Cercedilla

Cercedilla is a mountain town in the Sierra de Guadarrama, 56 kilometres from Madrid. Its history and geographical setting have shaped its development in every sense. Located in the heart of the Sierra de Guadarrama National Park, its almost 40 km² are home to a rich variety of plant and animal life.

History

Unless earlier evidence comes to light in the future, the origins of Cercedilla appear to date back to the Roman Empire, around the 1st century AD. Everything began when imperial legions travelled along the Antonine route from Titulcia to Segovia and reached the Fuenfría Valley. It is believed they settled here and built structures that still survive today. The most significant is the Roman road that crosses the Puerto de la Fuenfría. Despite the centuries that have passed, it can still be walked today, with well-preserved stretches in Las Dehesas and at the pass itself. In its day, this road was of great strategic importance, linking two key routes of the period.

In later centuries, after Roman times, other civilisations left their mark. During the so-called “barbarian” period, the population moved away from the road towards the shaded slopes of Siete Picos, favouring the area watered by the stream known as Regato del Puerto and the flax fields towards Camorritos. Little remains from the period of Arab presence, although there are references to Muslim troops passing through the nearby Puerto de Tablada.

Cercedilla regained prominence during the Christian Reconquest, following the definitive conquest of the area and the fall of Madrid to Alfonso VI in 1065. At that time, crossing the Sierra was essential for the people of Segovia, as it was the route that enabled repopulation. This process triggered a long legal dispute over whether these lands belonged to Madrid or Segovia. The conflict lasted for years and was ultimately addressed by Alfonso X “the Wise”, who created El Real de Manzanares, including Cercedilla within its territory. Yet the dispute did not truly end: Sancho IV returned the lands to Segovia in 1287, and later John I granted them to Pedro González de Mendoza and his family, linked to the ducal house of Guadalajara. This was the period in which Cercedilla emerged as a modest settlement.

The first direct reference to Cercedilla appears in the 16th century. Fernando Colón, in his Cosmography (written between 1517 and 1523), describes it as a “place of thirty neighbours”. Increasing traffic along the Fuenfría road soon drove population growth: by the 1530 census, Cercedilla had 122 residents. The crossing had become an obligatory route for royal entourages travelling from Madrid to Valsaín, where Charles V had built a hunting lodge that Philip II transformed into a palace in 1561.

Cercedilla is also referenced in Spanish literature. In Cervantes’ Rinconete y Cortadillo, the character Rinconete is described not as born in Cercedilla, but as being “from Fuenfría, a place known and famous for the distinguished travellers who continually pass through it”. Meanwhile, Quevedo’s El Buscón recounts spending a night at an inn in Cercedilla on the road to Segovia around the year 1600.

Economically, beyond its role as a vital crossing point, Cercedilla relied on the careful management of the forests of Monte Pinar y Agregados for firewood, charcoal and building timber. Agriculture, by contrast, was limited—illustrated in 1580, when the Council of Castile had to grant Cercedilla permission to purchase and transport wheat, bread and barley from Segovia, due to scarce local cereal crops.

The year 1630 was also decisive: Philip IV granted Cercedilla the status of a villa (town), giving it the right to appoint its own local authorities and maintain civic jurisdiction, including a jail and the traditional symbols of justice.

The completion of the new Palace of La Granja increased Cercedilla’s importance, as it became an essential stop for the royal entourage and the King’s Guard. Between 1728 and 1730, under Philip V, the road and Roman bridges were fully renovated, and parts of the route were realigned.

According to the Ensenada Cadastre (1751), the town had between 160 and 170 households. Timber production and livestock—used to transport it—remained central. Local farmers took pine timber and other goods to Madrid using their own carts, drawn by large teams of oxen. Cattle, horses, sheep, goats, pigs and beehives were also kept. Industry was limited to five privately owned flour mills, and trade included an inn, a general store, a haberdashery and a butcher’s. Local trades included bakers, a butcher, a farrier, a tailor, a shoemaker and a mason, along with a surgeon and a pharmacist. Unlike earlier centuries, agricultural work was also part of everyday life.

