- It's only 30 kilometers (38 minutes by car) from the inn in Boca de Huérgano where I stayed most of the time on this trip.
This pretty little high mountain town, located at an altitude of 1,200 metres, has only 40 inhabitants and, although one of the welcome signs already warns you that the arrival path will not be easy (the road that leads to it is complicated to maneuver and narrow, running some sections through goat tracks), it's worth the visit.
- Welcome signs to the town right in the parking lot - The large sign indicates that the town is part of the denomination "Historical Complex" and on the small sign we can read in beautiful calligraphy: "Difficult roads lead to beautiful destinations. Welcome.".
YouTube Short where you can see that when I said that the road that leads to Lois town runs through goat tracks, it was literally:
Despite the size of this town, it was a cultural reference point for 18th-century Spain, since its Latin Chair, which functioned for more than two centuries, taught renowned people who later held important roles in Spanish society, such as bishops, university professors, mayors, members of the Royal Academy of the Spanish Language, priors, knights of the Order of Santiago and even a minister.
- Its famous "The Cathedral of the Mountain" stands out, a huge parish church (especially if you compare its size with the small size of the town) that was built in pink marble in 1764 by one of the bishops of the time.
This beautiful town is located in the heart of the Riaño and Mampodre Mountain National Park, so if you like nature here you will enjoy it in a wonderful mountain setting.
YouTube Short walking through the beautiful town on a rainy day:
- More of the beautiful signs that you come across while walking through the town - One reads "Amen", from the verb "to love" and the other reads "Smile, it suits you well".
Another of the places of interest in this town is its "House of Smoke", an example of traditional mountain architecture, built in wood, with a thatched roof and without a chimney, which was restored and is currently a museum, which you can visit its interior in season.
- They call it the "House of Smoke" because although it did not have a chimney, they made bonfires inside to keep warm and, therefore, much of the interior is black and with a kind of stalactites hanging from the ceiling made from the accumulated soot itself.
In my case, I visited Lois town on the last day of my trip and I was in a bit of a hurry, so I couldn't dedicate all the time it deserves and spend a couple of days there exploring the beautiful surroundings that the Dueñas river bathes, but if you follow my recommendation, I hope you will also visit it and dedicate a little more time to it.
Photographs taken with my Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G camera.
YouTube shorts recorded with my Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra 5G camera.
Sources on which I relied to give some accurate info about Lois town, its buildings and history: (1), (2), (3)