What to See in Covarrubias, Spain, in One Day

Spend a day in Covarrubias, Spain, exploring its medieval old town, historic buildings, traditional houses, food, and wine.

On our trip to Spain this summer, one of our destinations was the beautiful medieval village of Covarrubias. We took a short guided tour of the old town, went wine tasting and has something to eat, and then continued exploring the sights on our own.

Covarrubias is especially known for its traditional Castilian architecture and its well-preserved old houses. The small alleys, cobblestone streets, and old houses in Covarrubias really do look like they could be straight out of a postcard!

The village of Covarrubias has been designated a Conjunto Histórico-Artístico, a designation that protects culturally signifigant sites. And these are the things you should see while you are there:

Covarrubias

The charming village of Covarrubias is located in the province of Burgos, in the autonomous community of Castile and León. It is often called the “Cradle of Castile,” as it was an important center of the region for a long time.

Very little is known about the earliest inhabitants of Covarrubias, but the Iberian tribe known as the Turmódigos is known to have lived in the area. In the Middle Ages, it was ruled by the Visigothic king Chindasvinto. After the Visgothic and Arab periods, power passed to Count Fernán González of Castile, whose influence can still be seen in the village today.

Covarrubias is also part of the Arlanza Wine Route, often referred to as the “Arlanza Triangle”. The triangle is formed by the towns of Covarrubias, Lerma, and Santo Domingo de Silos. Most of the wineries, as well as many of the region’s attractions, can be found around these three towns.

Covarrubias is surrounded by beautiful nature, making it easy to head out for a hike, for example. The Arlanza River also flows through the village, where you can go fishing or kayaking.

Covarrubias is very small, with only around 640 permanent residents. It is therefore a good place for a short stop, such as a day or two. The easiest way to explore the area is by rental car, and the nearest larger cities are Madrid and Bilbao.

Things to Do and See in Covarrubias in One Day

Start Your Visit at the Tourist Info – Archivo del Adelantamiento de Castilla

Start your tour of Covarrubias’ old town at its northern gate, Archivo del Adelantamiento de Castilla, which now house the tourist information center, and an exhibition hall. You can pick up a map here and as for tips about the area.

Archivo de Adelantamiento de Castilla dates back to the 16th century, when it was part of the town walls. Unfortunately, the last remaining sections of the walls on this side of town disappeared as early as the 19th century.

The gate was built by King Felipe II in 1575, and his royal coat of arms can still be seen on the wall. The building originally housed the province’s official documetns, but these were later moved to the city of Valladolid.

The town gate now has Bien de Interés Cultural, or Cultural Heritage Site, status, but dictator Francisco Franco originally ordered it to be protected back in 1961.

📍Location:  Gta. Alej. Rguez. Valcarcel, 12, 09346 Covarrubias, Burgos

Walk Around Covarrubias’ Medieval Old Town

Covarrubias’ old town is incredibly picturesque, so it’s worth taking your time to walk around and explore. The small alleys and cobblestone streets in the center are not crowded, which is a nice change after visiting some of the more popular tourist destinations.

The oldest houses in the town center were built in the traditional Castilian half-timbered style, and they usually have stone floors, covered arcades, and balconies that extend out from the upper floors. The light-colored adobe plaster is made from water, mud, and straw.

Although the town center is relatively small, you can still find a few shops, a couple of hotels, and restaurants there. At the heart of the village is the main square, Plaza Mayor.

Visit the Original Site of Palacio de Fernán González

The central square of Covarrubias was once home to a palace built by Fernán González the independent Count of Castile. The town hall now stands in its place, but the palace’s old 12th-century Romanesque stone arch is still there. The old wine cellar of the town hall also houses exhibition spaces.

📍Location: Pl. de Doña Urraca, 1, 09346 Covarrubias, Burgos

Tour the Torreón de Fernán González

Torreón de Fernán González is an old defensive tower that was built in 10th century. It has a square floor plan and a pyramid-shaped roof. According to an old legend, Fernán González’s daughter, Doña Urraca, was held prisoner here at some point.

Today, Torreón de Fernán González is considered as a cultural asset that can be visited as part of a guided tour.

📍Location: Pl. de Doña Sancha, 7, 09346 Covarrubias, Burgos

Find Covarrubias’ Oldest House: La Casa de Doña Sancha

La Casa de Doña Sancha is the oldest house in the village of Covarrubias and a perfect example of the local architecture. Accroding to a legend, it was the residence of Infanta Doña Sancha who later married the Count Fernán González, but in actuality, the house was built later, in the 16th century.

The ground floor is made of stone and was once used as a stable. Having animals on the ground floor helped keep the upper floor of the house warm. Houses were also often built with both a covered porch and a balcony to help regulate the temperature. The porch provided shade on hot days, while the balcony offered a place to enjoy the sun on cooler days.

