There are corners of Spain that seem to be playing hide and seek, as if they were resisting mass tourism which takes away their mystery. Between the folds of Sierra de Francein Salamanca, there is a place that corresponds exactly to this definition: a small town, beautiful and disconcerting, that many consider to be the the most beautiful city in Spain but which nevertheless continues to go unnoticed in a large part of the country. Is called Mogarrazalthough many visitors immediately nickname it “the city of a thousand portraits”. And a first walk is enough to understand why.
The scene surprises even the most seasoned traveler: cobbled streets, wooden balconies, medieval-style arcades… and, suddenly, a collection of faces staring at you from every corner. Men and women from another time, farmers, traders, old men with scarves around their necks, young people who are no longer young. It is a permanent outdoor exhibition which transforms each facade into a small altar of memory. And yes, here you literally won’t be able to take two steps without feeling like someone is watching you.
Mogarraz, the best kept secret of the Sierra de Francia
What is curious is that Mogarraz was not always known for his portraits on facades. In fact, this artistic project was born in 2012, when local painter Florencio Maíllo recovered more than 800 photographs corresponding to the old 1967 census and decided to transform them into paintings placed above the houses of their protagonists. What began as a specific homage ended up defining the city’s visual identity. Today, walking through its streets is like exploring a gigantic family album where each neighbor, living or not, continues to occupy their place.
But the beauty of Mogarraz goes far beyond the impact of his portraits. Its urban structure has remained almost intact since the Middle Ages, with an irregular layout, half-timbered and stone houses and a feeling of tranquility difficult to find elsewhere. medieval towns which have already succumbed to tourism. It has been part of the network of the most beautiful towns in Spain since 2013 and was declared an Asset of Cultural Interest in 1998, although many travelers continue to arrive here almost by chance, attracted by word of mouth.
A living museum that continues to grow
What makes Mogarraz unique is not only the aesthetics, but also the emotional relationship between the city and its portraits. The paintings are not simple decorations, but a testimony of those who shaped local identity: entire families hanging silently on the walls, lost gazes towards the street, gestures captured in black and white which tell stories of work, emigration, resistance and rural life.
The project continues to add new pieces and has become a resource to stop depopulation, promoting a form of respectful cultural tourism. And in the middle of this artistic journey, the visitor continues to find the original essence of the city: the aromas of mountain cuisine, the small shops selling local products and that slowness that we miss so much in the cities.
Why Mogarraz should be on your list
Mogarraz’s charm lies in its contradiction: it is small, collected and humble, but it has an artistic heritage unique in Spain. Its landscape portrait makes it more than just a tourist destination; It’s a journey into the past of a community that refuses to disappear. And for those visiting for the first time, the impact is immediate. It’s not just that he the most beautiful city in Spain can go unnoticed: the fact is that when you finally find it, you wonder why you didn’t discover it sooner.
In a country full of photogenic cities, Mogarraz plays in a different league. It does not have any large monuments or monumental squares. Its power is in the skin, in these faces which hang in silence and which transform this corner of the Sierra de France in one of the medieval towns the most unique and exciting in the country.
If you are looking for a different place, capable of mixing history, art and collective memory, this is the destination. And no, we’re not exaggerating: in Mogarraz, the past stares you in the eye… and it’s hard to forget that feeling.
About The Author
