Meeting of the "Beautiful Towns" of Central Spain in Valverde

At the beginning of this month of October, two events were held that emphasize the significance of the existence of the Asociación de los Pueblos más Bonitos de España and the fact that Valverde is one of them: the day of the Pueblos más Bonitos on October 1st, and the central zone Assembly held in our town on the 2nd.

The creation of the network of beautiful villages in Spain in 2010 marked a turning point for many of the towns that are part of it. It was Fran Mestre, our town crier during the last Octava del Corpus festivities, who was one of the main promoters of the idea and remains its president today. All the villages that join the Association recognize the boost that this membership gives them and take pride in it.

Previously, the Association of the most beautiful villages in France had been created, followed by the corresponding one for the most beautiful in the world. Today, the global network is made up of more than 800 municipalities, the French one of about 160, and the Spanish one of 126. The Autonomous Community with the most presence is Castilla y León with 31 towns, followed by Andalucía with 19 and Aragón with 15. Castilla La Mancha has eight (Alcalá del Júcar, Letur, Almagro, Villanueva de los Infantes) along with the four from Guadalajara: Atienza, Hita, Pastrana, and Valverde. And in our surroundings, those of Castilla y León (Ayllón, Berlanga, Burgo de Osma, Medinaceli, Pedraza, Sepúlveda, Maderuelo…) as well as Chinchón and Nuevo Baztán in Madrid.

The possibilities offered by its website and app are almost infinite: information on each village with interactive maps, experiences, routes, services, local establishments, heritage, family leisure offers, information on parking, areas for caravans, news, events, alerts, updated occupancy levels… And advantages for belonging to the club with personalized offers and discounts in multiple establishments.

Each village manages its own information, as can each establishment affiliated with the organization. There are also awards for the most visited, best-rated, and most active village… Although a condition is to have fewer than 15,000 inhabitants, it is true that comparing Peñalba de Santiago (30 inhabitants) or Valverde (80-90 inhabitants) with Jerez de los Caballeros, Trujillo, or Ciudad Rodrigo with their more than 10,000 inhabitants suggests a certain disproportion.

The day in Valverde passed between the blessed downpour at ten in the morning and the welcome autumn sun at three in the afternoon. In between, there was a guided tour of the village, a visit to the Ethnographic Museum, the premiere of the film about the Octava festival, and, of course, the regional assembly with the presence of the president, Fran Mestre, and representatives from Almagro, Hita, Atienza, Chinchón, Nuevo Baztán, Berlanga, Medinaceli, Mogarraz, Monteagudo de las Vicarías, Sepúlveda, Vinuesa, and Yanguas. And the host, Valverde, with its municipal corporation and the chronicler at the helm. The collection of beautiful villages is unbeatable, and it is worth keeping track of those already visited and opting for the points offered in their club.

The family photo in a spectacular setting, the meeting at the Posada del Rincón, and the meal in the recently renovated plaza del Portalejo bear witness to the events. Tasting a paella and some good portions while sitting in the sun in the square was the happy culmination of the day. The local establishments Despeñalagua, La Rueca, Tarihuela, and Posada del Rincón, along with the drive of the municipal corporation, contributed to its enjoyment.

Our applause goes to the Association, to its promoter, our town crier, and to all the villages and managers of this select club. The bar is set high and the standard is almost unbeatable.

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