Penafiel Castle

Penafiel castle runs along a narrow rock ridge above the town, about 210 metres long and only twenty across at its widest, with a keep rising from the middle and walls following the rock so closely that from below it reads as a stone ship. It dates in its present form largely from the fifteenth century on earlier foundations, and it commanded the Duero frontier in the long wars between Christian kingdoms and al-Andalus. Since 1999 it has housed the Museo Provincial del Vino, covering the Ribera del Duero region beneath it with displays on viticulture, soil, cellars and a tasting room. Below in the town, the Plaza del Coso is an unusual sand-floored square enclosed by balconied houses, still used for bullfights.

What you actually see

• The ship-shaped walls - a 210-metre castle following a narrow ridge.
• The wine museum - the Ribera del Duero region explained inside the castle.
• The Plaza del Coso - a sand-floored square below, used for bullfights.
• The Duero view - the river valley and vineyards from the ramparts.

When to go

April to June and September to November; harvest in September and October is when the surrounding wineries are busiest. The castle closes on Mondays and keeps shorter winter hours. Summer on the meseta is very hot.

Honest expectations

The climb to the castle is steep, though a road reaches it. The wine museum is thorough but text-heavy and mostly in Spanish. Tastings are extra and limited in the standard ticket.

Nearby

The Ribera del Duero wineries surround the town; Valladolid lies west and Aranda de Duero east.