Summer
El Caracol is simply stunning in the Summer. The temperatures can get quite high between June and the beginning of September (20 degrees C up to around 40), but due to the altitude of the area (1,600 metres above sea level), there is usually a slight breeze, and the house is cool, thanks to the thick stone walls.
The beautiful weather means that you can have plenty of al fresco dining, beneath the shade of the many pine trees on the grounds. There is the opportunity to go swimming in the pure waters of the river Lozoya, which runs next to the house. A few years ago, the river was divided into three dams, in order to provide deep natural swimming pools... and the setting is absolutely magical: pure water straight from the peaks of the Guadarrama , and a stunning backdrop of mountains. View video here.
If you crave swimming in a swimming pool, there is a beautiful pool set in the idyllic gardens behind the Sheraton Hotel (formerly part of the Monastery next door). For Euro 10, you can spend the day there.
Summer, due to the certainty of the weather, is the perfect time to go mountain walking. There are hundreds of walks on the doorstep of El Caracol. However, if you drive up to Cotos (away from the village - an absolutely stunning drive up the mountains), you can park the car at the enormous car park which in the Winter is used by people wishing to ski at the resorts of Navacerrada or Valdesqui, and climb to the summit of Penalara. Depending on your fitness and ability, it takes around two hours to ascend and an hour and a half to descend. The views from the top are utterly breathtaking.
Mid-August is the time of the annual Fiesta in the village of Rascafria - with all sorts of parties, open-air concerts, and events taking place in the village... a true insight into Spanish culture and traditions.
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