Peñafiel turned out to be a pleasant surprise during the recent trip Gayle and I took to Spain. We started the morning Día de Hispania (October 12) by driving out of Madrid to Segovia. After enjoying several hours there, it was on to Peñafiel for half the afternoon and the night. In some ways, this main town in the Ribera Wine Region was just a way station towards our upcoming 2 day stay in Santillana Del Mar. In many ways, we didn't take full advantage of Peñafiel and the surrounding areas. For example, the only wine we had was at the Hotel and we only walked by some of the Bodegas in Town. A friend's restaurant recommendation of El Lagar de Isilla in nearby Aranda de Duero went untried. Yet, Gayle and I had a great time. First of all, the Hotel Convento las Claras was wonderful. Our room was nicely appointed and comfortable, the inside Courtyard Lounge was architecturally welcoming, the restaurant (where we had Lunch) was one of the best meal experiences we had on our trip, and the outside Courtyard capped our evening as we relaxed over a drink and conversation. The marque Peñafiel Castle was also of fun visit. We skipped the Wine Museum that's located there and simply walked around the Castle and through some of the grounds. We also took a lot of pictures, as this Ark really is a stunning sight. We also stumbled upon this Tourist Office when Gayle and I were admiring the Plaza del Coso. Thanks to their map, we walked around a lot more and enjoyed walking down various streets and admiring such sights as Saint Paul's Church and Convent (where we watched a Monk give a private tour to a group), the Clock Tower, various historic houses and Bodegas, and finally the River and the City Walls. read more

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