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Sigüenza town & castle

6 Plaza del Obispo Don Bernardo, Sigüenza, Castilla-La Mancha

Description

Sigüenza is a town at the northwest border of the Province of Guadalajara, on the way between Madrid and Zaragoza. It has a long history going back to the Middle Ages and was reconquered from the Muslims in 1123 - its impressive Cathedral started construction in the decades that followed. The Castle is one of the oldest buildings in town; its foundation date from the 5th century and it underwent a significant redesign in the late 18th century when the then Bishop of Sigüenza turned it from a defensive structure into an episcopal palace (devasted by a fire in the 1830's). Nowadays, it is a luxury parador and can be partially visited by tourists.

Access & Transport

The town of Sigüenza can be reached by train from Guadalajara (60mins) or Madrid (1h45 from Chamartin station) By car from Guadalajara, it is a 1h / 75km journey on the A-2 + CM-1101 at exit 104. From Madrid it takes about 1h40 (135km) and from Zaragoza 2h15 (180km)

Instructions & Recommendations

We strongly suggest including a visit of the Cathedral when you are there (lunch break 14h-16h). If you have time, a detour to Atienza (30mins drive) is also worth considering.

Meta review

The town is a declared Historic-Artistic site and, although not very well-known internationally, it is quite popular with Spanish tourists. Visitors enjoy foremost their visit to the cathedral (covered in a separate activity review - excellent feedback from travellers) and the charm of this town that has successfully preserved some of its medieval design and atmosphere. The castle is worth driving or walking to and offers excellent views.

Environmental & Social

The main activities in the town have a low carbon footprint. Tourism is a welcome injection of activity and revenues in the local economy and helps preserve some of the town's architectural heritage

Conclusion

Sigüenza is a charming medieval town, in our opinion one of the best sights in the Guadalajara area and certainly worth a detour.

Key positive

Beautiful and well-preserved Cathedral

Has retained a medieval look in the center of town

Key negative

A little time consuming to get to

Suitability

Most areas are accessible for visitors with reduced mobility but do note that some of the streets can be considered a little steep so some assistance (human or electric) may be required

About this Rating

TYPE

Desktop

RESEARCHED IN

June 2024

PROVIDER

Koreval

Included Items
None
Timing
Duration of visit

av. transport time:1h

est. visit time:2h 30m

Sunlight based

Sunrise / early morningOk

MorningOk

Lunch timeOk

AfternoonOk

Sunset / eveningOk

Night – bef. midnightNo

Night – aft. midnightNo

Pricing
Free

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