In the second half of the 18th century, growth continued for a time, but decline soon followed. The opening of the new Navacerrada route in 1793 (under Charles III) meant royal journeys to La Granja abandoned the Fuenfría road. In 1799, Cercedilla underwent an important administrative change, becoming part of the Province of Madrid, leaving behind its long-standing ties to Guadalajara.

Cercedilla regained relevance in the 19th century. In 1888, the new railway line from Villalba to Segovia opened with a stop in Cercedilla, boosting tourism. Thanks to the train, residents of Madrid discovered the Sierra de Guadarrama, and holiday homes soon appeared in Cercedilla.

Interest in Cercedilla continued to grow. The Society for the Study of the Guadarrama helped spread the fame of Cercedilla’s magnificent pine forests and their reputed health benefits, turning the town into the first and foremost tourist hub of the Sierra de Guadarrama.

With the expansion of tourism in the early 20th century, recreational, refuge and scientific buildings were developed, and alternative activities such as mountaineering were encouraged. By 1900, Cercedilla had 1,187 permanent residents and a similar number of seasonal residents, including notable figures such as Nobel Prize winner Santiago Ramón y Cajal, painter Joaquín Sorolla and illustrator Eulogio Varela.

On 12 July 1923, in the presence of King Alfonso XIII and Queen Victoria Eugenia, the first section of the Guadarrama narrow-gauge electric railway opened, linking Cercedilla station to Puerto de Navacerrada. The pass soon grew rapidly as a mountain leisure centre, while Cercedilla expanded and developed key facilities: a bullring, the municipal power station and schools (1925); a water tank (c. 1930); sewage system (1934); the Las Berceas municipal dam (1958) and Navalmedio dam (1968); a new Town Hall and municipal library (1971); Pradoluengo park and Las Berceas recreational park (1978); and later, a Civil Guard post, a seniors’ club, vocational training centre, health centre and more.

Cercedilla is now one of the most visited towns in the Sierra de Guadarrama. Like neighbouring villages, it has moved beyond an economy based on timber and now relies primarily on tourism and related activities.

Culture

Visiting Cercedilla is a journey through history: from Roman roads and bridges, to its historic churches and early 20th-century railway station, and on to modern life with its restored and practical cultural facilities.

Roman Road and Bridges

In the northernmost part of the Fuenfría Valley, in the heart of the National Park, the Roman road runs largely over the current M-966, yet visible sections remain along approximately 2.25 km.

In the valley you can admire three of the four Roman bridges: Puente de la Venta, Puente del Descalzo, and Puente de En Medio. The Puente del Molino (or Puente del Reajo) is near the RENFE station.

Luis Rosales Cultural Centre

C / Arroyo, 3.

Built on the foundations of the former municipal slaughterhouse (1920) and inaugurated on 28 July 1998, it is named in honour of poet Luis Rosales, who spent his final years in Cercedilla. The centre hosts a permanent display of his personal items, as well as concerts and exhibitions throughout the year.

Joaquín Sorolla Centre

Carrera del Señor, s / n.

A fine example of traditional mountain architecture that has largely disappeared. Its façade features Segovian sgraffito, a technique now rarely used. Recently restored, it now serves as the Music School and Youth Information Centre.

Hermitage of Santa María

Camino de Santa María, s / n.

Built in the 17th century and expanded/restored in 1955. It is a significant local landmark, as the procession of 8 September (during festivities honouring the Nativity of Our Lady) ends on its esplanade.

Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel

Travesía del Carmen s / n.

A stone church with a single nave and pitched roof, in a simple style, with a small bell tower.

Parish of Our Lady of the Snows

Puerto de Navacerrada

Built with stone masonry and ashlar blocks. Notable for its 16th-century rectangular tower and two 16th-century granite fonts inside (baptismal and holy water), decorated with vegetal motifs.

Railway Station

C/ Emilio Serrano, s/n

Built between the late 19th and early 20th century by the Northern Railway Company as a key connection between Madrid and Segovia. It is a representative civil building of its time. The station is closely associated with the 1923 opening of the Cercedilla–Puerto de Navacerrada line.

From here runs the Nature Train (Tren de la Naturaleza), travelling from Cercedilla to Puerto de los Cotos, designed to spark interest in—and respect for—the natural resources of the Sierra de Guadarrama.

