Between Rioja and Castile, on the borders of the provinces of Burgos, La Rioja and Soria, the little-known Sierra de la Demanda has no shortage of assets. Baroque organs, Visigothic sculptures, fortifications and flowered cloisters are integrated into rural life in the heart of unspoiled landscapes. In the shade of pine forests, monasteries, castles and endless sierras go back in time to meet a secret and authentic Spain.

The Demanda mountains, between Rioja and Castile

An hour’s drive from Burgos and a hundred kilometers south of Bilbao, the Demanda massif spreads its wide wilderness, between Rioja and Castile.

North slope, the vast forests dominated by the bare ridges of San Lorenzo (2270 m) are often snowed until the end of May. Frequented by isards, forest tracks are a paradise for hiking and cross-country skiing. The slopes are colored in spring with the rare pink-orange flowers of the Pyrenees lily.

Najera and Santo Domingo de la Calzada, on the Camino Frances, give access to this mountainous region where the sites of the monasteries of Yuso and Suso in San Millan de la Cogolla, classified as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, are hidden. Sumptuous in an austere site, they were financed by the kings of Navarre in exile in 11 th century.

The riches of the Plateresque cloister and the Baroque sacristy of Yuso stand out in this wild environment. The hermit San Millan, pursued by the Visigoths, found his last refuge there in the year 1000. Its chiseled ivory reliquary still rests there. The poet Berceo would have validated the Castilian language in 13th century.

Neighboring, the monastery of Nuestra Senora de Valvanera, nestled in the rock at an altitude of 1,000 m to shelter from the wind, has been managed since the same time by Benedictine monks. It houses the statue of the patron saint of Rioja. Route 113 which crosses from east to west the nature reserve of La Demanda can tempt you for its landscapes, if the turns do not scare you and you have time.

Further west, Villafranca Montes de Oca is the gateway to a circuit through the Oca mountains. The scenic route to San Millan (2,033 m) is softened by the perspectives of the dam lakes. There are still a few wolves to cross – who knows? – when picking the many raspberries and blueberries in the undergrowth.

The Arlanza valley and its surroundings
The southern slope, the middle mountain is cut by deep valleys oriented in all directions to the Duero river. Monasteries, megaliths and palatial monuments play hide and seek on the juniper plateaus and in the canyons where dinosaurs and hermits have left their traces. Only the rustling of griffon vultures will disturb the visitor.

From Burgos and the road to Madrid, the Rio Arlanza valley joins Covarrubias for 50 km, from where it is good to shine. There is no risk of being bored in this village where the fortifications, the keep, the half-timbered houses on pillars, the Plateresque staircase of the Saint-Thomas church offer a taste of the visit to the Romanesque collegiate church. Do not miss the painted organs, among the most famous in Spain, the splendid triptych of Gil de Siloé, the paintings of great masters, the fine columns of the cloister as well as the many tombs carved in stone.

Towards the west, the medieval town of Lerma is the historic capital of the region, haunted by the Baroque memory of the Duke of Lerma. The historic center runs through to the large square surrounded by brick houses on stilts and the ducal palace transformed into a parador. Crossing the Arlanza by a medieval bridge with innumerable arcades, the gaze is focused on the wine-growing surroundings, the origin of the AOC Arlanza wine.

In the heart of the sierra
To the southeast of Covarrubias, the ruins restoration of the monastery of San Pedro de Arlanza (13th) appear as a drawing by Victor Hugo, below a canyon. The monastery was inhabited by 131 Benedictine monks until 1814.

Crossing the road to Soria, do not disdain the vast agricultural plateau that extends under the foothills of the hills of Mencilla. There are some surprises in store around the tiny village of Quintanilla de las Vi ñ as. Imagine the dinosaurs walking in the fields. Their traces on the stone are indicated by panels. Closer to home, an important dolmen stands among the grass.

But above all, do not miss the unusual hermitage Visigothic (7th century) Santa Maria, isolated in the mountain range and national monument. With a little luck, you can admire its mysterious friezes, exterior and interior, carved under the signs of the sun and the moon, because it only opens once or twice a week in season.

We continue towards Soria towards the monastery of Santo Domingo de Silo s, with Mudejar ceilings painted with musical instruments. Renowned throughout Spain, the Romanesque double-storey cloister is adorned with superb capitals and fascinating bas-reliefs to decipher.

On the nearby rio Mataviejas, the Mozarabic hermitage of Santa Cecilia is a good site for picnics. Towards the south, the narrow Yecla pass (2 m) is covered for 300 m by a path.

Finally, going up north and up the mountain, the roads never stop revealing heritage sites, such as the Templar castle of Ucero, the paleontological museum of Salas de los Infantes or the Romanesque churches of Jaramillo de la Fuente, Pineda de the Sierra and Quintanilla Cabrera.

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