What To See In Soria Following Three Poets

Soria, the city of Castilla y León on the banks of the Duero River, has been the place of inspiration for many writers, and even rockers. But there are three characters in our lyrics that stand out from the rest and whose verses can serve as a guide for an inspiring visit to this small, but charming, Castilian city.

The old elm of Machado

Antonio Machado, of Sevillian origin, came to Soria to teach, but there he met the great, but brief, love of his life: Leonor. A woman who died here and whose remains rest next to an elm, the dry elm to which the poet dedicated his verses.

The memory of the elm tree, the poet and his beloved are preserved intact in a park on the way to the old castle that left the city on one side, and the river Duero on the other. Almost less remains of that castle than of the elm, if it were not for its keep, which has been integrated into the Parador Nacional de Soria. Establishment that, how could it be otherwise, is named after Antonio Machado.

On the banks of the Duero with Gerardo Diego

Another of the great poets who have been inspired by Soria is the member of the Generation of 27, Gerardo Diego. A writer who also taught at an institute in Soria where he became a professor.

During his stay in the city, a person from Cantabria was fascinated with these Castilian landscapes so different from those of his native land. And he was especially captivated by the banks of the Duero River, which starred in his poems on many occasions.

On the other hand, this is not strange, since in addition to the river and the riverside forests that flank it, these places keep some of the most impressive monuments in Soria. Especially for the medieval cloister of San Juan de Duero that is still preserved half naked, and the most beloved hermitage of the Sorians: the hermitage of San Saturio.

San Juan de Duero

The origin of the monastery of San Juan de Duero dates back to the presence in the area of ​​the Order of Hospitallers, who built this impressive place. Although perhaps now it is more captivating due to its state halfway between tourism and ruin, because the remains of its church and its cloister are among the most visited in Soria.

Hermitage of San Saturio

And a short distance from the previous monastery is the hermitage of San Saturio, a temple that evokes the times of the hermits, but which today is a fantastic religious site, half cave, half construction, where there is a baroque church finely decorated with wall paintings. Of course, whoever visits Soria has to take a walk on the banks of the Duero until reaching San Saturio .

The Mount of Souls of Bécquer

Of the legends of Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer, one of the most impressive is the one set in the Monte de las Ánimas, a hill at the entrance to the city of Soria and through which taking a walk is a real pleasure.

But there are other places that Bécquer mentions in his stories, such as the monastery of San Polo, of Templar origins and located on the road to San Saturio. And, if the Order of the Temple is mentioned, a sense of mystery comes to all of us, and certainly nothing else longed for by the romantic imagination of Bécquer, who was inspired here for his story The Moonlight .

In short, that Soria in its modesty has inspired these leading artists and many others in the past. So if you too are looking for some inspiration, check it out!