Soria

Soria is a city in the Castile and León region of northern Spain, with a population of 40,000 in 2023, and another 50,000 in its surrounding province. Its main attraction is its collection of Romanesque churches. == Understand == The Umayyad Moors conquered most of Spain during the 710s, but the northern regions were at the margins of their control. They were driven out in the 11th century, and the northern petty kingdoms of Castile, León, Aragón and Navarre sought to re-populate and Christianise the land whenever they weren't fighting each other. Soria and its surrounds were re-populated 1109-1114 initially by Aragon, but from 1134 were ruled by Castile. The town earned a living from cattle-farming, and from the troops guarding the border. The troops marched away once Castile united with Aragón in 1479, and Soria slumped. It never attracted heavy industry and although it's a provincial capital, it retains the ambience of a market town dotted with Romanesque churches. == Get in == By road from Madrid follow A-2 to Medinacelli then A-15 north, 234 km. From Zaragoza follow AP-68 onto N-122, which continues west from Soria to Valladolid. Alsa buses run every couple of hours from Madrid Av America, taking 2 hr 30 min via Madrid Airport T4, and continuing north to Logroño or to Pamplona. 1 Soria bus station is west side of town, corner of Av Constitución and Av Valladolid. It's being rebuilt in 2024 so expect disruption, with buses stopping out on the street. Town buses 2 and 3 ply this way. Only two trains a day run to Soria, taking 3 hours from Madrid Chamartín via Alcalá de Henares, Guadalajara, Siguenza, Torralba, Almazán, Tardelcuende and Quintana Redonda. 2 Soria railway station is on C Madrid at the south edge of town. == Get around == The town sights are within walking distance, including San Saturio via a footbridge. You need wheels for the outlying sights. Soria has six local bus routes, posted online by Avanza, plus a dozen taxi firms. == See == A total solar eclipse on Wednesday 12 Aug 2026, starting at 20:29 and lasting 1 min 40 sec. The chances of a clear sky are 75%, but you need to find a spot with a clear view to the northwest horizon, where the sun will be setting. 1 Plaza Mayor is the colonnaded pedestrianised main square, with City Hall (Ayuntamiento) on its south side. Iglesia de Santa María la Mayor east side of the plaza has a plain Romanesque exterior but is gilded within. 2 Iglesia de San Juan de Rabanera at Caballeros 20 is 12th century Romanesque. City walls are best preserved along Santa Clara, 200 m south of San Juan de Rabanera. Casa de los Poetas is a small museum, cafe and cultural centre dedicated to poets, especially Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer, Antonio Machado and Gerardo Diego. It's 100 m west of Plaza Mayor within the casino at Collado 23, open daily 10:00-13:00, 16:00-20:30. 3 Museo Numantino, Paseo el Espolón 8, ☏ +34 975 221397. Tu-Sa 10:00-14:00, 16:00-18:30, Su 10:00-14:00. Displaying findings from Numantia (below) and elsewhere. Free. (updated Dec 2024) Palacio de los Condes de Gómara is a grand mansion built in the 1580s / 90s, nowadays law courts. It's 100 m north of Plaza Mayor at Aguirre 3. 4 Iglesia de Santo Domingo, Plaza Condes de Lérida, ☏ +34 975 211239. Beautiful church built in Romanesque in the 12th century, but with the interior re-done in Gothic when a Dominican convent was added in the 16th. (updated Dec 2024) 5 Concatedral de San Pedro, Nuestra Señora Calatañazor 3. Closed. 12th century cathedral rebuilt in the 16th. Free, but €2 to see cloister. (updated Dec 2024) San Nicolás is a ruined church at Real 36 near the cathedral. It was built in the 12th century and fell derelict in the 19th. Castillo de Soria is just a few gnarly stumps on the hill by the Parador (below). It was built in the 9th century, and the entire town was walled. Anything left standing after Napoleon's assault on Soria was demolished once he was driven out of Spain. 