Rejas de San Esteban: Churches, Architecture and Wine Culture

Rejas de San Esteban combines a protected historic ensemble with distinctive churches, traditional architecture and wine culture. The village lies between the hills of Castillo and La Loma. If you are looking for a hotel for a stay here, its religious buildings, landscape and local cuisine offer different points of reference for planning your trip.

San Martín and San Ginés

Both churches are part of the Romanesque route along the Duero. San Martín has been protected as a Bien de Interés Cultural (BIC), in the category of a historic-artistic monument, since 14 November 1980. Its portal has four decorated archivolts. In front of it is a portico with seven semicircular arches, supported by paired or quadruple columns with capitals decorated with vegetal motifs. The seven arcades are topped with diamond-point decoration; the portico has two entrances. Until its restoration in 1982, it was used as a livestock shelter.

Inside San Martín are Gothic murals in the apsidal semi-dome and presbytery, in shades of black, brown and reddish tones. The twelve apostles are depicted on the Gospel side of the presbytery; Saint Christopher can be seen on the south wall of the nave. The church’s furnishings also include the Virgen de la Guía.

San Ginés has two naves, separated by two semicircular arches resting on pillars. The main nave is covered by a 16th-century timber roof with tie beams, decorated with heraldic motifs and built in the Mudéjar tradition. Only the portico, portal and cornice of the south wall remain from the original Romanesque structure. The capitals depict animals and figurative motifs. Today, five arches and the springing of a sixth can be seen in the portico.

Village and surroundings

Traditional houses also shape the architectural character of Rejas de San Esteban. Their ground-floor walls are made of rubble masonry; the upper floor uses timber and adobe elements. The traditional roofs are gabled and tiled in the local “a la segoviana” style. Together with the churches, they create a picture in which different architectural forms of the village stand side by side.

The hill of Castillo is associated with a former Muslim fortification and has underground galleries. La Loma is a viewpoint from which you can see the valley of the Madre, or Rejas, River as far as its confluence with the Duero. Nearby, between El Pontón and La Zarzona, you can see the remains of the Ermita de la Virgen de los Perales.

Wine culture and local cuisine

Rejas de San Esteban lies on the Soria section of the Ribera del Duero Wine Route and is known for its underground wine cellars and wine presses. This wine tradition is part of the village’s character, along with its churches and traditional building methods. Wood-fired roast suckling lamb is a local dish; a wine from Ribera del Duero is presented as an accompaniment to local cuisine. Both give regional food culture a specific place in your trip planning, without implying a particular tasting offer.

Plan your visit and journey

For visits to San Martín and San Ginés, check the Abrimos program for the summer and Holy Week. Rejas de San Esteban also holds a festival in honor of Saint Anthony; check the dates before your trip. The indicated route from Soria follows the N-122 to San Esteban de Gormaz and then the SO-P-5003. Check the route with up-to-date navigation before setting off.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Diustes, Rioseco De Soria, Fuentetoba, Hinojosa de la Sierra, Canos, Almazán, Ucero, Casillas De Berlanga

For the broader travel overview: Soria.