Castile and León

Your first stop is Pedraza, entered through its single gateway, the Puerta de la Villa. Climb to the castle above its sheer drop, and if you come in July, candlelit concerts fill the streets in the evening. Then on to Sepúlveda.

Sepúlveda sits beside a gorge-cut natural park, so stop at the interpretation centre to plan a walk. Then look over the Casa del Moro and its legend, and have roast suckling pig for lunch before moving on to Maderuelo.

Walk in through the main gateway of Maderuelo's old walls and find the Romanesque south doorway of Santa María church. Vultures circle over the Riaza gorges nearby. Stay the night here and watch the light fade over the Linares reservoir.

Arrive at El Burgo de Osma and head for the Gothic cathedral and its cloister. Take a coffee on the Plaza Mayor and walk up through the park to the ruins of Roman Uxama on the hill before driving on to Covarrubias.

In Covarrubias, climb to the Torreón de Fernán González, the oldest fortress still standing in Castile. Step into the collegiate church to see its historic organ and raise a glass of Arlanza wine; Lerma waits further along the same river.

Lerma is the Duke's town: cross the vast Plaza Mayor towards the Palacio Ducal, now a parador. Over dinner, order roast lechazo from a wood-fired oven. Stay the night here, perhaps in the palace itself.

Castrojeriz is one long street that pilgrims walk to Santiago, running beneath a hill with a ruined castle. Walk its length, climb up to the castle, and pass under the arch of San Antón on the way out. Then on to Urueña.

Urueña is a book town, so browse the shelves of its antiquarian and second-hand booksellers. Then walk along the medieval walls for wide views of the plain, and spend the night inside them.

In Candelario, wander the steep streets where snowmelt runs in channels, and look for the half-doors called batipuertas. Visit the Museo de la Casa Chacinera to see how sausage-making shaped the houses. Settle in for the night, with Candelario cured sausages for supper.

Your journey ends in La Alberca, where many doorways bear religious inscriptions. Look for them as you wander the streets, then visit the church of the Asunción to see its painted granite pulpit before the drive on to Salamanca, where the trip ends.