==The province of Soria is a plateau in north central Spain, lying on the most easterly limits of the autonomous region of Castilla y Leon. Soria has over 10,000 sq km (3861 miles) of beautiful landscapes and diverse geography, which act as a backdrop to the large concentration of medieval castles, Romanesque churches and timeless villages. All of which lie in close proximity to each other.
The Soria province sits at an average height of 1000 meters (3280 feet) above sea level.
Soria is known for its pure clean air, due to its expanse of forests, nature parks, grazing lands and lack of heavy industry. ==
==The province of Soria has a population of approx 93,000, of which 40% live in its capital, also called Soria. The rural exodus of the 1960_fs resulted in a loss in the subsequent years of around 42% of the population. Currently Soria has 8.8 inhabitants per sq km compared with an average in Spain of 87.2 and 116 in Europe. This makes Soria one of the least populated areas of Europe and the perfect place to unwind.
With its abundance of charm and tranquillity, Soria beckons you to explore its nature, medieval castles, forests, history and gastronomy.
To the north of the province lies the_f Picos Urbion_f mountain range, often snow capped in winter. This mountain range cradles the awe inspiring glacial lake Laguna Negra (Black Lake) and nearby the mountains give birth to the mighty Rio Duero (River Duero) which eventually ends its course on the coast of Portugal.
In the north west of the province you find the _ePinares_f (Pine Region) known as _eGreen Soria_f with the largest forest mass on the Iberian Peninsular. The timber industry is the main source of income here and the stylish wooden furniture produced is one of the most sort after in Spanish homes.
To the west the Rio Lobos (River of Wolves) has carved its way through the limestone to create the Canyon Rio Lobos protected nature park. The canyon walls rise to heights of 200 metres (656 ft) in places, and the sunburst red and cream hues add another colour to your surrounds. You should stop in the Canyon Rio Lobos to contemplate why the Knights Templar built their isolated hermitage here.
To the South East the River Duero starts to mature and nourishes the first vines in the wine region of the Ribera del Duero, home of the highly prized Vega Sicilia wine. It was through these lands that the Castilian hero El Cid travelled. As these were the frontier lands of the _eReconquista_f (the re conquering of Spain), its not surprising this is where you will see the greatest concentration of medieval castles in Europe.
The land again changes as you head south and reach the medieval village of Medinaceli, with its Roman Arch. The weathered limestone formations nearby, with their intense red surface reminds you that spaghetti westerns were filmed here, due to its similarity to the deserts of the North America.
Agreda to the east has its Arab and Jewish influences, the Jewish quarter still very much intact. It is here you find the highest mountain in Soria, Moncayo that rises to 2313m (7588 feet).
The Soria province and its city was the endless inspiration of many well known poets and romancers, like Machado, Diego and Becquer, who were enchanted by its beauty and history. It was here the world famous 12 ? 13th Century Castilian epic poetry, _eCantar del Cid_f (Lay of Cid ) was written about the great Castilian hero El Cid.
Film directors have also fallen for Sorias charm and beauty. Several films were shot in Soria. David Lean_fs classic Dr Zhivago for one, as well as Orson Wells_fs Shakespeare epic _eChimes at Midnight_f, both making use of the quaint medieval village of Calatanazor.
Soria is developing as a rural destination for lovers of nature, history, leisure walkers and ramblers. Here you will find a network of walking tracks, where you can walk in the footsteps of El Cid, take a tour along the roman roads or routes connecting the Atalyas (Arab communications towers) or visit the inspirational places of Spanish poets, such as Antonio Machado.
Climate
Average DAY temperatures are
March 14__C (57__f) April 16 __C (60__f) May 21 __C (69__f) June 25 __C (77__f) July 28 __C (82__f) Aug 32 __C (89__f) Sept 26 __C (78__f) Oct 19 __C (66__f) Nov 13 __C (55__f)
In springtime the wild flowers are in full blossom and fill the countryside with colour. Summer temperatures tend to rise considerably though evenings are cool. During autumn the vegetation becomes an array of golds, browns and reds. ==
Northern Spain has many airports now serviced by the budget airlines, such as Vitoria-Gasteiz, Valladolid, Zaragoza and Bilbao, giving the visitor more options regarding the port of arrival, all of which are in easy travelling distance to Soria.
A short distance from the picturesque village of Vinuesa, high up in the _eSierra Urbion_f, in an area of lush, dense pine forests, renowned for its abundance of wildlife is the magnificent _eLaguna Negra_f or Black Lake. This glacial lake was formed during the last ice age; its impressive 80m (260fft) high granite walls cast a black shade over the waters below. Make sure you allow enough time to soak up the magic of this area, a favourite and inspirational place for the Spanish poet Antonio Machado. This peaceful place can also be accessed from the GR86, one of the walking tracks that criss cross the province. If you have a passion for mountains, with suitable equipment a hike from here of about 2 hours will bring you to the birthplace of the mighty Dureo River which ends its course on the Portuguese coast.* <see name="Laguna Negra" alt="Glacial Lake" address="18kms from Vineusa (signposted)Soria" hours="The Lake can be visited all year round. As there is no enrance fee, there are no opening hours"</see>