Valdeolmos: Trails, Church and Festivals

Valdeolmos offers several starting points for planning a trip: trails through a landscape that changes with the seasons, the Iglesia de Valdeolmos, and recurring festivals in May and August. If you are looking for a hotel, you can plan your stay around whether you are most interested in the landscape, the church’s architectural history, or a festival date.

Walking Routes and Landscape

In 2022, the Valdeolmos-Alalpardo route network was described as comprising four validated and signposted circular routes, totaling 34 kilometers. The four routes could be used on foot, by bicycle, or on horseback. A route map from 2022 identifies Valdeolmos as the starting point for Route 2 and gives its length as 9.8 kilometers. This distinction is important when planning: 34 kilometers refers to the entire route network, while 9.8 kilometers is the length of a single route.

One trail starts behind the Iglesia de Valdeolmos at the turning area where buses turn around. From there, you can see the four towers of Madrid. The landscape along the trail also changes with the seasons. The view and the seasonal changes are distinct points of reference: the view looks toward the towers, while the landscape changes in appearance over the course of the year.

Conditions on the trails can change. Check current route conditions before setting out, and choose a route that suits your plans.

Iglesia de Valdeolmos and Local History

The Iglesia de Valdeolmos has Romanesque origins; its original construction dates to the 16th and 17th centuries. It is a single-nave building with walls of brick and rubble masonry. A Gothic chapel dedicated to Cristo de la Columna is attached to the church. Thus, alongside its origins and construction period, the church’s architectural form and the chapel’s specific dedication are also central features.

Festivals in May and August

On the second Saturday in August, Valdeolmos celebrates the Cristo de la Columna festival with a solemn Mass and a procession. For four days, there are dances, bullfighting events, and fireworks; the festival ends on Wednesday with a Caldereta for residents and visitors. Dates and programs may change from year to year. If you are traveling for the festival, check the dates and schedule for that specific year.

The Virgen del Amor Hermoso celebration takes place on the second Saturday in May. It includes a solemn Mass, refreshments, and a procession, as well as the auction of litters and scepters and dancing. The date may vary from year to year; take this into account when planning a trip for the occasion.

Landscape at the Municipal Level

In the municipality of Valdeolmos-Alalpardo, east of the Community of Madrid, there is a 100-hectare holm oak forest considered a primary or virgin forest. It adds a landscape perspective at the municipal level to the trails and the church. This makes it possible to distinguish between features specifically associated with Valdeolmos and the municipality’s broader landscape context.

Discover more destinations: Casarrubuelos, Brunete, Valdemoro, Pinto, Las Rozas De Madrid, San Lorenzo De El Escorial, Piñuécar, Villa Del Prado

For the broader travel overview: Madrid.