In the course of our travel, we have never seen a place as authentic as La Alberca! Walking around in the village is like travelling back in time… in a time where people still walked in their traditional clothings, where horse/donkey-drawn carts were the major means of transportation, where all village activities were still held in the main square, where committed crimes were so few that they only needed a small cuartel (prison) for criminals, where people still had neighbors in the true sense of the word, and where life no matter how simple and hard was blissful and quite meaningful.

 

AUTHENTIC VILLAGE

The village of La Alberca , a true example of a Middle Age village, was the first village to be declared  as Conjunto Historico Artistico in 1940. Located 75 kilometers south of Salamanca, the village lies 1050 meters high in  La Sierra de Francia.

  Entrance to the village (Above) and Plaza Mayor (under)

What makes this mountain village so unique and special is the fact that it has maintained its authenticity! One can get lost in its winding narrow cobbled-stone streets; one can be left open-mouthed while admiring the unusual architectural designs typical of the village which surprisingly remained intact after more than 500 years!

Typical La Alberta houses

The facades of these old houses are charmingly decorated with hanging plants or flowering plants. And even at those times, the people gave immense importance to their religious belief, as manifested  by the presence of the dominating Iglesia de Nuestra Senora dela Asuncion.

 La Alberca church

A TYPICAL LA ALBERCA DAY

A day in La Alberca is a short one. The village begins to come alive at about 10 in the morning, when shops, cafes and other establishments including the Tourist office open up. It is also the time when day tourists, mostly in groups, start to arrive.

Touristic day at La Alberca

Souvenir shops become busy; the main square Plaza Mayor becomes alive with the chatters of the people enjoying their cups of coffee or simply doing picture taking by the Old Cross; artesan shops and Jamon shops become full with curious prospective clients; the narrow streets seem more crowded because of throng of tourists wandering around.

The narrow cobbled Streets and alleys at La Alberca

It stays this way until about 6 in the evening, then the tourists are gradually disappearing – enjoying their dinner at one of the restaurants in the village, or resting  in their hotels, or just back where they came from. It is at this time when the village returns to its tranquillity.

At a souvenir and Jamon shop

So if you plan to visit the village, the best times are before 10 in the morning and after 6 in the evening. The village is then reasonably quiet, giving you more time to enjoy the village, feel the nostalgy around you, appreciate its charms and take so many pictures as you want undisturbed! These two times are also the best to see the village at daytime and at nightime. Especially at night, you’ll have the feeling that you are part in a Charles Dickens story or worse, in a Jack the Rippler film.

 CAMPSITE :

 Estacionamiento dela Casa del Parque

Avenida de las Batuecas

37624 La Alberca (Salamanca)

 Coordinates :  N : 40.48824      W :  6.11552

 It is a big free parking area with reserved 8 reserved places for campers. Maximum stay is 48 hours; camping activities are not allowed. There is facility for water and emptying of chemical toilet and waste water. There is regular police control. The village is 500 meters, with supermarkets, bars, restaurants, health center, school, guardia civil, banks and even a Residence for the Elderly.

Our customary pictures together