Fuente de los Geólogos (Geologists’ Fountain)

N-601, km 58

Located on the shared lands of Navacerrada and Cercedilla, this granite fountain was designed by Joaquín Delgado Úbeda and inaugurated on 12 June 1932, as a tribute to the first geologists who studied the Sierra. It is well worth stopping to admire both the fountain and the surrounding landscape.

Fábrica de la Luz (The Power Station)

Ctra. De las Dehesas, s / n.

An old hydroelectric plant that supplied Cercedilla with electricity for more than 50 years. A jewel of industrial heritage, it retains its original structure and machinery, with the distinctive feature that the electromagnetic equipment is entirely Spanish-made.

Inaugurated in 1925, it was a municipal initiative to produce public energy and counter electricity tariff rises. Today it has been converted into an interpretation centre for hydropower, with educational materials, interactive experiences and models explaining the plant’s history, how and why it was built, and the water circuit—capture, storage, operation and structure.

Guided visits require advance booking:
Tel.: +34 91 852 37 18 · Email: oficinadeturismo@cercedilla.es

Ski Museum

Plaza Mayor, 4

Skiing in Spain began on the slopes near Cercedilla around 1903, when González de Amezúa and a Norwegian working in Madrid’s timber industry, Birgen Lorensen, began “skating” (as it was called then) on wooden skis at El Ventorrillo. Cercedilla later became a national reference point for skiing, producing 29 Spanish champions (alpine and Nordic) and two Olympic medals: gold for Paquito Fernández Ochoa at Sapporo 1972, and bronze for his sister Blanca at Albertville 1992.

Through a modern museum experience—audio-visuals, scenography, objects and historic documents—the museum traces the history of snow sports and the evolution of equipment from handcrafted wooden skis to modern carving technology. The top floor is devoted to the development of the Puerto de Navacerrada resort and Paquito’s life and achievements.

Open weekends: 11:00–14:00 and 15:00–17:00
Tel.: +34 91 852 37 18 · Website: www.museodelesqui.com
Tourist info & museum contact: oficinadeturismo@cercedilla.es

Church of Saint Sebastian

Plaza Mayor, 3.

Cercedilla’s parish church is dedicated to Saint Sebastian, co-patron of the town alongside Our Lady of the Nativity. Of late Romanesque origin, it is a freestanding Latin cross plan church with a single nave. Entry is via a portico on the south façade, allowing the sequence of architectural elements to be appreciated: the tower; the nave with portico and baptistery; and the transept with sacristy and the Chapel of Christ of Clemency.

The churriqueresque altarpiece behind the main altar is a highlight. It was commissioned in 1612 from sculptor Juan Ruiz de Castañeda and painter Francisco Granello. Over time it has been altered and partially lost—like the church itself, which suffered damage during the Civil War.

The Tomillar and Bolo Fountains

Ctra. de Los Molinos, s/n and C/ de la Fuente, s/n

• Fuente del Bolo (19th century): two adjoining granite basins against a retaining wall, topped by a large Herrerian stone sphere.

• Fuente del Tomillar: a large monolithic trough against a wall with two separate granite benches; water flows from a small spout, with a stone plaque inscribed: “Fuente del Tomillar, 1906. Propiedad de P. Catada”.

Horseshoeing Frame (Potro de herrar)

Located at one of the entrances to the town, this structure reflects Cercedilla’s livestock tradition. Built with thick wooden beams and granite pillars, one pillar bears a small plaque referencing the Camino de Madrid to Santiago.

Public Washhouse

Built in 1945 near the Teja (or Abajo) stream, designed as a small rectangular building with a three-hipped roof to serve as a covered communal washhouse. Inside, a large washing basin built of masonry and finished with big granite pieces was a key social meeting point. Even after running water arrived in homes, professional washerwomen continued to use it until the late 1960s. Restored in 2005, it now functions as an exhibition space and multipurpose centre.

Festivals and traditions

There are special times of year to visit Cercedilla. Beyond Christmas, Holy Week and Carnival—each given a distinctive local character—two key moments stand out: the celebrations of its patron saints. Cercedilla also offers alternative cultural events, such as the Arrulaque Festival.

