From Toledo to Ávila, the road winds through vast agricultural fields, crossing the waters of the Guadarrama and Alberche rivers, with small towns home to landmark civil and religious buildings as silent witnesses of their history.

Before reaching Torrijos, a detour takes us to the Barcience castle built by the counts of Cifuentes, with a magnificent keep.

In Torrijos, you must see the Palace of Pedro I, the Chapel of the Holy Christ of the Blood and in particular, the Collegiate Church of the Holy Sacrament, commissioned by Teresa Enríquez –known as the Crazy Woman of the Sacrament– atop a Muslim mosque with the participation of Alonso Covarrubias.

In Maqueda, where our path crosses with the motorway between Madrid and Extremadura, there are numerous heritage sites of interest such as the remains of the wall, the ‘Torre de la Vela’ (Candle Tower), a Moorish gate and castle, where famous figures of the past such as Cardenal Mendoza and even Isabella I of Castile passed through.

The road slowly heads north and crosses the waters of the Alberche river in Escalona. This was a royal town with great strategic importance, as the castle bears witness, which Álvaro de Luna turned into an impressive palace in the 16th century. A stroll through the streets allows visitors to admire its pretty square –the setting for the finale of Lazarillo de Tormes’ first book–, the remains of the wall or the Convent of the Incarnation We also have the option of walking one of the natural paths hugging the beautiful banks of the Alberche.

From here, the agricultural fields lead onto more rugged scenery before reaching Almorox, with particularly noteworthy pine forests. There are several paths for hiking and mountain biking, including the famous Sendero del Lazarillo.