The origins of San Martín de Valdeiglesias can be traced back to the 13th century when the original village was established near the monastery of Santa María de Valdeiglesias, today a ruin. Once a small hamlet, it grew over the years, and it was officially recognised as a town in the 14th century.
In the 15th century, the current castle of Coracera was built on the orders of Álvaro de Luna, a favourite of Juan II. De Luna promoted the town as a leisure destination for the nobility of the period thanks to its proximity to the cities of Madrid, Toledo and Ávila. The Middle Ages was its period of greatest splendour.
San Martín de Valdeiglesias owes its name, “valley of the churches”, to chapels that were dotted across the area, a further sign of its power in centuries past. The construction of San Juan Reservoir in the middle of the 20th century gave the town a boost as a leisure and tourist destination, particularly in the summer months.
- Chapel of La Sangre
- The Enchanted Forest
- San Juan Reservoir
- Regional wineries
- What to see nearby
- How to get to there from Madrid
- Hotels in Madrid
The most important historical monument in San Martín de Valdeiglesias is the castle of Coracera, which stands in the centre of the town. Constructed in granite with a square floor plan, its keep is particularly noteworthy. Restoration work was performed at the beginning of the 21st century and the castle is now open to the public each weekend; its rooms contain fascinating information about the building and region.
Chapel of La Sangre
One of the most important chapels to give the town its name is the 13th century chapel of La Sangre, built in a sober, Gothic style with buttresses on each side and a single nave.
Perhaps the most unusual thing about it is its name, ‘chapel of the blood’ – it comes from battles that were fought at the gates of the chapel in the 16th century between local residents and the troops of the Duke of Infantado, who wanted to seize control of the town.
We highly recommend visiting the different chapels of San Martín de Valdeiglesias, either independently or by joining a guided tour run by the tourism office.
The Enchanted Forest
If you visit San Martín de Valdeiglesias with children, a trip to the Enchanted Forest is a must. This botanical garden is unique in Europe: it covers 25,000 m2 and contains over 500 plant species from around the world, and over 300 plant sculptures that represent fairy-tale, historical and mythological creatures such as the Seven Dwarfs, dragons and dinosaurs. It’s a fantastical world that children will love!
The Enchanted Forest has different areas with waterfalls, ponds, mazes, a bonsai mountain and other creations where plants are the big attraction.
San Juan Reservoir
The San Juan Reservoir is an iconic natural space in the west of the Community of Madrid. The reservoir is hugely popular among people from Madrid during the summer because it’s the only place in the region where swimming is allowed. In fact, it has 14 km of sand and Virgen de la Nueva beach is the only blue flag beach in the Community, earning this status in 2018. That’s why it’s known as “Madrid beach”.
Aside from swimming, you can rent boats and do water sports such as kayaking, wakeboarding, paddle surfing and even the spectacular hydroflying.
And there’s more to do near San Juan Reservoir too: hiking, climbing, archery and stopping at beach bars and restaurants.
Regional wineries
San Martín de Valdeiglesias municipality is part of one of the subzones of the designations of origin of Madrid, a DO that includes 18 wineries. Visiting the area is a great opportunity for wine tourism, so why not visit a few wineries and do a wine tasting or two?
In fact, while the centre of San Martín is home to the Álvaro de Luna and Tierra Calma wineries, travel a little further from the town and you’ll find plenty more.
The grape varieties grown in this subzone are garnache and albillo real grape varieties.
What to see nearby
There are many more places of interest near San Martín de Valdeiglesias in addition to the reservoir and Enchanted Forest. One is the town of El Tiemblo in Ávila province, which is famous for the Toros de Guisando, a group of sculptures from the Iron Age whose origins are still not entirely known.
Many centuries later, next to these bulls, Enrique IV recognised his sister Isabel, the future Isabel I of Castile, as the heir to the throne of Castile.
Another great place to visit is Cadalso de los Vidrios and Villena Palace, which was built between the 14th and 15th centuries and is an Asset of Cultural Interest.
And if you’re a hiking fan, the Vía Verde del Alberche is also very close by. It starts from the outskirts of Pelayos de la Presa and follows the Alberche River for 14 km.
The area around San Martín de Valdeiglesias has plenty of places of interest and its combination of nature, culture and sports make it the perfect destination for a day trip or several days’ holiday.
How to get to there from Madrid
To get to San Martín de Valdeiglesias from Madrid, take the M-501 (the ‘carretera de los pantanos’) off the M-40 at Pozuelo and Boadilla. It’s about 75 km from the centre of Madrid and the journey takes just under an hour.
It’s also possible to travel to San Martín de Valdeiglesias by bus, and buses depart from Príncipe Pío bus station.
Hotels in Madrid
San Martín de Valdeiglesias makes a wonderful day trip from the centre of Madrid. If you’re visiting the capital in summer, the area around San Martín de Valdeiglesias and San Juan Reservoir is a wonderful, cool haven.
But if you’re looking for somewhere to stay in Madrid, take a look at these hotels in the centre of Spain’s capital city:
- Barceló Torre de Madrid: if you’d like to stay in an emblematic building or want to treat someone, this is the place for you. Stay at the famous Torre de Madrid, right on Plaza de España, with views of Gran Vía.
- Barceló Imagine: Barceló’s most innovative and eclectic hotel, this five-star hotel is next to the Gate of Europe towers, the most modern and business-orientated area of Madrid.
- Barceló Emperatriz: a five-star hotel in an elegant building right by Paseo de la Castellana.
