Spanish Village Receives Prize and Royal Visit

The tiny village of Sobrescobio, Spain was overjoyed today for two reasons. One, it won this year’s Prince of Asturias Award for Exemplary Village. Secondly, the villagers were treated with a royal visit by Spain’s Crown Princely couple, Felipe and Letizia.

Reuters/Eloy Alonso

Ever since Sobrescobio was awarded the prize, it has painstakingly preparing for the visit. Houses were painted, flowers were carefully planted, welcome banners and flags were collected. This small village – population 900 – multiplied in a month as relatives from all over Spain came for Felipe and Letizia’s visit.

When the big day came, large crowds gathered to welcome the Prince and Princess of Asturias, which is the region where Sobrescobio is located. Children and the elderly gave hugs and kisses to their future King and Queen.

During the ceremony where the village mayor received the diploma, Crown Prince Felipe congratulated Sobrescobio “for undertaking social and cultural projects to preserve admirable and so wisely reserve the wonderful life that always keeps your council.” Sobrescobio won the Exemplary Village award for beating depopulation, maintaining the environment, and for industrial gains.

The Crown Prince has also praised this town “by looking to the future from the love of tradition and to understand that without the care of the natural heritage can not move forward.”

Reuters/Eloy Alonso

After the ceremony came the tour of Sobrescobio. Folk dancers preformed for the couple as they met with the villagers. At one point, Felipe and Letizia met a basket weaver, who gave them a rattle and wicker baskets for their two daughters.

Later on, the couple celebrated the town’s commitment to the environment by planting a tree together.

The Award for Exemplary Town of Asturias was established in 1990 to recognize the town, village, population center, landscaped area or population in the Principality of Asturias, which has featured in “the defense and conservation of its natural environment, environmental, of its historical, cultural or artistic, or in the execution of works or other manifestations of communal solidarity outstanding.”