Candelario, a beauty hidden amongst the mountains of Castile

At the border between Castile and Leon and Extremadura, not far from Hervás and Granadilla, lies a cute little town, Candelario. Awarded as one of the most beautiful villages of Spain, Candelario appears suddenly after a turn on the road. Nesting between high mountains, bright white in winter, strikingly green in summer, is an enchanting ensemble of houses, most of them going up to three floors, preserved in time - the dates they exhibit prove it! Once a village whose living was made of cattle products, nowadays its pretty streets and its closeness to a ski station, La Covatilla, attract many tourists all year long. Let me show you Candelario, a beauty hidden amongst the mountains of Castile!

Candelario’s wealthy past

The origins of this village are probably Roman. They came to this area to collect the snow that would then go to Merida to be able to preserve the fresh products there. We know that a village was founded for sure by the Christians, who shared it with Jewish people until their ejection. The main source of income for Candelario, the cattle products, was surprisingly profitable. This old tradition survived through centuries, and the whole village was built according to its needs. 

The prints of a past linked to the slaughter of animals are everywhere. For instance, the fountains: once you enter the village, there are lots of them, here and there. Some villagers make it their business to keep them pretty, but they were also very useful once: for a town where the slaughter of the cattle was so important, they had the role of keeping up the hygiene! Same for the ditches that go down the streets, providing the soothing sound of running water during all our visits. 

Another print from this time is Candelario’s funny doors. As the picture below shows, half a door was placed in front of the actual entrance to protect it from the snow but also to prevent animals from going in or out of the house. We have to remember that, at the time, animals used to live on the bottom floor in order to provide warmth to the house, among other uses, of course. Also, it was a way to keep ventilated the house during the season of slaughtering (it lasted during all the cold months, from November to February). 

A church that mimics the night sky

A typical way in the Medieval Age to show how much a village was rich was to build an impressive church. Well, one of the most interesting spots in Candelario is the church of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción. It combines a bunch of different styles, from Romanesque to Baroque. The big surprise is inside: on the altar’s ceiling, a wooden vault measuring almost 100 square metres, with the original, striking Mudejar work. Some 99 stars were carved there, and they can be lit up like the night sky if you pay 1€. Of course, it is totally worth it! The result is overwhelming, especially if there is some church music playing in the background.

La Covatilla

In winter, the very close La Covatilla ski resort is always a nice attraction for the day. It is quite modest in size (and price), but it is a nice complement for a weekend in the area. You can also hike the surroundings. You can enjoy a fantastic view over near Extremadura, a peaceful landscape of mountains, streams and a huge reservoir at the bottom. All in all, I think you will agree with me that it is worth a visit to Candelario, a beauty hidden amongst the mountains of Castile!