Spain's Under-The-Radar Fairytale Village Is A Mountain Gem With Cobbled Streets

As a sunny dream destination in Europe for digital nomads, Spain is a popular vacation hotspot, thanks to its famous cities and year-round sunshine. Overtourism is becoming a big problem in Spain, so if you prefer quiet, rural locales as opposed to crowded big cities, consider visiting the under-the-radar mountain village of La Alberca.

Located about 45 miles east of the Portugal border in the province of Salamanca, La Alberca is found within the Sierra de Francia mountain range at an elevation of over 3,500 feet. This fairytale-like village is a around a three-hour drive from Madrid and about three-and-a-half hours from Porto, where you'll find a peaceful historic garden with strutting peacocks and river views.

With a population of a little over 1,000 people, La Alberca is known for its scenic cobbled streets and medieval architecture. It is a quiet village compared to major Spanish tourism sites, with the bulk of travelers visiting during summer, especially those who are embarking on the Camino de Santiago, Europe's equivalent of the Appalachian Trail. If you want to avoid fellow tourists, consider traveling outside the warmer months.

La Alberca's history dates back to the 1300s and beyond, and some buildings from hundreds of years ago are still standing today. While walking through these historic streets, you can see emblems from the Spanish Inquisition, a 15th-century home belonging to a duke (now a theater), and the historic Plaza Mayor square.

It's easy to see why La Alberca was Spain's first rural town declared a National Historic Monument. "Walking through this town is just a wonderful experience. You will not be sorry you stopped and just started wandering its narrow and unique streets," writes one Tripadvisor reviewer.

The 18th-century Church of La Asuncion is another major landmark to check out. Inside, the decor is ornate, and you can see a Gothic processional cross made of copper and a 16th-century granite pulpit. Another landmark, the Casa Museo Satur Juanela, is a museum inside one of the last traditional houses in the town. Inside, visitors can view artifacts and learn about La Alberca's history and architecture.

If you eat pork, know that ham is a big deal in La Alberca (and Spain in general). Specifically, Iberico ham, a premium cured meat, is a staple of the idyllic village. The company Fermín, a world-renowned source for high-quality Iberico ham, was even founded in La Alberca in the 1950s. You'll find this delicious meat served at many of the town's restaurants, as well as other traditional Spanish foods like maneás potatoes and hornazo meat pies.

Despite its small size, La Alberca has dozens of restaurants to choose from, most of them serving traditional Spanish cuisine. Among them is the Tripadvisor Traveler's Choice winner, Café Restaurante El Encuentro, serving traditional dishes with plenty of Iberian ham and Morucha beef, as well as local wines. Another Tripadvisor Traveler's Choice winner, Ibericos Doña Consuelo, is praised for their Iberian ham, croquettes, and desserts.

In the Plaza Mayor de La Alberca, you'll see a modern statue of a pig (pictured) that commemorates an ancient tradition that still takes place today. A pig, known as El Marrano de San Antón (or the Pig of Saint Anthony), is blessed every year on July 13, the feast day of Saint Anthony of Padua. The pig is then released into the village, and townspeople feed and care for it for six months, even rubbing its belly for luck. This ends on January 17, the feast day of St. Anthony of Egypt, when the pig is auctioned off to be made into ham, with proceeds going to a nonprofit. If you're visiting between July 13 and January 17, keep an eye out for the pig roaming around town!