Days in the country. Fireplace season begins
Three houses that bring us closer to the beauty of La Vera and the mountains outside Madrid. We find it in the landscape, the architecture of the villages, a handmade object and kitchens that preserve the flavours of the place. We travel to discover all of this, with a comfortable house to return to and time to enjoy it.
A country escape begins to take shape when we find the house. We look at the sitting room, the light through the windows, the place where we will have breakfast. We imagine friends around the table and the afternoon we would like to spend there. In autumn, the fireplace has a great deal to do with that choice.
Then come the addresses: an artisan’s workshop, a path through the trees, a kitchen working with what is produced nearby. We want to meet the people who shape a place. Watch them at work, taste their produce, learn something of their history. The houses we choose let us become part of that landscape and enjoy it from indoors, too.
TWO HOUSES SOUTH OF GREDOS
Jarandilla de la Vera. A country estate for gathering together
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Pines, oaks and olive trees surround this house, with its spacious sitting rooms, fireplace and porches looking out across the landscape. There is room to share meals and then find a quiet corner with a book. Catering is available on the estate, making it easy to build a stay around the house itself: a walk in the morning, lunch back at home and an afternoon for everyone to spend as they please.
13 bedrooms · 12 bathrooms · Up to 24 guests
REF. THSTESCAC0001 · Explore the house in Viajeros
Robledillo de la Vera. Croquet and mountain views
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The sitting room and dining room each have their own fireplace. Antique furniture, rugs, stone and ceramics give the interiors a sense of substance and warmth. The porch looks towards Gredos and a rose garden that brings the landscape close to the house.
Part of the journey takes place within the estate. Walk through the oak woods, explore the olive groves and ponds, or arrange a game on the artificial-grass croquet lawn. Stay outside after lunch before returning to the fire. The library, cinema room and games room offer other places to spend the hours after dark.
7 bedrooms · 6 bathrooms · Up to 17 guests —12 adults and 5 children—
REF. THSTESCAC0005 · Explore the house in Viajeros
Our plans in La Vera
A walk around Jarandilla. The Ruta de los Puentes leads towards the Jaranda gorge and Puente Parral. Water, vegetation and old paths reveal the countryside around the village. Afterwards, explore its streets, stop at the fortified church of Santa María de la Torre and visit the castle of the Counts of Oropesa, now a Parador.
A table at Los Confites. At this organic farm, awarded a Repsol Solete, weekend brunch brings together garden produce, eggs from the farm’s hens and homemade dishes. Follow it with a walk around the grounds and order a basket of seasonal produce to take home.
The cooking at Veratus. In an old country house beside the Jaranda gorge, Ángel Sánchez returns to the flavours of his childhood. Local vegetables, game and recipes from Extremadura underpin a kitchen awarded one Repsol Sol. Veratus is our second address for lunch or dinner in La Vera.
Inside an artisan’s workshop. In Villanueva de la Vera, Myriam Díez Zearsolo works with ceramics at Alboroque. Her pottery-decorating sessions introduce pigments and a process that continues with glazing and firing. Her work appears in the directory of the Cáceres Province Festival of Artisan Trades. Arrange collection of your piece in advance: the kiln needs its time.
Torrelodones, with the mountains ahead
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Gardens, porches and sitting rooms with fireplaces give this estate the atmosphere of a much-loved country house. The decoration recalls English homes, with different places to sit and a layout that allows people to gather without all having to do the same thing. A separate guest house complements the main house.
11 bedrooms · 7 bathrooms across both houses
Up to 18 guests in the main house · Enquire about guest-house capacity
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Our plans in the northwestern sierra
A morning on Abantos. The Los Tesoros de Abantos trail takes in pine woods, springs and viewpoints, passing the Luis Ceballos Arboretum. Allow around two hours and fifteen minutes for this moderately difficult 5.1-kilometre walk. It offers an introduction to the mountain’s forestry history and its relationship with El Escorial.
Montia, the sierra on the plate. Daniel Ochoa works with wild ingredients and small-scale livestock farmers, growers and artisans. At Montia, awarded two Repsol Soles, the season determines what reaches the table. A meal that introduces the ingredients and producers of the surrounding countryside.
Charolés, a longstanding favourite. Traditional, market-led cooking keeps this dining room a place to return to. Recommended by Repsol and included in the Michelin selection, Charolés is particularly known for its cocido madrileño, Madrid’s traditional chickpea and meat stew. It is served on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays during the season and must be booked in advance.
The Casita del Infante. Juan de Villanueva’s building and its gardens offer a more intimate visit within the El Escorial complex. Take time to look at the proportions, details and arrangement of the views. Then return to the house, with time to prepare dinner and enjoy the sitting room.
Book restaurants and workshops in advance. Check visiting schedules and accommodation availability.
