Logbook · 6 places

What to see and do in Galápagos

What to see and do in Galápagos (La Campiña, Guadalajara): 6 places across monuments, nature, activities and curiosities, with a photo and a Google Maps location.

1 Villages · 2 Monuments · 1 Nature · 1 Activities · 1 Curiosities

When to go to Galápagos: festival calendar

February: Festivities of Santa Águeda de Galápagos (February 5)

How far each place is from the centre of Galápagos

Palace of los Condes de Moriana del Río 200 m
The Torote River in Galápagos 2.9 km

Towns near Galápagos

Spain › Castilla-La Mancha › Guadalajara › La Campiña › Galápagos

What to see and do in Galápagos

Galápagos
Village
Galápagos is a municipality of the La Campiña comarca, in the province of Guadalajara, 23 kilometres from the capital, with 2,802 inhabitants (INE 2025). Its municipal area, crossed by the N-320, is divided between the flat valley of the river Torote, to the east, and slopes to the north and west that exceed 850 metres. Already documented in 1133 as a boundary marker of the alfoz of Guadalajara, it belonged successively to the Monasterio de la Vid, to the nuns of Santa Clara de Guadalajara and to the Archbishopric of Toledo, until Philip II granted it town status in 1585. In 1698 its lordship passed to the counts of Moriana del Río, from whom it preserves the baroque palace known as the Casa Grande, with a noble coat of arms above the doorway.
Church of la Cátedra de San Pedro de Galápagos
Monument
Church of the Cátedra de San Pedro, the parish temple of Galápagos (La Campiña, Guadalajara), which preserves a 12th-century apse and a 16th-century Renaissance atrium. According to Madoz's dictionary, in the 19th century it was served by a priest appointed by royal provision, chosen following a competitive examination.
Palace of los Condes de Moriana del Río
Monument
The Palacio de los Condes de Moriana del Río, popularly known as the Casa Grande, is a Baroque building in Galápagos with a central doorway topped by a noble coat of arms. Its name refers to the title of Count of Moriana del Río, held by Juan de Orcasitas y Avellaneda, lord with jurisdiction over Galápagos from 1698.
The Torote River in Galápagos
Nature
The Torote is a river of scant flow, a tributary of the Henares, which can dry up in summer owing to the use made of its waters. It rises between Matarrubia and Fuentelahiguera de Albatages, in the province of Guadalajara, and crosses the districts of Galápagos and Torrejón del Rey before entering the Community of Madrid, where it passes through Fresno de Torote and Daganzo de Arriba until flowing into the Henares at Alcalá de Henares, after a course of almost 44 kilometres. As it passes through Galápagos it waters the flat valley to the east of the district, also marked by the Albatajar stream. The river gave its name to the Battle of Torote of 1441 and is mentioned in La vida del Buscón, by Quevedo.
Philip II's town charter in Galápagos
Curiosity
The place name appears documented as early as 1133, cited as a boundary of the alfoz of Guadalajara, and in 1585 Philip II granted the town, by a charter signed at Monzón, the title of town, giving it its own territory and incorporating it into the Crown. Until then Galápagos had depended successively on the Monastery of la Vid, on the nuns of Santa Clara de Guadalajara from 1311, and on the Archbishopric of Toledo from 1332. Because of debts, in 1698 it passed into the hands of the Count of Moriana del Río, under whose jurisdiction it remained until the disentailment of 1812.
Festivities of Santa Águeda de Galápagos
Activity
The patronal feasts of Santa Águeda, patron saint of Galápagos, are celebrated on 5 February. In summer these are joined by the celebration of the Virgen del Campo, on the third or fourth weekend of August.