Santa Croya De Tera: Río Tera, the Mozarabic Way and Festivals

Santa Croya De Tera lies on the right bank of the Río Tera. The river landscape, pilgrimage route and festival traditions give a stay here different points of focus. If you are looking for a hotel for your trip, you can first decide whether you are most interested in the landscape along the Tera, the Camino Mozárabe Sanabrés or one of the local festivals.

On the Río Tera: El Curtidero and the natural environment

El Curtidero is a six-square-kilometre island between the Río Tera and the Caño de los Molinos, and today serves as a recreational area for families. A natural swimming pool has been created along one section of the Caño de los Molinos and prepared for visitors to use. This makes both the island’s location between the waterways and a specific visitor facility on the Caño part of the river landscape.

The Tera river corridor associated with Santa Croya De Tera lies within the SCI ES4190067 “Riberas del río Tera y afluentes.” This protected river corridor provides suitable habitat for the Eurasian otter and the Pyrenean desman. For travellers interested in nature, this habitat function adds an ecological perspective to the river and its recreational areas.

One specific planning detail concerns the use of fires: El Curtidero has no facilities for this. If such facilities matter for your stay, check the current situation before visiting.

The Mozarabic Way and route choices

The Camino Mozárabe Sanabrés passes through Santa Croya De Tera and is usually used by pilgrims travelling to Santiago de Compostela. There are two route options for the Tábara–Santa Marta de Tera stage: one goes via Villanueva de las Peras, the other via Bercianos de Valverde. They meet again a few kilometres before Santa Croya De Tera. When choosing between the options, the different places along the way and their shared meeting point before the town are the key points to consider.

Festivals and historical and cultural details

The Fiesta de San Cayetano includes a procession and a loa sung by women in traditional dress. It comprises 43 stanzas; its oldest stanzas date from the 16th century. The number describes the length of the loa, while the date applies to its oldest parts.

The Fiestas de San Cayetano take place on the last weekend of July; the Fiesta Sacramental falls on the Corpus Christi weekend. These provide two different dates to plan a festival visit around. If you want to time your trip to coincide with a particular festival, check the exact date for the year in question.

Another historical and cultural detail is the mill of Santa Croya De Tera. It has a brick vault and three arches; it probably had three waterwheels. The statement about the former waterwheels is therefore explicitly a supposition.

Discover more destinations: Malillos, Piedrahita De Castro, Peleagonzalo, Robleda-Cervantes, Zamora, Villarrín De Campos, Vigo, Luelmo.

Back to the main travel overview: Zamora.