Teruel, Cuença, Albacete, Zafra and Oropesa

Since leaving Barcelona, we´ve stayed one or two nights in each of these five towns - all distinctly different and enjoyable. 

Teruel with its magnificent Mudéjar architecture, towers and churches which are UNESCO heritage listed.  We´ve happened upon so many world heritage sites that I´m now keeping a record.

Mudéjar architecture of Teruel, Aragón.

World heritage listed Mudéjar tower of San Pedro, Teruel.

The pretty town square and the statue of the little bull - El Torico. 
The small sculpture (atop the column) was claimed by soldiers
as an act of victory and liberation at the end of the Spanish Civil War. 
It has since been installed on this pedestal in the Plaza del Torico.

The painted ceiling of the cathedral, Teruel.

Magnificent Mudéjar painted ceiling.

Cuença with its ´hanging´ houses built on the top of the rocky outcrop, where we stayed in a 16th century convent.



We stayed at this beautiful Parador at Cuença, a 16th Century convent.



Looking back from the Parador across the ravine
to the town of Cuença - a 10 minute walk across the bridge, high above the ravine,
to the ´hanging´ houses of Cuença built atop and between the rocks.  Spectacular.

Pretty Cuença

Cuença town square -

Cuença cathedral

The corridors of the Parador

Not quite as austere as when this beautiful building was a convent.

Dining al fresco in the square at night.

Albacete where we stayed in the Parador with a pretty golf course.  Of course, we had to have a round - amigos v. amigos.  Spanish Masters we called it.  A perfect sunny day and an ideal activity while the rest of the country was having siesta.  It was close, however the Man of La Mancha won.  Just.

Zafra where we stayed in the old castle with its magnificent courtyard dining room.  Zafra with its old bull ring.

Oropesa - one of the oldest inhabited sites in Spain.  Apparently Hercules founded the town in 1716 BC!  It is a rural medieval village with such charm.  Again, we are staying at the Parador which began its life as a castle (14th Century this time), then it was a palace for the Count of Oropesa.  I´m typing this post sitting beside a beautiful wrought iron balcony, shutters and windows thrown open, and the sign on the wall next to me says ¨King Alfonso VIII stood at this balcony in 1930 and greeted the residents of Oropesa, just as the Count of Oropesa greeted his subjects some 500 years before´, living history.  The views are beautiful across the Castillian plain to the Gredos mountains.  There is no rain on the plain here in Spain, though.  Glorious spring.  Today it´s 27 degrees, the nights are pleasant and we sleep with the shutters and windows open.  In the evening air we can smell blossom, and can hear the choir rehearsing in the church, and when I woke during the night I could hear the church bells ring on the hour and half hour.  Same as they have rung each night of the past hundreds of years.

Oropesa and its neighbouring village, Largatera, are renowned for their traditional embroidery.  There are many small embroidery shops - bordodos - inside women sitting in groups happily creating their designs.  I was pleased to buy a small piece from señorita Garcia.


We´ve been in Spain now for almost two weeks and the weather doesn´t change.  It´s warm, sunny, perfect bright blue cloudless skies every day.   Around 23-25 degrees.  Today we thought we saw a band of cloud high up in the sky, until we realised it was the snow capped peaks of the Gredos mountain range!

It´s daylight until 9.30pm, and until 11.30pm the restaurants, outdoor bars, cafes, and taverna are lively and full even in the smallests of towns.