The city of Ponferrada has its origins in the Middle Ages, emerging as a settlement around the Camino de Santiago. Ponferrada is the capital of the Bierzo region.
The city of León is crossed by the Sil and Boeza rivers. Ponferrada is an important stop on the Camino de Santiago.
Reference in cultural, artistic and heritage, gastronomic and nature tourism, as well as the Camino de Santiago. It offers a wide tourist and cultural offer, it has historical-artistic jewels such as the Templar Castle from the 11th-15th centuries.
It has museums such as the Bierzo, the Radio, the Railway, the Energy, and an attractive historic center with the Basílica de la Encina, Calle del Reloj and its tower. Ponferrada extends south to the Montes Aquilianos and the lands of Valdueza through a spectacular landscape: Santiago de Peñalba and its 10th century Mozarabic church, Montes de Valdueza and its Monastery, Compludo and its blacksmith shop.
Ponferrada has an area of 283 km² with a population of 63,000 inhabitants. In 2023 it received more than 113 thousand tourists and 161 thousand hotel overnight stays and a direct impact of 15 million euros.
The industrial, agri-food and commerce sectors are its main activities along with tourism.
| Admission to the Smart Tourism Destinations Programme |
Ponferrada joined the DTI Network in 2020 and has had a Diagnostic Report and Action Plan since 2021 for its transformation into a Tourist Destination, which is reviewed and renewed in June 2024. |
| Outstanding initiatives
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- It is notable that Ponferrada has an Urban Agenda as a comprehensive development plan for the municipality.
- There is a Destination Tourism Sustainability Plan (PSTD) in order to continue advancing in its sustainable tourism development.
- Ponferrada is a benchmark in tourism quality, having worked for a long time with the SICTED program.
- The excellent work of the Ponferrada Tourism Area with the private tourism sector is notable.
Ponferrada is developing a Smart City 3.0 project, Intelligent Administration. And works on innovative initiatives with Ponferrada City Lab.
- The City Council supports local SMEs.
- It has a Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan and has a pedestrianized historic center.
- Biodiversity is protected and nature conservation is ensured.
- Ponferrada has a pioneering project worldwide to measure air quality in public buildings, businesses and urban buses.
- The municipality is a signatory of the Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy, and measures its carbon footprint.
- Ponferrada works towards urban accessibility, implementing policies to promote inclusive tourism.
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Technical data
VAT number:
P2411800B Address: Plaza del Ayuntamiento, 1 Postal code: 24400 Telephone: 987 44 66 00 Region: Castilla y León Province:
León Population:
Ponferrada Country:
España Local entity type: Ayuntamiento Date of membership:
20/9/2020 Diagnosis: Sí Diagnosis date:
18/06/2024 Destination Type:
Rural de interior Population:
63,062 Area (km²):
283.00 Density (inhab/km²):
223.00
Level in the Network: Nivel 3
