Today we celebrate, and we speak out about what our communities need

TODAY WE ARE CELEBRATING · OCTOBER 1, 2026

Today, October 1, 2026, Los Pueblos Más Bonitos de España are celebrating. It is the association's anniversary. In the villages of our network, the flag is raised and a common manifesto is read. We do so with pride: a village is not just a collection of beautiful streets. It is a living community that safeguards a history, traditions, and a way of understanding life.

Since 2010, we have defended that this beauty is also measured by those who stay, by the strength of their people, and by the hope of building a life project here. That is why today, in the midst of our celebration, we raise our voices. We demand a fair and dignified future for rural areas. And we name it clearly.

What our villages need

This is what we ask for. It is in the manifesto being read today in the villages of our network.

Housing to be able to stay

Policies that bring life to the villages. Support for the restoration of historic homes. Allowing new neighbors to arrive. Modern infrastructure that respects the identity of each place. And ensuring that young people can build their life projects here, not just visit.

A primary sector with a future

Farmers, ranchers, and local producers are the soul of the land. Their work deserves respect, support, and a future. We ask for measures so that what they produce, with effort and sustainably, is valued both within and beyond our borders.

Tourism that does not weigh on those who live here

We advocate for responsible tourism: one that cares for who we are, respects our customs, and contributes to the well-being of those who live in the village. Sufficient resources are needed to welcome visitors without it becoming a burden, but rather a shared opportunity.

Shops, artisans, and local consumption

Shops, artisans, and entrepreneurs are the heart of our streets. They bring life to every square and every market. We ask for the promotion of local consumption and for the uniqueness of what we produce to be valued.

Trains and transport: mobility is a right

The rural world must also be connected. We ask that trains and basic transport services not be cut simply because they are not profitable. Mobility is a right, not a privilege. Living in a small municipality cannot mean having fewer rights than in a large city.

Fire prevention, not just extinction

For the second consecutive year, Spain has experienced a summer of major fires. 2025 was no exception. 2026 has confirmed it: fields, forests, and homes lost, villages evacuated, a landscape that takes decades to recover. We ask for forest clearing and safety strips around every village, with work done all year round, not just when the heat rises. We ask to recover grazing, forest care, and surveillance, and stable employment for those who live here and look after the mountains. Without nature, there is no future, and rural areas cannot be the great forgotten ones.

Aid for small town councils

A village of a few hundred residents cannot finance the crews, machinery, and clearing work required today on its own. Prevention cannot depend on the budget of a rural town council. We need stable resources that are easy to apply for and that arrive before the summer, not when only ashes remain.

Schools, festivals, languages, and traditions

We want open, quality schools for our children, because without them, there is no future. And we want to keep our festivals, languages, and traditions alive: they are the memory of what we have been and the promise of what we will continue to be.

A memory

Today we also hold a memory. We carry in our hearts those who have lost their lives in the fires and natural disasters of this past year. Each loss compels us to continue with greater strength and commitment.

Today we celebrate our villages and, at the same time, we commit ourselves to their future. Caring for our villages means caring for the life, culture, and identity of Spain. We will continue to fight, united, for our beauty, our culture, our environment, and our people.

Asociación Los Pueblos Más Bonitos de España · October 1, 2026