Considered the beach of Madrid, the Pantano de San Juan is a beautiful landscape that is well worth discovering. Located on the outskirts of the capital, the Pantano de San Juan is a natural beach complex that enjoys unique surroundings full of vegetation. Disconnect from the chaos of the city and enjoy a different type of experience within nature.
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What are the best things to do in Pantano de San Juan?
Just 50 km from the capital, Pantano de San Juan is a natural complex of inland blue flag beaches. This reservoir is home to two of the most popular swimming beaches in the Madrid region: Playa de la Virgen de la Nueva and Playa de El Muro.
Built in 1955 to supply water and electricity to the southwest of the Community of Madrid, this reservoir has become a favourite place for the people of Madrid during the summer. In addition, there are two important historical structures that form part of the cultural legacy of San Martín de Valdeiglesias. These are the medieval bridge, with eight archways that joined the two banks of the river, and the ruins of the original hermitage of the Virgen de la Nueva.
1. Route to the Conde Martín Viewpoint
The route starts by the San Juan reservoir dam, at the end of Picadas reservoir, next to the canoeing school. You start on an asphalted path along the old railway line that passes next to a water treatment plant. Walk parallel to the river until you reach a bridge that crosses to the other side to continue the route to a dam. Turn around and at the first crossroads on the left go up the hill.
This path climbs gently at first and then becomes a little steeper, passing through and around beautiful pine and holm oak forests until it reaches the viewpoint. At the top you can see the waters of the San Juan reservoir and some of the surrounding villages. Afterwards, go down until you reach the starting point of the route.
2. Route to the Picadas Reservoir Dam
The start of the route is similar to the previous one, but instead of turning around at the bridge crossing, continue through a tunnel to the Picadas reservoir dam and return along the same route. The walk is in the open air and the round trip is 13km, so take this into account on hot days.
3. Virgen de la Nueva Beach
The beach is adapted so that visitors can swim comfortably and enjoy the surroundings. The area is divided into two parts: one for bathing and the other for boats and lifeguard services.
Both this beach and Playa de El Muro have lifeguard services, which are active until September, with a morning and afternoon timetable. This means that children can swim peacefully and safely, although make sure to never lose sight or track of them.
4. El Muro Beach
The area known as El Muro, which you can get to from Pelayos de la Presa, is the other large recreational area of the reservoir. Here you can find the veteran Real Club Náutico de Madrid (since 1961), a jetty and even a campsite for those who decide to spend the night at the reservoir.
5. La Lancha de San Yelmo coves
La Lancha del Yelmo is the ideal place to relax after a pleasant walk in a string of hidden coves. Made of granite slabs that reach down to the water, they are create a truly peaceful haven. There is even a nudist cove for the more daring. Many climbers also come to the Lancha del Yelmo to climb its granite cliffs, as there are dozens of climbing routes around the reservoir.
6. San Esteban Hill
For those who prefer hiking, another climb is the Cerro de San Esteban, southeast of the reservoir, near El Muro. This is a steep climb through pine forests with spectacular views of the surrounding area. The summit is certainly one of the best viewpoints of the San Juan reservoir.
Travel Tip: To organize your trip we recommend using Passporter totally free. You can be inspired by the experiences of other travelers, choose the places that interest you most, create the travel route with a geolocated map, upload all important documents such as reservations and invite your friends so that everyone can participate in the organization of the trip.
What to see in the area around the Pantano de San Juan?
1. Pelayos de la Presa
This Madrid municipality is located in the Alberche basin. It is strongly influenced by its proximity to the San Juan reservoir, built in 1955, an eminent source of income for its economy.
The fact is that the beautiful reservoir receives visitors from all over, which means the municipality’s population is five times larger during the summer season. We have already told you about this recreational area, but you should also keep it in mind for adventure activities, routes and excursions.
2. San Martín de Valdeiglesias
It dates back to the Middle Ages, more specifically to the 13th century. The town is therefore imbued in history, seen in its religious architecture and fortresses such as the Ecce Homo hermitage. It is also traditionally known for its unique cuisine, such as the patatas revolconas, which visitors can enjoy in any of the restaurants in San Martín.
In this town, just 5 kilometres from the San Juan reservoir, you can do a couple of very unique visits: the Don Álvaro de Luna winery, part of the Vinos de Madrid DO, and the Coracera castle. This fortress, said to have been built by Don Álvaro de Luna, is quite well preserved. Queen Isabella I lived there for some time when she was proclaimed heir to the Crown of Castile. You can only visit it from Friday to Sunday, so bear this in mind when organising your trip.
Where to eat near the Pantano de San Juan?
If you are looking to enjoy your beach day in the capital at the Pantano de San Juan, here is a selection of some of the restaurants closest to the reservoir.
La Martuka
Very close to the beach of El Muro, this restaurant and chill out is located on a cliff whose terrace offers incredible views of the natural environment.
Pelayos de la Presa Monastery
Their menu has plenty of croquettes, potatoes with mojo, “braviolis” (bravas and ali olis) and various meat dishes, but they are also proud of their paellas. The views over the San Juan reservoir are excellent.
Restaurante Eneldo Nature
This restaurant and wine shop is a family-run establishment in San Martín de Valdeiglesias. It selects the best meats from Ávila and Guadarrama and that is why its star product is the grill, which uses local vine shoots that add flavour to the dishes. If you get the chance, try the stuffed capon with fig sauce. It also has an interesting menu with various options for less than 20 euros.
Advice for the Pantano de San Juan
- The Pantano de San Juan has several restaurants and bars.
- Don’t forget to wear beach shoes or any type of footwear that can get wet, as the reservoir floor is usually quite stony.
- It is strictly forbidden to make fires, use barbecues or any other cooking apparatus.
- Remember to bring a parasol and sun protection if you are going to spend the day at the reservoir.
How to organise what to see in Madrid?
- Get inspiration from the experiences of other travellers.
- Create your own itinerary and add the app’s suggestions to it.
- Add the spots you are most interested in, as well as the restaurants and bars where you want to eat (you can use the points of interest listed in this post as a reference).
- Organise your itinerary by days and according to their location (you can take inspiration from the routes presented in the post).
- Check the travel budget that the app calculates for you based on your travel stops, restaurants, and leisure activities.
- Make the necessary modifications and you are ready for your trip.
- Finally, share your experience. Upload photos of each of the places you have visited to the app so you can inspire other users.
If you have any doubts about how to plan your itinerary, you can read our post: How to create your travel itinerary with Passporter.
Frequently asked questions about what to see in Pantano de San Juan
Pantano de San Juan is located about 70 kilometres from the centre of Madrid. The quickest route is by car on the M-501 and takes 1 hour or 1 hour and 15 minutes. Pantano de San Juan can also be reached by train on line C-3, by metro on line M-12, or by bus on line 551.
– Camping Ardilla Roja
The reservoir has a total of 14 kilometres of beach, and of course, the further away from the main access points, the more intimate it becomes.
As it is a very popular area, there are plenty of services: bathing, signposted access, hiking trails, water sports, beach bars, restaurants…
There are several car parks near the San Juan reservoir at different points along its perimeter. The two most interesting areas, El Muro beach, where there are restaurants and beach bars, and La Virgen Nueva beach, where many water activities can be done, have car parks.
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