Benavente: Hotels Between Culture and Countryside

Benavente combines a rich architectural history with gardens, viewpoints and the landscape of its river floodplains. A route and an annual festival date may also be relevant when planning your trip. Depending on whether you are particularly interested in architecture, green spaces or a specific time of year, the city offers different starting points for your stay.

Architectural history in a variety of examples

The Torre del Caracol is distinguished by its blend of Gothic and Renaissance styles. The Hospital de la Piedad was declared a Site of Cultural Interest in 2003. The two buildings represent different aspects of Benavente’s historic heritage: one combines two architectural styles, while the other marks a clearly dated step towards recognition of the building as a cultural heritage site.

Casa de Solita is a stately mansion representative of the 19th-century bourgeoisie. It was commissioned in 1904. Casa Donci, in turn, is a Neo-Mudéjar building constructed in 1900; Casa del Cervato is classified as a 19th-century historicist building. These three examples offer different perspectives on architectural history, and their construction dates and styles cannot be reduced to the same period or style.

At Casa del Cervato, a hand-crafted weather vane refers to the traditional Toro Enmaromado run during Benavente’s festivities. This architectural detail thus connects with a local custom. For those interested in historic buildings, it offers a link to the city’s festival traditions in addition to the building’s style and date.

Chapels, theatre and historical connections

The Ermita de la Soledad was built in the early 16th century to replace an older chapel. Later, it served as a storehouse for the religious images and processional figures used during Holy Week in Benavente. The Espadaña de la Ermita de San Lázaro is the only surviving remnant of the former Chapel of San Lázaro. Both examples tell a story of change over time: in the case of the Ermita, through its later use; and in the case of the Espadaña, through what remains of the former chapel.

The city’s history is also reflected in the connections between buildings and their former functions. The Arco del Puente del Jardín was part of a medieval bridge that provided access to the Counts’ garden. The Church of San Juan del Mercado was under the protection of the Knights Hospitaller. The Teatro Reina Sofía dates from 1928 and has 576 seats in its stalls and boxes. The theatre adds a venue with a clearly stated seating capacity to the historic chapels, bridges and churches.

Gardens, river floodplains and viewpoints

The Jardines de la Mota and the Mirador de la Mota offer different ways to take in the landscape. From the Jardines de la Mota, you can see the floodplains of the Órbigo and Esla rivers. The Mirador de la Mota offers panoramic views of the broad Vega de Benavente, the Canal de la Molinera de Sorribas and the Órbigo. The gardens foreground the floodplains of two rivers, while the viewpoint also takes in the Vega and the canal.

The Parque de la Pradera is a peaceful natural area for relaxation, criss-crossed by canals and dotted with ponds. Visitors can stop and rest there. The Prado de las Pavas offers a different way to discover plant life: it has a variety of tree and plant species, identified by labelled information signs. While the viewpoints draw your gaze across the landscape, the signs in the Prado direct your attention to the identified species. The park, in turn, combines ponds and canals with a place to rest.

Route, travel and festival date

You can explore the Vía de la Plata along its route through Benavente and its comarcas. Benavente also has regular bus services to various cities in Spain. If you plan to travel by bus, check the current routes and timetables before your trip.

The patron saint festivities in honour of the Virgen de la Vega take place around the so-called Lunes de Pascuilla, eight days after Easter Sunday. Since the date of Easter Sunday changes each year, this festival does not fall on the same calendar date every year either. If you are planning a trip around the festivities, it is therefore a good idea to check the date for the year in question.

If you are looking for a hotel in Benavente, you can use the reason for your trip as a guide: architectural history, green spaces, the Vía de la Plata or the festival date each offer a different focus for your stay.

Discover more destinations: San Vitero, San Ciprián, Pedrazales, Ceadea, Quintanilla Del Monte, Villar Del Buey, Lubián, Santa Croya De Tera.

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