Discover La Serna Del Monte

La Serna del Monte combines historic buildings and evidence of irrigation with rural architecture, pastureland and named trails. Several themes offer different ways to choose your destination: the Iglesia de San Andrés, local livestock farming, and routes with their own connections to the landscape and history. La Serna del Monte is accessed via the A-1, the Autovía del Norte.

History and buildings in the village

The Iglesia de San Andrés was built in the 17th century. Only a few parts of the original structure remain, including the old structure and the bell gable. Following a renovation in the mid-20th century, the church retains the layout of a single-nave building. Inside are an 18th-century altarpiece with Solomonic columns, as well as Baroque sculptures of Saint Andrew and the Madonna and Child. Some authors date these sculptures to the 16th or 17th century.

The Piedra de las Veces is an old sundial that was used to regulate each resident’s irrigation times. It was restored and placed in front of the town hall. It is a tangible record of local water use in the village landscape. The historic well is also still in use: its exterior masonry is made of large stones, while inside it has a semicircular vault of hewn stone.

The traditional architecture of La Serna del Monte includes rural homes as well as buildings used for agriculture and livestock farming. The mural Mural de la Serna del Monte by Caín Ferreras depicts two hands shaking. The handshake represents a traditional equivalent of signing a contract; the image also points to the site’s historical importance as a place for buying and selling livestock. Livestock farming is thus reflected both in the buildings and in the artwork.

Pastureland and named trails

Vast pastures in La Serna del Monte blend with a native oak forest and smaller areas of holm oaks and junipers. The Cañada Real Segoviana crosses the village from northeast to south. This named livestock drovers’ route adds another tangible trace of livestock farming to the landscape.

The Senda del Mirador passes through pastureland and includes a tunnel that was probably connected to bunkers from the Spanish Civil War. From inside the tunnel, views extend to Puerto de La Hiruela, the Sierra de Puebla, the Puentes Viejas and Riosequillo reservoirs, the Comarca de La Jara and the Lozoya Valley. The Senda de la Dehesilla, by contrast, follows a circular route towards the Ermita de Braojos. The named trails therefore have distinct features: the Senda del Mirador is notable for its tunnel and long-distance views, while the Dehesilla is distinguished by its circular route and direction towards the Ermita.

More things to do locally

Visitors to La Serna del Monte can take part in agrotourism activities. Providers and schedules may change, so if you plan to take part in a particular activity, it is advisable to check what is currently available. Another named destination is the Área Recreativa del Arroyo recreation area.

A gastronomic experience in La Serna del Monte is also part of the route for discovering the Middle Lozoya Valley. As this program detail may change, if you are making specific plans, it is best to check in advance whether it is available on your dates.

Discover more destinations: Leganés, Alpedrete, Navacerrada, Robledo De Chavela, Robregordo, Torremocha De Jarama, Colmenar Viejo, Alameda del Valle.

See the broader travel overview: Madrid.