A beautiful city in the province of Guadalajara, Spain, whose excellent architectural heritage was declared a Historic-Artistic Site in 1965.
Behind the vestiges of ancient settlers (Celtiberians, Romans, Visigoths and Arabs), a medieval Sigüenza imposes itself on the eye at first sight.
The castle, the cathedral and the Plaza Mayor are the three must-see sights of the city, although the streets of Sigüenza are full of beautiful civil and religious buildings. The castle is now a hotel of the “Paradores” chain. It was built after the Arab invasion in the 8th century, when the citadel was built. The cathedral, begun in 1130, is Romanesque, although it was later developed according to Gothic canons. Its external appearance is that of a medieval fortress with Romanesque towers and portico and an impressive rose window. Inside, it houses the tomb of Martín Vázquez de Arce, known as El Doncel de Sigüenza, one of the main Gothic sculptures in Spain and a symbol of the town.
There are three protected natural areas in the region: the Río Dulce Nature Reserve, the Río Salado Site of Community Interest and the Río Salado Salt Marshes Micro-Reserve.
Its gastronomy stands out for its high quality, tradition and good food, based on local produce.
Sigüenza is also an ideal destination for lovers of active tourism, as it offers a wide variety of activities to enjoy nature, culture and adventure (hiking, climbing, canoeing, caving, beekeeping, wine tourism, etc.).
HIGHLIGHTS
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Job Creation Against Depopulation
The local development group ADEL Sierra Norte informs stakeholders about all the available support for entrepreneurship and tax incentives. Among these ones, the creation and development of micro-enterprises for the promotion of tourism activities.
Providing training on entrepreneurship is the cornerstone of job creation policies and favours the employment of the younger population, and the integration of women into the labour market, thanks to the courses organised through the Women’s Centre and participation in initiatives such as #RuralFemenino and Repoblación (resettlement) bus. Also underway is the municipality’s Equality Plan, to combat the gender gap and establish policies that promote equality, the Youth Employment Plan, and the dual vocational training programme for young people who want to work in the tourism sector.
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Environmental Sustainability
Within the Tourism Sustainability Plan, priority is given to selective waste collection and the construction of a new sewage treatment plant, thus putting an end to irregular dumping.
The use of public transport is promoted and chargers for electric cars have been installed. Municipal buildings are being improved by installing biomass heating.
The reduction of the use of single-use plastics is being promoted by the use of biodegradable substitutes. This is a compulsory measure in all events and festivals that are organised.
Awareness campaigns have been carried out against climate change, aimed at locals and tourists.
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Digitalization
Most shops have implemented electronic payment systems, either via bank card or mobile phone.
In addition, the City Council has launched a Marketplace called Segontia Red, so that businesses can have an e-commerce infrastructure free of charge, to give greater visibility to their businesses and facilitate sales to tourists once they are back home.
Tourist signage with QR codes and audio guides has been installed, as well as flow monitoring systems to control the load capacity following the Smart Destination model.
