Casa La Sonrisa

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Casa La Sonrisa is located in Hedeso, one of four hamlets (aldeas in Spanish) built on a ridge of high ground that dominates the Merindad of Valle de Tobalina in the northern province of Burgos. It is a 200-year old farmhouse built in the traditional style of this region. The ground floor was given over entirely to stables, thus enabling the heat generated by the animals to rise up through the house and keep it warm during the cold winter months. The family lived and slept on the first floor, with the kitchen being the only room to have a fire. The second floor was generally used for storing animal feed, which also served as insulation, and there were also some small sties where pigs were kept for fattening and slaughter in the autumn. The resulting sausages and hams were smoked and cured in an adjoining room. Another important source of protein was provided by pigeons, which were kept in a loft accessed by a series of square and triangular openings cut into the façade of the house just below the eaves.

Many of the structural features of Casa La Sonrisa’s ground floor stables have been retained to form the backdrop of the comfortable comedor (dining room) and the cosy lounge with its welcoming log fire. The light, airy upstairs bedrooms, with their combination of clean lines and original stonework, are modern and fully equipped and offer guests an en suite bathroom, TV and Wi-Fi. As well as the peaceful atmosphere inside the house, you can relax in around the outdoor pool and enjoy the terrace with its tranquil views. And then there is the quiet village with its old houses, some abandoned, others restored and occupied, and its fig and walnut trees.

All in all, Casa La Sonrisa is a sturdy, spacious and stylish house that lends itself perfectly to its new role as a Casa Rural!

The house stands on the edge of the village overlooking the natural surroundings and offers beautiful views over the valley. As the sun goes down you might be lucky enough to spot deer and wild boar from the terrace, and during the day vultures and large birds of prey regularly circle and soar above the house. But Casa La Sonrisa is not only a paradise for a passive involvement with nature, but also a perfect base from which to combine culture with natural beauty: on- and/or off-road cycling, motorcycle touring or spectacular walks. With its serene and charming rural Romanesque churches and abandoned villages, the area is full of interesting sites and monuments that are well worth a visit. Hedeso is located five kilometres from the village of Pedrosa de Tobalina, where there are a number of bars and restaurants and a great place to swim at a waterfall in the river. And after returning to Casa La Sonrisa you can kick back and relax by the pool with a book and a glass of wine.