Association
Care and respect for our heritage
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The most beautiful villages in Spain was born out of the conviction and need to bring to the attention of the whole world the wonderful villages that dot the Spanish geography. Places of great beauty that exude history and culture at the same time, villages where tradition envelops the traveller, who by mixing with the locals, becomes part of this unique setting even if only for a few moments.
It is our aim to promote preferably rural areas and small municipalities through this page and the different actions that the association will undertake through the internet, press or other media.
The Association The Most Beautiful Villages of Spain does not have and does not seek any political interest, but it will try to involve the different administrations to support, care for and respect our heritage, as well as promoting cultural events associated with our villages.
From the above it is clear that on this website you will find a selection of villages that stand out for their quality, excellence and of course, for their beauty. Of course we encourage you, not only to discover all the selected villages, but also to actively participate in this website by giving opinions and contributing ideas, with the intention of improving this project as well as the villages listed through our contact channels with their Town Halls.
village certification criteria
The best selection
Population under 15,000
Certified architectural or natural heritage
Conservation of facades Controlled circulation of vehicles
Care of flowers and green areas Cleaning and maintenance
Association Brand and Logo
The Most Beautiful Villages of Spain brand is a seal of quality, a national and international benchmark of prestige in rural tourism and heritage conservation. Any village that bears our mark meets criteria of quality, beauty and tourist accessibility that will not disappoint any visitor.
Its use is specified in the regulations for the use of the Most Beautiful Villages of Spain Brand. The use of the brand outside the parameters established in the rules of use will lead to the legal consequences for those responsible. The logo and the brand Los Pueblos Mas Bonitos de España are a Registered Trademark and its copy, use or reproduction in any physical or digital medium is strictly forbidden without prior written authorisation from its owners.
Village Selection Criteria
The criteria for the admission of a new village are set out in the quality charter of the association. In order to join the association, a village must first request the agreement of the municipal plenary or governing board. Once this application has been received by the association, the application process begins, assessing the following criteria:
- Having a population of less than 15,000 inhabitants (in towns with more than 5,000 inhabitants the association only considers a historic centre in perfect condition)
- Having a certified architectural or natural heritage.
- Having a certified architectural or natural heritage.
After passing these two points, an audit of the town is carried out by staff from the quality commission appointed for this purpose, where the aspects specified in the Quality Charter are assessed. This involves exceeding the minimum quality criteria in aspects as varied as cleanliness, conservation of the façades, circulation of vehicles or whether or not they have a place for parking them, care of flowers and green areas, treatment of advertising signs and posters, etc. ....
Once this audit is passed, the verdict is issued, which can be positive or positive on condition of improving important aspects in the village or negative. If the verdict is positive, the village will be labelled in its corresponding entries as "One of the Most Beautiful Villages in Spain" next to the association's logo and from that moment on it will have the right to use the seal "The Most Beautiful Villages in Spain" to be used in accordance with the values of the association.
A village may be re-audited in the years following its membership in order to demonstrate that it continues with a policy in favour of values such as heritage conservation, promotion, renovation of façades, etc. A village can lose the "One of the most beautiful villages in Spain" label if it does not continue to comply with the initial values of the association or its quality charter.
The Association The Most Beautiful Villages of Spain at International Level
The association Les Plus Beaux Villages de France was founded in France in 1982 and was the first network of its kind in the world. The French association currently has 157 members.
As a result of the success of this initiative, new networks began to develop in other countries around the world, with French-speaking countries or French-speaking regions being the first to follow in the footsteps of the French association.
In 1994 the Most Beautiful Villages of Wallonia (Belgium)
In 2001 the Most Beautiful Villages of Italy
In 2005 the Most Beautiful Villages of Japan
In 2010 the Most Beautiful Villages of Romania
In 2011 the Most Beautiful Villages of Saxony (Germany
In 2001 the Most Beautiful Villages of Italy
In 2005 the Most Beautiful Villages of Japan
In 2010 the Most Beautiful Villages of Romania
In 2011 the Most Beautiful Villages of Saxony (Germany
The International Federation of the Most Beautiful Villages Associations was created in Gordes (France) on 8 July 2012. This federation is called The Most Beautiful Villages on Earth (Les plus beaux villages de la Terre). 2 3 This federation is made up of the associations of France, Italy, Wallonia and Japan. It is foreseen in its statutes that new national associations join the federation automatically after 5 years of operation
In 2018, the members of the Federation choose Spain to preside over the Most Beautiful Villages on Earth for two years
City councils
Information on the importance of becoming one of the Most Beautiful Villages in Spain
The association The Most Beautiful Villages of Spain was created in March 2011, inspired by similar associations that already exist all over the world with great success. Examples of this are the French pioneering association, Les plus beaux viilages de la france, the Italian association, il piu borghi d'Italia, the Canadian association and the Wallonia association.