6 Monasterio de San Juan de Duero on the east riverbank is the extensive ruin of a 12th century church and cloister. It's open Tu-Sa 10:00-13:45, 16:00-17:45, Su 10:00-13:45. 7 Hermitage of San Saturio, ☏ +34 975 180703. Tu-Sa 10:00-14:00, 16:30-18:30, Su 10:00-14:00. Church and hermitage completed in 1703, perched on cliffs above the river. (updated Dec 2024) === Further out === 8 Numantia, Cerro de la Muela, Garray, ☏ +34 650 709671. Tu-Sa 10:00-14:00, 16:00-18:00. Su 10:00-14:00. Remains of a Celtiberian fortified town, which resisted Roman incursion in 153 BC but destroyed after a long siege by Scipio in 134 BC. The site was sporadically inhabited until the 6th century AD. It's been partly reconstructed but the best findings are in the museum in town (above). Adult €6, conc or child €4. (updated Dec 2024) 9 Iglesia de San Baudelio, Casillas de Berlanga (63 km southwest of Soria). Tu-Sa 10:00-14:00, 16:00-10:00, Su 10:00-14:00. Remarkable little 11th-century church in mozarabe style. The interior was painted with frescoes in about 1125, most of which have gone to museums in the US (looted frankly) and to the Prado, but several remain. A cave beneath the church was probably a hermitage. The site is now managed by Museo Numantino. See: Berlanga de Duero. Free. (updated Dec 2024) == Do == Palacio de la Audiencia is a performing arts venue, exhibition space and cultural centre east side of Plaza Mayor. Football: CD Numancia play soccer in Segunda Federación, the fourth tier. Their Nuevo Estadio Los Pajaritos (capacity 8200) is 1 km south of town centre towards the river. Golf Soria is on SO-800 near Pedrajas, 10 km northwest of town. The course is somewhat agricultural. Fiestas de San Juan o de la Madre de Dios is five days in late June, with marching bands, religious processions, and bull-running and fighting. Plaza de Toros only stages bullfights during the fiesta. It's on San Benito, 100 west of Santa Domingo church. == Buy == The main retail places near the centre are Al Campo at Plaza Bernardo Robles 3 (daily), and Supermercados Dia at Aguirre 12 (M-Sa). == Eat == Plaza Mayor has Mesón Castellano and Casa Augusto. Restaurante Baluarte, Caballeros 14 (50 m east of San Juan de Rabanera), ☏ +34 975 213658. Su M W 14:00-15:30, Th-Sa 14:00-15:30, 21:00-22:30. Great reviews for fine dining here. (updated Dec 2024) West has the main concentration, in the blocks between Puertas de Pro and Plaza Salvador. == Drink == Bars are mostly west in the same blocks as the restaurants, and Plaza Mayor isn't the focus. Soria is amidst vineyards of the Castilla y León DOP region, mostly producing red wine. == Sleep == Hotel Plaza Mayor, Plaza Mayor 10, ☏ +34 975 104040. Simple but clean and comfy place south side of main square. B&B double €80. (updated Dec 2024) Hotel Cortabitarte, Collado 6, ☏ +34 975 245252. Decent small hotel on north side of main square. B&B double €80. (updated Dec 2024) 1 Hosteria Solar de Tejada, Claustrilla 1, ☏ +34 975 230054. Pleasant central hotel, quirky decor. B&B double €80. (updated Dec 2024) 2 Hostal Ruiz, Numancia 49, ☏ +34 975 226701. Central yet quiet hotel, very clean. B&B double €80. (updated Dec 2024) 3 Hotel Convento de San Francisco, Nicolás Rabal 19, ☏ +34 609 310877. Great reviews for this spa hotel, opened in 2024 so it's squeaky clean and eager to please. B&B double €100. (updated Dec 2024) 4 Parador de Soria, Fortún López (by castillo 1 km east of town), ☏ +34 975 240800. Opened in 2005, this modern hotel scores well for comfort, service and dining. B&B double €100. (updated Dec 2024) == Connect == As of Dec 2024, Soria has 5G from all Spanish carriers, with 4G on its approach roads. == Go next == Zaragoza east is crowded with churches and museums, and has a Moorish Alcazar. Logroño north is at the heart of Rioja wine-growing terrain. Burgos northwest was home to the warrior "El Cid". Madrid southwest is the buzzing, unmissable capital.