The Alto Tajo Natural Park is located in the province of Guadalajara, very close to the Serranía de Cuenca Natural Park.
From Madrid it is two hours by car, so it is perfect to go for a weekend.
1️⃣ First day in Alto Tajo
In the morning: Climb up to the viewpoints in ‘Virgen de la Hoz ravine’
You get to the sanctuary by car (see location on google maps). The original sanctuary, Romanesque from the 13th century, was enlarged and today what we see is relatively modern, but upon entering we find a beautiful construction. From its inner courtyard there is a door, and on leaving we will find the beginning of a Stations of the Cross with its fifteen stations, which goes up steep stone stairs to the top of the cut.
While we climb we will find 3 viewpoints at different heights, they allow us to enjoy panoramic views of the ravine.
In addition, during the ascent, we can stop at the stops of Route 5 of the Alto Tajo Geopark.
Once at the top, we recommend ignoring the third viewpoint, and instead walk around a bit, the views are magnificent from all over the top, without having to settle for the small viewpoint.
Afternoon: Visit the town Molina de Aragón
The old town of Molina de Aragón has an old Moorish settlement and an old Jewish quarter, of which there are hardly any traces left except the network of its streets. The Castle, from the 10th century, is undoubtedly the most striking, but its Romanesque bridge is also worth visiting.
2️⃣ Second day in Alto Tajo
A hike in the morning: Poveda waterfall and Taravilla lake
Both places of interest can be visited practically from the road, but we did a small circular hike, crossing two bridges over the Tagus River.
The route, circular, is 6 kilometers parallel to the Tagus River, with some short ups and downs. You cross the river twice, by the fisherman’s walkway and the Tagus Hanging Bridge.
Halfway there are the Casas del Salto, which are both a Rural House and a restaurant. We want to stay here next time, in the middle of nowhere.
Por la tarde paradas con el coche en Zaorejas
⭐️ Alcorón cave: A geological gem and a very unique place, what will the caves have that impress us so much? You can easily enter this one by its stairs, it is open 24 hours a day, you do not have to pay entry, or go with a guide. 👉Read our post about the Alcoron Cave.
Alto Tajo de Zaorejas viewpoint: Impressive bird’s-eye views. To get there you have to take a forest track. Google Maps does not have that track saved as of today, so keep in mind that this is the location of the lookout and this is the location of the access to the forest track.
Escaleruela Waterfall: Sometimes it is completely dry, other times it can be beautiful, it is a lottery, but it is on an accessible road with the car and is easily reached. See location.
🏨 Where to stay and where to eat
We stayed in Molina de Aragón, because it was convenient location to visit the park. It is also a beautiful town, just 15 minutes from the Virgen de la Hoz ravine.
Our experience:
- We stayed at the Hotel Rural Molino del Batán it is beautiful and reasonably priced. The staff is friendly, everything is clean and the breakfast is complete. For me the only downside is that the mattress was soft and misshapen, but I would still repeat.
- We ate at the Casino de la Amistad, a social club with homemade food at a good price. The sirloin and the almond and cream cake are highly recommended!
📌 Useful information to visit Alto Tajo Natural Park
- Information about some hikes in the en la Castilla la Mancha website.
- Information about the Natural park in the tourism office from de Castilla la Mancha
- Other things to do in the Guadalajara province.
