Journey to the Alcarria: Stage 10

The tenth stage of the Journey to the Alcarria runs from Pastrana to Zorita de los Canes, covering a total of 7.7 miles by vehicle. Rounding off the Journey to the Alcarria with a visit to the Visigothic city of Reccopolis is highly recommended. It is 0.8 miles from Zorita de los Canes, along the Tagus River.

For our final lunch on the Journey to the Alcarria, what better way is there to bid farewell than to eat a plate of ham and eggs in good company?

"The traveler goes out for a walk around the city. He strolls through streets with old names, paved with little cobbles, passing houses studded with thick iron and balconies strewn with pots of geraniums, carnations, asparagus ferns, and basil."

Journey to the Alcarria

Camilo José Cela

A walk through Pastrana takes us past large houses set in welcoming surroundings. They are important examples of the architecture and ancestry of their former owners, long-since passed.

"Moratín wrote 'The Maiden's Consent' in Pastrana, and also re-married."

"Some say that Velazquez's canvas of 'The Weavers' represents a weaver's shop in Pastrana. It is very likely that this is the case, but the traveler thinks that it would have been better for Pastrana to preserve the weaver's shop than a picture of it, however extraordinary, which, to cap the climax, is not in Pastrana either."

Journey to the Alcarria

Camilo José Cela

Both passages tell the story of Pastrana's illustrious history, encouraging us to visit the town and to immerse ourselves in it.

"Zorita de los Canes is located in a curve of the Tagus beside the useless supports of a bridge that never got built, surrounded by fields of hemp and lying at the foot of the ruins of the castle of the Order of Calatrava."

Journey to the Alcarria

Camilo José Cela

The bend in the Tagus River is still the jewel in this setting's crown, 70 years after this passage was written.

The waters of the Tagus River murmur softly on their way through Zorita de los Canes. This stretch of the river is rich in flora and fauna, and this led to it being granted the status of a protected reserve not so long ago. It is an ideal place for a relaxing stroll, and a must-see for nature lovers.

"The castle must have been a real fortress. Nowadays the arches and vaults look as if they were out of plumb, and threaten to tumble down from one day to the next."

These are the words on the plaque commemorating the journey of the Nobel laureate in Literature in 1946.

The Tagus River is the longest in the Iberian Peninsula, running from east to west across its central region. It slopes slightly downward to the southeast, especially at the point where it reaches Portugal. It snakes its way through Zorita de los Canes in meandering, picture-perfect curves.

Our Journey to the Alcarria, following in the footsteps of the Nobel laureate in Literature Camilo José Cela, is coming to an end. Looking at the fields surrounding Zorita de los Canes, these were his thoughts: "Sitting next to Paco on his return journey, the traveler is thinking that his journey around the Alcarria has come to an end. The thought brings him joy, on the one hand, and sadness on the other."

Journey to the Alcarria
Camilo José Cela

King Liuvigild founded the city in 578 A.D., following unification of the territories of the Visigoth Kingdom. He imitated the Byzantine emperors and named it after his son, the future King Reccared.

Camilo José Cela did not spend much time visiting Reccopolis. But, years later, there are some fascinating guided tours of the site.

Excavations on the Visigothic city of Reccopolis have revealed important trading relationships between the city and the whole of the Mediterranean. It was a dynamic city with a great deal of productive activity until the mid-7th century, when it began to fall into decline.

The Information Center at the Reccopolis Archaeological Site offers visitors a number of different options for exploring it. They are given the information they need to decide which experience they would prefer, with a choice of guided or self-led tours, and even night-time visits.

The Information Center at the Reccopolis Archaeological Site has a number of facilities, including an exhibition space, screening room, rest area, and picnic area. The setting transports you back to the 6th century A.D., no less than 15 centuries ago.

"Mónico, Paco, and the traveler go to the social club for a vermouth and some olives with anchovies..."

Journey to the Alcarria

Camilo José Cela

So ends this wonderful book, "Journey to the Alcarria." And what better way to conclude the adventure than enjoying the Alcarrian life with friends.