Once again some beautiful and characterful town and villages have been added to the existing list of Spain´s Most Beautiful Towns. With a rather sad start to this year I´ve certainly enjoyed checking out the eleven new places added to Los Pueblos Más Bonitos de España and plan to visit as many as possible when travel is open to all areas again.

The new additions for this year are:

Agulo – La Gomera

Baños de la Encina – Jaén (this town has long been a favourite of mine being in ´my´province.)

Beget – Girona

Bulnes – Asturias

Cudillero – Asturias

Garachico – Tenerife

Genalguacil – Málaga

Molinaseca – León

Nuevo Baztán – Madrid

Roncal – Navarra

Valverde de la Vera – Cáceres

These towns have been vetted throughout 2020. There are more than 40 criteria that each town has to have to be incorporated in this network of Spain´s Most Beautiful Towns, some of those include conservation of hertitage buildings, harmony of the town, cleanliness, conservation of property, flow of traffic, parks and green zones cared for, cultural programmes and attention to traditions as well as many others.

Let´s have a little look at each one..

Agulo on Gomera

Agulo is nicknamed Bonbon for its beauty. It´s one of the smalleest and oldest towns on the Canary Islands with stunning views of El Teide on Tenerife. Rich gastronomy and cobbled streets make it a destination to seek out and slowly stroll down the ancient cobbles.

Baños de la Encina in Jaen

Baños de la Encina is a small town with some impressive sandstone buildings but its real gem is the enormous oval castle which was completed in the year 968 and site of many battles. The Hermita Cristo del Llano is another priceless work of art.

Beget in Girona

With little more than 20 inhabitants the hamlet of Beget has a rich history. The X-XIII century Cristòfol de Beget Church and its two medieval bridges seemingly merge with the stone cobbles and same warm stone-coloured fronted houses.

Bulnes in Asturias

To reach Bulnes you need to walk or take the underground train! The buildings in this hamlet of around 30 inhabitants in the Picos de Europa mountains almost merge with their background of grey stone offset with a reddish-brown clay tiled roof.

Cudillero in Asturias

Like a Roman ampitheatre multi-coloured houses rise up the banks around the sea shore of this picturesque fishing port. Higher up the rich XIX houses of the merchants along with the Palacio Selgas have been called the Asturian Versailles.

Garachico in Tenerife

Cobbled streets and rich architectural heritage, white washed churches usually against deep blue skies, along with natural pools earned this coastal town its place on the list.

Genalguacil in Malaga

This white town is from Moorish origins built and extended on terracing down the mountainside. The old part of town has some gorgeous architecture including the XVIII century octagonal church tower.

Molinaseca in Leon

A Roman Bridge and rich architecture, stone built houses with hanging chestnut balconies and outside staircases give a medieval feel to this small town on the edge of the Camino de Santiago.

Nuevo Baztan in Madrid

Founded in XVIII century some impressive Baroque monuments built from local stone form this small town´s centre which was listed as of Historic-Artistic interest in 1941, including this central Baroque Palace.

Roncal in Navarra

Sitting on both sides of the River Esca this valley town in the Pyranees has steep, cobbled streets and is full of charm with some grand old houses and stunning backdrops.

Valverde de la Vera – Caceres

With a unique, local style of building using wood, stone and brick also granite for columns. The town has a marvellous mix of   Gothic, Romantic, Renaissance and Arab styles with the traditional Plaza Mayor.

All are on my list to visit but it will be closest ones I get to first no doubt.