Ampudia - provincia de Palencia M3 - 2026
Ampudia is a small historic town in the province of Palencia, in the heart of Tierra de Campos, surrounded by the broad, open cereal-growing landscape of northern Castilla y León. Its traditional architecture is typically Castilian, with adobe and brick houses, wooden balconies, tiled roofs and arcaded streets. The town is dominated by its impressive 15th-century castle, one of the finest surviving examples of a late-medieval castle in the region, while the Collegiate Church of San Miguel is another important landmark. Agriculture remains central to the surrounding landscape, particularly wheat and other cereals, alongside some livestock farming. Ampudia stands out from many of the small towns of Tierra de Campos because of its remarkably well-preserved historic centre and the imposing castle, which gives the otherwise modest agricultural town a surprisingly grand character.
We had wanted to visit Ampudia ever since our stay in Tierra de Campos earlier in the year, and it certainly lived up to its reputation as one of Spain’s most beautiful villages. The church, with its distinctive tower, is known as the “Giralda of the Campos” and makes an impressive landmark above the rooftops. Around the centre are a number of beautifully preserved arcaded streets, with their repeating stone and wooden columns, deep shadows and patches of sunlight. I do sometimes wonder how many photographs of arcaded streets I can take before I finally run out of enthusiasm, but they are difficult to resist. The castle was another highlight, with an interesting museum inside whose rather atmospheric interiors had something distinctly Hogwarts about them. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit, and Ampudia proved well worth the journey.