We are creating a network of charming villages in Spain that brings together the most beautiful villages in Spain under the same quality brand.
All of them under the umbrella of the seal "The Most Beautiful Villages of Spain" and its quality charter, which governs the selection of the villages that will form part of the network The Most Beautiful Villages of Spain.
Only 20% of the villages that apply for membership manage to pass the audit to obtain the seal and the sign "One of The Most Beautiful Villages of Spain".
Obtaining the Most Beautiful Villages of Spain mark means:
Benefit from our infrastructure for the organisation of training projects and the dissemination of the values of national and rural heritage.
Ostentation and use of the registered trademark "The Most Beautiful Villages of Spain" as specified in the regulations for the use of the trademark, having to:
.Place the standardised panel corresponding to the figurative emblem of the trademark "The Most Beautiful Villages of Spain" at the different entrances to the village.
.Use for himself and the non-profit associations of which he is a member (Tourist Office, festival committee, etc...) this denomination and this figurative emblem in all communication documents: municipal bulletins, manifestos, letter headers, etc...
Organisation of cultural activities related to the heritage and history of the official villages.
Fostering training in matters of heritage awareness, management and preservation.
Promotion of the Village at national and international level through the Association's website, its Smartphone App and the different actions that the Association decides to undertake for this purpose.
Publication of fiestas and events in the village to attract tourism both on the Association's website and on our social networks, Facebook and Twitter
Feedback with travellers who have been to the village through the comments section of our website.
A channel of communication and advice in order to improve and preserve both tradition and heritage of the village.
Management of public aid in favour of the Official Villages, support and recognition from the European Union, State and the Autonomous Communities.
How to become one of the most beautiful villages in Spain:
1 - The town council must send the association a written application (downloadable in point "c") for membership accompanied by:
- a) A resolution of the full council or local government board requesting admission to join "The Most Beautiful Villages of Spain" ;
- b) A certificate of compliance with the admission criteria (not exceeding 15,000 inhabitants and possessing some architectural or natural heritage with accreditable documentation held by the town council). The investigation will not start if the town council does not meet these two requirements.
- c) Download the Quality Charter ,complete it and send it to: C/ Romaní, nº 21, Polinyà 08213 (Barcelona) Spain or to the e-mail [email protected]
2- A visit-peritation is carried out by representatives of the brand in order to appreciate which admission criteria are satisfactorily fulfilled. A video-photographic report is also filmed and an interview is arranged with a councillor or the mayor of the candidate village.
3 - Once the assessment of the village has been carried out, the report is sent to a quality commission specifically created for deliberation, evaluation and final decision making.
4 - Notification of the decision taken by the quality commission by letter sent to the candidate village. In all cases, the commission shall specify to the candidate village the reasons for the admission or rejection of its application.
Documentation
Regulations of the Quality Commission
The Quality Commission is the independent body that will make the final decision on whether or not the parameters set out in our Quality Charter have been met by the Candidate Villages.
Statutes of The Most Beautiful Villages of SpainThe Statutes of the Association
Quality CharterDiscover the parameters that the Association values when auditing the Villages and know that all the partner villages are committed to respecting and improving them.
Team
Association
equipo
Quality Commission
available online only
Nueva Guía Oficial
The new Official Guide to the Most Beautiful Villages of Spain 2020 is now on sale
organise your routes
Digital
Download the app and discover the new way to travel to your favourite towns by geolocation
available online only
Nueva Guía Oficial
The new Official Guide to the Most Beautiful Villages of Spain 2020 is now on sale
organise your routes
Digital
Download the app and discover the new way to travel to your favourite towns by geolocation