• Saint Sebastian (20 January): the town’s patron festival, with children’s and youth activities, demonstrations of rural sports, traditional dances and a procession carrying the saint’s image.

   

• Arrulaque Festival (late July): created to encourage knowledge and enjoyment of the natural environment and the Sierra’s many landscapes. Routes follow mountain paths to the meadow of Navarrulaque, where a manifesto is read, and traditional music and dancing close the event. Over the years, memorial points have been created in tribute to notable artistic figures.

   

• Nativity of Our Lady (early September): celebrated over five days and dedicated to the town’s patroness. Festivities begin with the traditional opening proclamation (pregón), followed by a pilgrimage to the Hermitage of Santa María, music and dancing, regional costume displays and activities for all ages. 

Nature

As if Cercedilla’s landscape were not beautiful enough, people have helped us appreciate it even more: there are many viewpoints around the Fuenfría Valley, one of the most striking areas of the Sierra de Guadarrama. Nature here is also enjoyed through skiing in the mountains and leisure parks created in the surrounding countryside.

Las Berceas Recreational Park

Dehesas de Cercedilla · Fuenfría Valley

In the heart of the National Park. Facilities include swimming pools, services, changing rooms, first-aid point, restaurant, bar, rest area, children’s playground and ecological trails—set among pine forests crossed by rivers and streams.

Las Dehesas Recreational Area

M-966 road

Near Cercedilla, with drinking water, tables, kiosk, bins, toilets and parking. It offers a full nature experience: not only observation, but also outdoor sports and activities (including water-based activities). Vegetation includes pine trees and scrub; wildlife includes squirrels, birds, amphibians, reptiles and deer.

Fuenfría Valley

A highly significant environmental unit on the Madrid side of the Sierra de Guadarrama. Administratively it lies within Cercedilla, with physical boundaries including Cerro Minguete (2,023 m) and the western end of Siete Picos (2,138 m).

These mountains give Cercedilla its particularly picturesque character, especially in winter. Geologically, the valley is composed mainly of granite and gneiss; minerals include quartz, feldspar and ferromagnesian minerals. Vegetation is characterised by pine forest. Typical fauna includes roe deer, wild boar, badgers and foxes.

Fuenfría Valley Visitor Centre

Ctra. De las Dehesas, km 2

Surrounded by splendid Scots pine forests in the heart of the valley, with an extensive network of trails for visitors to enjoy the landscape and its most beloved corners.

The building includes an entrance hall, public information desk, exhibition room, library and classroom. The permanent exhibition features interpretive panels and an audio-visual on the Fuenfría Valley, alongside temporary exhibitions throughout the year. Outside, there is parking, a rock garden and an area showcasing native valley vegetation.

Mirador de la Pelona (La Pelona Viewpoint)

Guadarrama-Navacerrada Road

An official viewpoint with parking, a fountain and an information panel to help identify key elements in the panorama: dehesas, Navacerrada hills, Siete Picos and more. Binoculars are recommended.

The viewpoint’s name comes from the nickname of an elderly woman who once lived in an old road workers’ hut located where the viewpoint stands today, along the stretch between Guadarrama and Navacerrada as it passes through Dehesa de la Golondrina, above the meadows known as Cercas Lenguas.

Poets´ Viewpoint

Fuenfría Valley

The viewpoints dedicated to Vicente Aleixandre and Luis Rosales honour notable cultural figures linked to Cercedilla. They are located along the route followed during the Arrulaque walk, within the National Park.

Since 1984, the “Arrulaque” walk has paid tribute to cultural figures connected to the Sierra de Guadarrama, such as Vicente Aleixandre, Luis Rosales and Camilo José Cela.

Navacerrada Pass

One of the most important references in the Community of Madrid for communications, nature and tourism: it links Madrid with Castile and León; it hosts valuable flora and fauna such as Scots pine forests, small mammals and birds; and it offers strong tourism appeal thanks to hiking and a ski resort—right in the heart of the Sierra de Guadarrama.

Navalmedio Reservoir

Located on the shared lands of Cercedilla and Navacerrada, covering up to seven hectares in the heart of the Sierra. With a capacity of 0.7 hm³, it began operating in 1969 and is fed by the Navalmedio River. The dam is 41 metres high.