“San Roque, San Roque, don’t let this dog look at me or touch me”.
Surely you have heard this saying, our aunts or grandmothers used to say it when an unknown dog approached us. San Roque is a beloved saint in Spain and his day is celebrated on August 16.
In Sigüenza, summer festivals have been organized for centuries in honor of the patron saint San Roque. “It was in 1530 when Sigüenza suffered one of the most deadly plague episodes of that century. The people of Sigüenza, with the support of the cathedral chapter, decided to ask one of the most famous “anti-plague” saints, San Roque, for his protection and to put an end to the pandemic by building a hermitage in his honor outside the city walls. This first hermitage was demolished at the end of the 18th century when the San Roque neighborhood was laid out and only years later, at the beginning of the 19th century, was the new building that is now the Municipal Hall for concerts and exhibitions built”.
August is a very important month in Sigüenza, not only for the festivities of San Roque, patron saint of the city, but also for the procession of the Lanterns of Sigüenza, which in 2005 was declared a Festival of Regional Tourist Interest, procession to be held on Sunday August 20, which corresponds to the Sunday following the Assumption of the Virgin, August 15 and Feast of San Roque, on the 16th.
What is the program of the festivities of San Roque in Sigüenza?
You can download here the program of the festivities of San Roque summer 2023.
How to get to Sigüenza?
There are several ways to get from Madrid to Sigüenza
Madrid to Sigüenza by car:
To get to Sigüenza from Madrid by private vehicle you must make a journey of approximately one hour and 40 minutes by the M-50 and the E-90.
Madrid to Sigüenza by train:
The journey takes approximately 2 hours and 20 minutes, the train departs from Madrid-Atocha and is operated by Renfe, you can check their website for schedules and availability.
Madrid to Sigüenza by bus:
This is the longest route, it will take you approximately 3 hours, as there is no direct bus from Madrid to Sigüenza, so you will have to take a bus to Guadalajara and then transfer to take bus 034 to Sigüenza.
Where to stay during the San Roque festivities in Sigüenza?
If you are looking for a rural house with charm and comfort, you can book in our Casa Chocolat, it is fully equipped, has a capacity for 5 people and we accept pets, Chocolat House is located just 6 minutes walk from the famous salt mines of Imón and 15 minutes drive from the town of Sigüenza, an ideal place to enjoy this summer’s festivities of San Roque and the procession of the Lanterns in Sigüenza.
If you prefer to stay in a hotel you can check availability at Hotel Cardamomo or Hotel Salinas de Imón.
Sources and links of interest:
http://www.siguenza.es/noticia/2/506/
