Discover Pereruela: pottery, architectural history and landscape

Pereruela combines traditional pottery with routes through the landscape of Sayago and along the Duero. Several themes are presented side by side to help you find your way around: the production of ceramics and architectural history, as well as described hiking and cycling routes. The routes vary in length, course and mode of travel.

Landscape and routes around Pereruela

Stage 19 of the Camino Natural del Duero leads to Pereruela. Before reaching the village, it crosses a plain where grain is grown. The Arribe area begins along the Duero at the boundaries of the municipality: a deep canyon carved out by the river. Thus, the stage’s open grain-growing plain and the river valley present contrasting landscapes. The Los Hociles sinkhole area is also located at the entrance to the municipality. There, the water disappears beneath the rocks for a stretch of 200 metres.

For a cycling trip, the Ruta cicloturista de Los Hociles de Pereruela is a circular route. It starts at the church in Pereruela and passes through dehesas and a landscape with unique geological formations. The route is approximately 12 kilometres long; at a leisurely pace, the cycle takes one to two hours. It is rated as easy and recommended for a wide audience. As a circular route, it differs in form from the two one-way stretches of the GR 14.

Two GR 14 routes are named Pereruela–Moral de Sayago and Zamora–Pereruela. The route from Pereruela to Moral de Sayago is 23.7 kilometres long (one way) and follows the course of a former Roman road along the Senda del Duero. The shorter one-way route is Zamora–Pereruela, at 18.2 kilometres. It passes through the landscape of the Sayago plateau, with extensive grain fields and grazing land.

Pottery and exhibitions

Pereruela’s traditional pottery produces cooking pots, crucibles and ovens from refractory clay. The material used is red clay from the Las Barreras deposit, mixed with kaolin. Both the products and the composition of the material are part of the local craft tradition.

The Museo de Alfarería has a permanent exhibition and is housed in the former Guardia Civil barracks. The Centro de Interpretación del Barro also has a permanent exhibition. It features old and contemporary pieces from Pereruela, as well as objects from other pottery centres in Spain. The Centro’s exhibition therefore includes both ceramics from the village and pieces from other pottery centres in Spain.

Architectural history and regional traditions

The Iglesia de Santa Eufemia combines Romanesque, Gothic and Renaissance elements. Pereruela’s traditional architecture includes houses with main entrances, balconies and rear gates for carts and animals. The Calzada Mirandesa in Pereruela is divided into two sections. These varied architectural and route-related features add further aspects of local history to the picture of pottery.

Several other named places and structures are also associated with Roman and late Roman times. The Puente de Sogo is probably of Roman origin and lies beneath the road that connected Pereruela with Fermoselle. Los Castillos was a late Roman settlement in the Arribe de Pereruela. The Puente Potato is described as a bridge from Roman times.

The gastronomy of Pereruela and the comarca de Sayago includes traditional recipes, especially those prepared in clay pots. Clay is therefore associated not only with local crafts, but also with the preparation of regional dishes.

Getting there and planning

Pereruela can be reached by car from Zamora via the CL-527 and is 16 kilometres from Zamora. Check road conditions before setting out.

Discover more destinations: El Perdigón, Fonfría, Robleda-Cervantes, Coreses, Santa María De La Vega, Villamor De Los Escuderos, San Vitero, Zamora.

Go to the higher-level travel overview: Zamora.