one of the great surprises.

Other points of interest to visit in La Hiruela are the Church of San Miguel Arcángel or the Ethnological Museum where they show you the different ways of life of the history of its inhabitants.

Puebla de la Sierra

The road to Puebla de la Sierra seems long but the winding road that takes you through Puerto de la Puebla through fairytale landscapes is worth it.

It is one of the most isolated towns in the Community of Madrid, and its 60 inhabitants know it, but when you arrive you will discover why it is essential to take the route that takes you to it thanks to its typical slate and wood architecture and the charms that enclose their streets.

The so-called Valley of Dreams is its main attraction. It is an open-air sculpture museum that is located on a route that you can take throughout the municipality and that will surprise you.

Map of the route through the Sierra del Rincón