Discover Lerma: Culture and Nature in the Arlanza Valley

Lerma sits on a hill above the valley of the River Arlanza. The ducal palace, Plaza Mayor and Collegiate Church of San Pedro give the town a distinct cultural and historical character. When planning your trip, it is worth looking at both the buildings and their different scales: from the palace with its towers to one of Spain’s largest squares and the spatial details of a church. Alongside its historical attractions, the surrounding area offers opportunities for walks and short hikes.

The Palace and Plaza Mayor

Lerma’s ducal palace was built in the 17th century on the site of a medieval castle. Its four towers with slate roofs are distinctive architectural features. The same building thus brings together an earlier castle site and a 17th-century palace: two distinct historical layers that can be considered separately.

Plaza Mayor covers almost 7,000 square metres and is one of the largest squares in Spain. Its area offers a different scale from the palace’s individual architectural features: here, the size of the square takes centre stage, while towers and roofs define the palace’s architecture. Visitors interested in Lerma can therefore take in both individual architectural forms and the dimensions of a large square.

The Collegiate Church of San Pedro and the Pasadizo del Duque

Construction of the Collegiate Church of San Pedro began in 1613. The church has a hall layout with three naves: the hall layout refers to the shape of the space, while the three naves describe how it is divided. The church also houses an organ by Diego Quijano dating from 1616. The dates refer to different details: the start of construction of the church and the year of the organ. Together with the spatial layout, they offer several specific points of interest in the history of architecture.

The Pasadizo del Duque is the only surviving section of the covered galleries that connected the ducal palace with Lerma’s churches and convents in the 17th century. The passage contains an audiovisual installation with information about the Duke of Lerma and his era. The focus here is therefore both on the surviving link between the palace and the religious buildings and on the historical context of the duke.

Nature along the Arlanza

Lerma is one of the access points to the protected Sabinares del Arlanza-La Yecla Natural Park. Also available from Lerma are short hikes and walks along the Arlanza riverbanks. When choosing the kind of trip you want, you can therefore distinguish between two nature experiences: the named natural park and shorter routes along the river.

A local product

Local specialities also include Bizcochos de Lerma, made by several businesses. This adds a product with a direct connection to the town to its buildings and landscapes.

Discover more destinations: Pancorbo, Cilleruelo de Bezana, Bárcenas, Santo Domingo De Silos, Rubena, San Vicente del Valle, Orbaneja del Castillo, Madrigalejo Del Monte.

For the main travel overview: Burgos.