Tamames: Hiking, History and Tradition
Accommodation in Tamames
Tamames combines a longer hike with historical and local themes. This gives you different options when planning your trip: the Sendero micológico Tamames–Aldeanueva de la Sierra, the town’s history, or the festive traditions associated with specific days of the year. Los Cencerros traditionally takes place in the last week of January, La Torta is associated with Easter Monday, and the Hornazo tradition with Lunes de Aguas.
Battle History and Historical Sites
In October 1809, the Duke del Parque chose Tamames as the site of a battle in the Spanish War of Independence. Interpretation panels about the battle form part of a tourist route through a connected group of heritage sites. This makes it possible to consider the event in the context of other cultural sites.
The Torreón de Tamames is described with specific measurements: each side is 12.20 metres long, it is about 16 metres high, and its walls are up to 2.10 metres thick. The church in Tamames houses a 16th-century satin chasuble decorated with friezes of saints. These two places offer different insights into the town’s architectural and ecclesiastical heritage.
The archaeological heritage includes two surviving granite sculptures, which archaeologists call “cabezas cortadas” (“severed heads”). They are remnants of castros near the present-day settlement. La Fuente Roldán also has a historical connection to its use: the spring has been used for therapeutic purposes since the 18th century.
Festivals, Food and Crafts
Los Cencerros is a local festival with a set traditional schedule: it takes place in the last week of January, on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Children parade through the town with their cowbells. Check the dates locally before your trip if you would like to plan around the festival.
La Torta is eaten at a picnic on Easter Monday. The round, flat bread is usually filled with Spanish omelette or cured meats. The Hornazo tradition is a separate culinary occasion on Lunes de Aguas, featuring a typical pastry filled with cured meats. The two customs therefore differ both in timing and in the type of food.
Local crafts also offer a distinctive perspective on Tamames. Traditional potteries produced cooking vessels, pots, jugs, bowls and foot warmers, as well as calvocheros, some pipes and toys. Pucheros were particularly important. The MĂ©ndez jewellers work with charra filigree, preserving the inherited tradition while also developing it further. Historic pottery and a continuing jewellery tradition thus stand side by side.
Hiking and Rural Life
The Sendero micológico Tamames–Aldeanueva de la Sierra is a 13.8-kilometre circular route connecting the two towns. It has 352 metres of elevation gain, is rated moderate and takes approximately four hours to walk. The distance, elevation gain, difficulty rating and approximate duration help you gauge how much time the hike will take and plan an appropriate part of your day for it.
Foxes and wild boar find a natural refuge in the oak forests of the nearby mountains. This adds a landscape element to the cultural history and the hike, without implying that wildlife sightings are guaranteed along the route.
Activities at the Picadero Escuela de EquitaciĂłn in Tamames introduce the public to traditional rural tasks and fieldwork, explaining how they are done. If you would like to include this in your travel plans, check in advance what options are currently available.
Discover more destinations: Santiz, Ledrada, BĂ©jar, El MaĂllo, La Rinconada De La Sierra, Villanueva Del Conde, AldeagutiĂ©rrez, Carrascal Del RĂo
For the broader travel overview: Salamanca.
