Laguna de Cameros: Starry Skies and Cultural Heritage

Laguna de Cameros lies in the Río Leza watershed and in the Camero Viejo landscape. The town’s distinctive features include a church with several historic building phases, traditional houses in the Cameros style, and a designated star park. Other attractions include access to the Santa Apolonia recreational area and a stage of the Laguna de Cameros–San Román de Cameros route. This gives you several ways to choose your destination, whether you’re interested in cultural history, starry skies, or nature.

Church, houses, and regional history

The Iglesia parroquial de la Asunción combines a 12th-century baptismal font with a church dating from the first half of the 16th century, which was remodeled in the 18th century. This brings together a very early furnishing and two later building phases in a single structure. Traditional houses in the Cameros style are also part of the townscape; some bear coats of arms. As you explore Laguna de Cameros, you can appreciate another form of regional architecture alongside the church.

The Señorío del Solar de Tejada is part of the historical context of Camero Viejo: a lordship of immemorial origins and continuous historical development. Its shared identity is rich in history and traditions and originated in the heart of Camero Viejo. In 2016, the Government of La Rioja classified the cultural heritage of Solar de Tejada as a Bien de Interés Cultural.

The Ermita de Santo Domingo de Laguna de Cameros is associated with the tradition that Santo Domingo de Silos lived in the village as a hermit. Recurring festivals also give the year a tangible connection to local traditions: Santo Domingo de Silos is celebrated on May 12, and the Santiago festival takes place in July. If you’d like to plan your trip around a festival, check the current dates before making arrangements.

Starry skies and nature at Santa Apolonia

The Parque Estelar de Laguna de Cameros is a designated place to experience the night sky and is one of the locations with some of the darkest skies in La Rioja. For travelers who want to make stargazing a focus of their trip, it’s a clear point of interest when choosing a destination.

The Santa Apolonia recreational area offers a different perspective on nature. From Laguna de Cameros, the route there passes through the village toward Puerto de Piqueras; from there, take the track to the hermitage. The area’s vegetation includes riverside poplar stands, Pyrenean oak woods, and rockrose scrub. Listed animal species in the area include wild boar, wildcat, common buzzard, green woodpecker, and ocellated lizard.

Routes and remarkable discoveries

The sixth stage of the Laguna de Cameros–San Román de Cameros route begins in the square opposite the church. From there, it follows the old road to Tejada out of the village. This offers a specific route to consider when planning your trip and can also be combined with a visit to the church that marks the starting point. A section of the route running near Laguna de Cameros is part of the Sierras de Demanda, Urbión, Cebollera y Cameros Natura 2000 site.

Another notable feature along the Río Leza is the dinosaur site at Laguna de Cameros. It lies on a steep slope and includes 27 tracks left in flooded sediment. Alongside the historic buildings, stargazing, and natural surroundings, this discovery reveals another side of the town. You can consider these attractions as different reasons to choose Laguna de Cameros for your trip to Camero Viejo.

Discover more destinations: Azofra, Nájera, Ausejo, Fuenmayor, Peciña, El Horcajo, Muro De Aguas, Torremontalbo.

For the broader travel overview: La Rioja.