From Lake Caspe we followed the small roads further south over the high plains and down into the valleys where most of the towns are. One of those towns, Alcaniz, has a castle prominently sticking above the town on top of the hill. Following the signs we climbed the narrow streets up only to get stuck behind an ambulance picking up a customer. There was no turning so we had to wait. The castle at the top was turned in to a hotel/parador. Inside the courtyard there was a beautiful chapel with fantastic murals dating from the 14th century.
Our next stop, according to the travel guide, should be Teruel. We parked opposite the police station on a large parking lot in a new part of the town (208km). The old town is again on a rock carved out by the river. It has a small central plaza with one or 2 significant old houses. The cathedral (1176) has a bell tower in the Mudejar style. The roof of the nave is covered with paintings and also has some elaborate cupola’s. Around the old town there are several old gate towers also in Mudejar style and one of them is connected to an aqueduct.
In town we heard from some Dutch tourist that we should visit the hillside town of Albarracin some 40 km away which we did the next morning. In the summer the town overflows with tourists but now in October there were not so many so we had a nice relaxing stroll up and down the narrow streets. Unfortunately the church was closed for restoration. The town has a large defense wall on one of the approaching hills. If that fails there is also a castle in the middle of the town. This all was built around 1012 when it was the seat of a tiny Islamic state.
Rudy Welling's Travels 