One of Spain’s prettiest medieval towns is begging for tourists to return after catastrophic wildfires decimated the surrounding countryside and sent visitor numbers plummeting. Puebla de Sanabria, a charming walled village in Castilla y Leon which boasts a Renaissance castle and picturesque cobbled streets and houses with flower-covered wooden balconies, saw its tourist arrivals crash by 40% in August as flames tore through the Zamora province.
The Molezuelas wildfire, which first ignited on August 10, became the largest blaze in Spain’s recorded history, torching up to 39,700 hectares of the Sanabria forests and countryside that usually makes it an irresistible draw for nature lovers. One 37-year-old man died as he helped to extinguish the fire, suffering from burns to 85% of his body. Another 35-year-old man also perished. Puebla de Sanabria is one of the oldest settlements in Zamora, and it sits some 3,150ft above sea level at the point where the Castro and Tera rivers meet. While the medieval town thankfully escaped the flames, the impact on tourism has been devastating.
Puebla de Sanabria’s local mayor confirmed that visitor numbers have collapsed compared to the previous August, according to The Olive Press. Now, as October arrives, local businesses are urging Brits and other European tourists not to abandon this hidden gem.
At this time of year, thanks to the region’s blending of Atlantic and Mediterranean climates, autumn colours explode across the mountains, and temperatures remain pleasantly mild.
The medieval quarter, crowned by the castle of the Counts of Benavente, remains completely intact and ready to welcome visitors. From the keep tower – known locally as El Macho – visitors can enjoy panoramic views across slate-roofed houses to the winding Tera river towards the Culebra and Leon mountain ranges. In the distance lies Lake Sanabria, the largest natural lake on the Iberian Peninsula, formed in an ancient glacial cirque.
The 15th-century castle-palace, since rebuilt, sits on a granite peninsula at the highest point of the town. Its strategic location made it essential for border defence until 1895, when this historically disputed frontier zone between Spain and Portugal was finally settled. King Alfonso IX of Leon granted the settlement its town charter in 1220, establishing legal protections designed to strengthen Spanish control of the Portuguese border.
The August 2025 wildfires proved Spain’s worst fire season since 1994, with 380,000 hectares burned nationwide and over one million hectares destroyed across Spain and Portugal combined. With just over 1,000 permanent residents, Puebla de Sanabria lacks the workforce for effective forest management, leaving vast swathes of countryside vulnerable to catastrophic blazes.
The problem has also been compounded by the region’s chronic depopulation crisis, which includes low birth rates, an ageing population, and severe migration of young people and graduates seeking opportunities in larger urban areas. The region, characterised by low population density and numerous small municipalities, faces challenges in providing essential services and maintaining infrastructure.