The province of Soria in the region of Castil y Leon is mostly an overlooked destination by most of the people, so overlooked that people of the region started a campaign to promote the tourism in the area:
"...cuesta llegar a ella, pero si existe...y es cierto aquello de que "Soria: ni te la imaginas!"
If you are of those people that love outdoor activities then maybe this would be a very nice place to spend a weekend.
I've been with some friends in October 2014 for a hiking trip over the weekend and I super enjoyed it.
It all started with the breakfast! ~~ Torreznos de Soria
We stopped at a local restaurant to gather enough energy for the hike. The place was famous for the Torreznos, which are a typical dish in the region.
Apparently there is a big deal in the area as they say that this Bacon is prepared and fried based on a very old local recipe which is better than any other. Although I was a bit skeptical at the beginning to try it out I am super happy that I did, it tastes delicious and is an excellent preparation for a hiking day.
From there we went by car till the Natural Park, you have to pay a small entrance fee and park the car there. You can walk (for about 2 km) or take a bus till the Black Lake (Laguna Negra).
If you enjoy hiking this is an excellent place "from the lake, a steep trail leads up to the Laguna de Urbión in La Rioja or to the summit of the Pico de Urbión, above the village of Duruelo de la Sierra, and on to a series of other tiny glacial lakes" (Lonely Planet). Get some warm cloths and maybe a anti wind jacket, at least when we were there it got very cold somewhere close to 2000 meters. The views are spectacular and the colors amazing especially in autumn.
In the evening we went to the city of Soria where a medieval fair was held. Everything was nicely decorated and you could buy a lot of local products. We had dinner at a local restaurant. If you ask around locals will be able to indicate you a good one.
Next morning we wanted to visit El Cañon del Rio Lobos. As it the weather was not ideal, we just entered a bit and then we had to go back to the cars.
Here anyway some pictures.
Hope this convinced you to give it a try next time you are in Spain.