Its position high on a bend protected by the confluence of the rivers Tera and Castro, made Puebla de Sanabria a strategic site and the scene of a great many battles throughout history.

The town has been recognized as a Historic-Artistic Site. It still preserves most of the walls which once protected the city. Its magnificent castle dates from the second half of the 15th century and is the archetype of a medieval defensive structure; it stands at a height of 960 metres on a wide piece of flat land on top of a hill occupied by the town, it has a regular plan and in the centre it has an enormous keep, which is made up of several storeys and protected by a retractable bridge. Close by the castle is the parish church of Nuestra Señora del Azogue, from the late 12th century. Inside it contains a 13th-century font with figures carved on the front. The town also has a great many ancestral homes and mansions decorated with old coats of arms dotted among its narrow streets, such as the City Hall from the 15th century, which is located in the main square. In addition to having a beautiful historic quarter, this town also enjoys a privileged natural setting, since its township is located near the Lake Sanabria Nature Park. Its calm body of water covers 368 hectares and measures 55 metres in depth, making it the biggest glacial lake in Spain.