MadRural introduces itself in San Martín de Valdeiglesias and Morata de Tajuña
07/06/2026
The two towns, belonging to the Sierra Oeste de Madrid y las Vegas & Alcarria Madrileña, hosted the two events where the best experiences of “The Madrid You Don’t Expect” were presented. The first of them took place over the weekend of 22 to 24 November at the Bullring of San Martín de Valdeiglesias, while the second was held on 14 and 15 December at Casa Sánchez-Riaza in Morata de Tajuña.
San Martín de Valdeiglesias, the epicentre of rural tourism in the Sierra Oeste of Madrid
The MadRural event held in the heart of the Bullring of San Martín de Valdeiglesias became a demonstration of the interest generated by the four territories associated with the experiential proposal of the MadRural destination: the Sierra Oeste of Madrid, Las Vegas & Alcarria Madrileña, the Sierra de Guadarrama and the Sierra Norte of Madrid. In all of them, travellers will find a whole range of plans to discover a different region, with landscapes full of contrasts, routes for cycling or hiking at different levels, legendary heritage and wine tourism proposals where they can taste some of the most important wines with Protected Designation of Origin in our region. In this way, MadRural has become a destination that showcases the best of that different Madrid, beyond the capital.
On 22, 23 and 24 November, the MadRural event began with a day dedicated to professionals and key players in the tourism sector, both in the Sierra Oeste and in the rest of the region. It was a way to present different relevant proposals for a tourism sector in constant development, with new ways of addressing each of the challenges faced by the industry at a local level. On Friday 22, at the Castle of La Coracera, several talks were held on topics such as smart signage, the importance of sustainability, with a focus on sports tourism, the training of professionals in hospitality and tourism, the emergence of war tourism as an attraction for a new type of visitor, multigenerational tourism and zero-kilometre products as a key factor in promoting local and nearby commerce.
After the professional conference, the public was able to enjoy the experiential proposal in the heart of the Sierra Oeste of Madrid. The presence of local producers, interactive talks on observation beyond the stars, vermouth tastings, cosmetics workshops, storytelling sessions, and workshops on tracks and footprints enlivened a Saturday programme that also hosted the institutional opening, attended by Juan Antonio de la Morena, Mayor of Villamantilla and President of ADI Sierra Oeste de Madrid; Antonio Sin Hernández, Mayor of Pelayos de la Presa; Aránzazu Povedano, Mayor of San Martín de Valdeiglesias; María Cerezo, Director of 8 Madrid TV; and Ana Belén Barbero Martín, Mayor of Colmenar del Arroyo.
Morata de Tajuña: rural tourism during the sweetest weekend
The second event of this quarter with “The Madrid You Don’t Expect” took place over the weekend of 14 and 15 December. The town of Morata de Tajuña went all out to welcome everyone who came to taste its famous palmeritas, which have brought well-deserved fame to the town in recent years. As host, Las Vegas & Alcarria Madrileña highlighted all the experiential plans and proposals centred on nature, gastronomy, heritage, sports and cultural tourism that bring together everything the MadRural destination represents.
The event began on Saturday 14 with the presence of local producers, a showcase of the region’s zero-kilometre gastronomy, and the attendance of authorities such as Fernando Villalaín, Mayor of Morata de Tajuña; Ángel de Oteo Mancebo, Director General of Agriculture, Livestock and Food of the Community of Madrid; as well as representatives of the ARACOVE local action group. Together, they marked the start of an event held in the historic Casa Sánchez-Riaza, in the heart of the town, just a few metres from the Plaza Mayor, where the 7th edition of the Palmerita Fair was taking place, one of the must-attend events of Morata de Tajuña’s winter season.
Among the activities on offer, which the attending public was able to enjoy, were an introduction to birdwatching and the importance of bird conservation in the Community of Madrid, a workshop on aromas and aromatic plants that introduced children and adults alike to the scents that enrich the fields of the MadRural territories, vermouth tastings from local wineries, craft activities and even a watercolour Christmas postcard illustration workshop that delighted the youngest visitors.
Because Madrid is more than the capital. Because there is a Madrid you don’t expect. And it is much closer than you imagine. Visit our experiences page and enjoy all the proposals that MadRural offers to experience each and every one of our territories: the Sierra de Guadarrama, the Sierra Norte of Madrid, Las Vegas & Alcarria Madrileña and the Sierra Oeste of Madrid. Come and taste our zero-kilometre products and discover every corner of a Madrid with so much to tell you.
