Active Palencia
The city is honoured to lead the ranking of province capital cities with the largest green area in the country. It is also, according to some studies, one of the cities with the best air quality. On its way through Palencia, the banks of the Carrión river draw a ring that make up valuable natural spaces optimal for practicing physical or sports activities, including hiking, running, cycling or Nordic wolking. Many of these periurban parks, featured by their remarkable ecological and landscape value, are also an indicator of the city's commitment to sustainability, conservation or promotion of the quality of life for its inhabitants.
Built in the heart of the city, two parks claim an aesthetic that dates back to the 19th century. Inspired by the canons of romanticism, the Huerta de Guadián and the Parque del Salón make their way through the streets of the old town to offer a pleasant stroll among floral ornaments, deciduous trees, sculptural groups or fountains. The Huerta de Guadián also hides a beautiful secret: a modest Romanesque church that was rescued from Villanueva del Río before it was flooded by the waters of the Aguilar de Campoo reservoir.
Beyond its history, Palencia is also an benchark in active tourism. La Roca, located on the outskirts of the city, is the best European facility in its category, an ideal place to take as a start point in some of the most spectacular forms of adventure, such as climbing, canyoning, diving or zip-lining. Integrated in the city, the Campo de Golf Isla Dos Aguas provides amateurs and expert players with a varied repertoire of holes and fast greens to test their skills. The Estadio Municipal de la Balastera and other modern sports facilities complete the possibilities for active leisure in a city that opens up to the periphery with the natural landscapes that the Canal de Castilla draws (one of the most impressive hydraulic engineering works in our country) and the green lung of the well-known Monte el Viejo, a large Mediterranean forest located just five minutes from the city. Palencia also treasures a basketball team in which outstanding national and international players have been listed and that is currently in the second highest category of Spanish Basketball, the LEB ORO.
Active Palencia / Routes
