Good morning from Albarracín! We are now on our second day visiting what many claim is Spain’s most beautiful town. Today, we’ve set out an ambitious itinerary for ourselves: first, thoroughly explore every street in town; then, hike through the canyon to see its rock formations; and end the day with a tour of the castle. And since we are still in Spain, we’ll try to find time for a long lunch and a siesta.
As with many towns and cities in Spain, the Moorish influence on Albarracín is impossible to overlook. One early clue that this town owes its identity to the Moors is the fact that its name starts with “Al”. “Alcazar”, “Alhambra”, “Almeria”, “Albacete” all fit this pattern, which typically denotes Islamic origins. Albarracín comes from ‘Aben Razin’, which means “sons of Razin” — the Banu Razín were the region’s ruling Berber tribe during the days of the Caliphate.
While we’re sharing Albarracín fun facts, here’s another one. Because it sits on a slope, the town didn’t grow outwards but upwards. This creates a uniquely layered city structure, and explains why there so many amazing views over the city from various spots. Every time we rounded a corner during our exploration of the town, we encountered another incredible panorama; eventually it stopped surprising us.
After walking through town, we found a path along the the canyon which outlines the village. The Guadalaviar river is responsible for the gorge, slicing deep through the soft limestone. The trail goes alongside the the river, and over a few bridges. There’s even a platform, where you have to walk over the water because the canyon is too steep for an adjacent path. The hike was both easy and rewarding, especially during these early fall days. Sadly we didn’t encounter any golden eagles or vultures, both of which can be seen in the canyon.
That had been a lot of walking, so we didn’t feel guilty about splurging on a huge lunch and copious wine at a wonderful restaurant called El Buen Yantar. And after a quick siesta, we were ready for our tour of the Castle of Albarracín. We lucked out, because nobody else joined our group, so it was an unexpectedly private tour. That’s always nice, because we could ask as many dumb questions as we want, without fear of annoying anyone (except perhaps the guide!)
Many parts of the the castle were in ruins, but that’s to be expected for a structure from the 10th century! The remains were still impressive, and it was fascinating to hear the long history of the castle, its battles, and its various stages of reconstruction.
Still, as interesting as all that was, the castle’s best feature is its placement over the town. Our tour was towards the end of the day, and as the sun was starting its descent, we enjoyed incredible views over Albarracín. And our tour guide enjoyed a peace and quiet, since we finally took a break from asking so many questions.
More Albarracín Photos