📍Location: Pl. de Doña Sancha, 8, 09346 Covarrubias, Burgos

Get Yourself a Traditional Spanish Wine Skin

In the center of Covarrubias, there is a small artisan shop called Boteria Moneo, which sells traditional Spanish wine skins (bota de vino). Wine skins have been used since Roman times and were especially popular among farmers, shepherds, and travelers, as they made it easy to carry wine with you.

Over time, wine skins became more widespread and an important part of Spanish culture. They were especially used at outdoor events and festivals. To drink from one, you squeeze the wine into your mouth without your lips touching the wine skin at all.

The wine skins are handmade from goatskin and can be personalized according to the buyer’s wishes. These traditional skills have been passed down from generation to generation in Spain for hundreds of years, but unfortunately, the craft is slowly disappearing. It is becoming harder and harder to find people who still make wine skins.

📍Loaction: C. del Marqués de Covarrubias, 12, 09346 Covarrubias, Burgos

Visit the Church of Saints Cosmas and Damian

Just outside the town center is the beautiful Church of Saints Cosmas and Damian. It was built in 1474 on the site of an earlier church. The church is Gothic in style and has a traditional cross-shaped layout.

It is also worth stepping inside, as the church contains valuable works of art, as well as the tombs of Count Fernán González and Queen Urraca. Somewhat surprisingly, one of the walls also holds the 12th-century sarcophagus of Princess Christina of Norway.

One of the most interesting stories connected to Covarrubias is its connection to Norway. In 1257, Norwegian Princess Christina moved to Spain and married Prince Philip of Castile. However, the princess died only four years after their wedding. According to the story, she died of homesickness, although the exact cause of her death is not known.

There is a statue of Princess Christina in the small square in front of the church. A copy of the same statue can also be found in Tønsberg, Norway, the princess’s hometown.

📍Location: Plaza del Rey Chindasvinto, 3, 09346 Covarrubias, Burgos

Enjoy the Local Food

Some of Covarrubias’ culinary specialities include blood sausage, wines from the Arlanza region (D.O. Arlanza), and local cherries. We had already had the opportunity to try making blood sausage earlier, at the Monastery of Lerma. We also tasted other traditional local dishes, such as milk-fed lamb roasted in a wood-fired oven (Lechazo asado) and different pastries, when we visited the town of Lerma.

Cherries are grown in the valleys surrounding of Covarrubias, and during the summer they can be found all over the area. In July, the village celebrated its Medieval & Cherry Festival.

There are several nice restaurants in the downtown of Covarrubias. We had lunch at a restaurant called Restaurante Tiky, and the tapas there were very good.

Bodega Covarrubias

In the Covarrubias area you will find Bodega Covarrubias, whose tasting room is open daily. It is a traditional family-run winery, and if you are lucky, you may also get to visit its 12th-century underground wine cellar beneath the tasting room.

The winery produces wines from Tempranillo grapes grown at elevations of more that 1,000 meters (3,280 feet) above sea level. These are among the highest-altitude vineyards in Spain.

You may also come across Bodega Covarrubias under the name Viña Valdable.

📍Location: Calle Gómez Salazar 4/18, 09346 Covarrubias, Burgos

Where to Stay

Since Covarrubias is quite small, there is also a limited selection of accommodation. If you want to stay right in the heart of the village, on the edge of the main sqaure, Hotel Nuevo Arlanza is a good choice. Hotel Rural Covarrubias and Hotel Rural Princesa Kristina are a step up in quality but is a short walk from the town center.

Just outside the downtown, there is also Hotel Doña Sancha , a small but very cozy hotel.

🍒🍒🍒

Covarrubias was a lovely stop on our trip to Spain, and I feel like in a day, we saw everything there that we wanted to see. We then continued to Santo Domingo de Silos and the sights nearby, as well as the city of Valladolid, where we had some of the most unusual tapas of my life at a restaurant called Los Zagales.

All in all, it was varied and, above all, a very “delicious” trip!

🇪🇺 OUR EUROPE TRAVEL RESOURCES 🇪🇺

🗝 Hotels & Vacation Rentals: We usually find the best hotel deals here and also check this site.
Vacation homes and condos we book through VRBO.
🚗 Car Rentals: We compare rental car prices on DiscoverCars to find the best deals worldwide.
🗺 Tours & Activities: We usually book tours through Viator or GetYourGuide.
Both have huge selections and easy cancellation.
🎫 Concerts & Events: We buy event tickets through Ticketmaster, one of the most reliable platforms.
✈️ Flights: AirHelp has helped us claim compensation for delayed and canceled flights.
📞 Travel eSIM & Data: For mobile data abroad, we use Yesim so we can navigate and stay connected.
🩹 Travel Insurance: We always travel with insurance and use SafetyWing on our trips.