Noblejas: Roman Traces, Churches and Wine Tradition

Noblejas combines Roman traces, historic religious buildings and wine traditions with celebrations throughout the year. When choosing a hotel, consider whether you mainly want to experience the culture, explore the wine-growing landscape or tie your stay to a particular celebration. The sights range from an ancient mine to churches dating from the 17th and 18th centuries; festivals provide their own dates to plan around. If you are travelling for a celebration, check the specific event dates for the year in question.

Roman Traces and Church Architecture

Cueva Villacampa is an ancient Roman mine for lapis specularis, or gypsum crystal. Some veins are still visible inside. The cave is difficult to find without a guide, as no path leads to it. Bear this limitation in mind when planning a visit to the mine.

The religious buildings also offer a range of architectural features to explore. The Ermita de María Magdalena is an 18th-century Baroque chapel with a Latin cross-shaped floor plan. The Iglesia Parroquial de Santiago Apóstol dates from the 17th century and combines Herrerian and Neoclassical styles. Six chapels form two sections, each with three naves; the central nave is wider than the side naves. This makes it possible to compare not only the styles but also the different floor plans and the church’s layout.

Wine-Growing Landscape and Roman Structures

Finca de Torrique is a 251-hectare, 26-are and 56-centiare dehesa (wooded pastureland) on the River Tagus, with walnut plantations and grapevines. Two Roman hydraulic structures have been preserved nearby: Pontón Grande and Pontón Chico. Both have a distinctly Roman typology. The wine-growing landscape and the preserved structures thus offer two distinct historical and landscape points of interest in the area.

Bodega Grande houses around a hundred wine jars from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. They include “La Bisiesta,” an earthenware jar with a capacity of up to 8,064 litres of wine. The Ruta del Vino de Noblejas connects local wineries with the characteristic vineyard landscape of the Mesa de Ocaña, offering a chance to explore both. Access to individual wineries may vary; check this if you are planning a visit.

Festivals and Local Food Culture

La Vieja is an annual tradition held on the Thursday in the middle of Lent, with communal dining at its heart. It includes picnics in the countryside with tortilla and breaded cutlets. Hornazo is essential: a flatbread or cake with one or more boiled eggs in the middle. The tradition combines a set time of year with a distinctive food culture.

The patron saint festival in honour of the Santísimo Cristo de las Injurias begins on 30 April; the main days are 3 and 4 May. The programme includes, among other things, a floral offering, regional costumes on 2 May and a procession accompanied by traditional “Vivas” as it enters the Iglesia de Santiago Apóstol on 3 May. Celebrations in honour of Santa María Magdalena take place in July, around 22 July, over a weekend filled with activities. The exact programme may vary from year to year, so it is worth checking the dates before travelling.

Getting There

Noblejas railway station is a train stop at kilometre 20 of line 310 on the Madrid–Valencia railway network. It is located between Ocaña and Villarubia de Santiago stations. Check passenger services and connections for your travel date before setting off.

Discover more destinations: La Nava De Ricomalillo, Rielves, Herreruela de Oropesa, Villafranca De Los Caballeros, Gamonal, Calzada De Oropesa, Mora, Serranillos Playa.

For the broader travel overview: Toledo.