And at the same time as they are curious, they are also wonderful. Can you imagine visiting Villapene or strolling through the narrow streets of Los Infiernos? How about a weekend in Quinto Pino or Meadero de la Reina? If you enjoy spending a few days disconnected - surrounded by family, friends, or a partner - in a rural setting away from large cities and chaotic traffic jams, you must visit these places.
Considered as some of the towns with the strangest names in the country, these locations attract all kinds of curious visitors with at least one goal: to take a photo with the entrance sign.
Villapene
In this village by the lagoon of Cospeito in Lugo, residents are used to missing the sign that welcomes people to their town. Beyond the jokes that the sign may provoke, the truth is that Villapene has nothing to do with male anatomy. Its name comes from Penius, a young man who named the town after himself.
Tembleque
Tembleque is a typical town from La Mancha, located in the province of Toledo, centered around two squares: the Plaza de la Orden and the Plaza Mayor, both in Baroque style and connected by a passageway. During a walk through the town, highlights include the shrine of the Purísima Concepción, the shrine of Loreto, the shrine of San Antón, but especially the Vera Cruz shrine, built in 1762 and featuring an octagonal layout topped by a dome of eight curved elements.
Los Infiernos
Living in Los Infiernos must be the dream of every aspiring metalhead. Located in the southeast of the province of Murcia, this town with 32 inhabitants has become quite a tourist attraction in recent years. While the origin of its name is unclear, visitors seem to have discovered the reason: the high temperatures that thermometers reach in summer.
Parderrubias
Strolling through the streets of Parderrubias is like walking through a charming town in Pontevedra with cobbled streets and houses. Nestled in the heart of Salceda de Casales, this enclave tops almost all lists of towns with the most unusual names. Apparently, the toponym derives from the Latin Pera rubeas, meaning 'blonde stones.' The passing of time and the influence of Galician eventually altered the original name of this municipality - home to no more than 450 residents - to the one we now know.
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This municipality of 850 inhabitants, situated on the northeast coast of the province of Biscay, also holds the title for the shortest town name in all of Spain. It was founded in the 18th century by fishermen from nearby villages Ereño, Bedaru, and Natxitu. Among its main attractions are two parish churches, one on each side of the river, separated by a bridge.
Quinto Pino
Where is Quinto Pino? Despite the colloquial expression that this place is a long way away, the residents of Arteixo in A Coruña have it just a stone's throw away. A must-see is the Parish of Our Lady of Pastoriza, an old sanctuary from the 13th century where Baroque style predominates.
Meadero de la Reina
Meadero de la Reina is a small neighborhood - with no more than 15 homes - belonging to Puerto Real, situated between the jurisdictions of Chiclana de la Frontera and San Fernando. Legend has it that it got its name from an emergency stop made by Queen Isabel II's coach in 1862, so she could relieve herself. A few kilometers from the site is the Natural Park of the Bay of Cádiz, where one can observe flamingos and many other species of birds.
Malcocinado
With a population of 563 and spanning 26.2 square kilometers, Malcocinado is a municipality in the province of Badajoz of great ethnographic interest. Nearby, one can still see ancient irrigated lands. There are also remnants of a washhouse, two waterwheels, and an oil mill.
Guasa
Guasa, not WhatsApp, is a small town of just 60 inhabitants belonging to the municipality of Jaca in the province of Huesca. The Gas river, a tributary of the Aragón, flows nearby, making it an ideal spot for a swim and to cool off during the hot summer months.
Villatuerta
Visiting the medieval bridge of Donibane, photographing the old town, or playing a game of frontón (Basque pelota) are some of the activities tourists can enjoy in Villatuerta, a Spanish municipality of 1,200 inhabitants located in the Estella region. The name of the locality, clearly of Romanesque origin, is related to the word tortus and would mean 'twisted villa.'
Casas de Fernando Alonso
The main activity of the residents of Casas de Fernando Alonso - known as teatineros - is agriculture, with most of the cultivation dedicated to vines. In fact, the wines from this locality, located south of the province of Cuenca and with a Denomination of Origin from the Ribera del Júcar, have been awarded in multiple competitions throughout the country.
Guarromán
A classic among classics! With this name, this Spanish municipality of nearly 3,000 inhabitants located in the province of Jaén has earned its spot in most lists of the strangest names in Spain. Founded in 1767, Guarromán's urban typology follows an orthogonal, perfectly regular, and hierarchized plan.