We’ve lived in Valencia a long time, but because we spend so much time globe-trotting, we have always neglected to explore the amazing sights closer to home. That changed during the pandemic, when we began to discover how much there was to see right around our home. Teruel is in Aragon, and just 90 minutes by car from Valencia (or about 3 hours by train)… and it’s absolutely worth a trip.
Though the two cities are quite close on the map, you can instantly tell that Teruel has a very different history and culture to that of Valencia. The city is inland and situated about 915 meters above sea level, which gives it a different climate. However, there is one thread which connects these two cities: the Turia River. West of Teruel you’ll find the Montes Universales, which is the river’s birthplace.
“Teruel” is the name of both the province (the 2nd least-populated in Spain) and the province’s capital and largest city, which boasts a long history and a modest population of 35,000. Today, we were sticking to the city, but we’d be exploring the province in the next couple days.
After renting a car in Valencia, we took our time during the drive to Teruel, noticing the rapidly-changing landscape and vegetation, sparse and mountainous, so different to the Mediterranean coast. Upon arriving, we went straight to our hotel, dropped off our things, and set out to explore the city. Almost immediately, we encountered one of the city’s famous towers, prominent and unmistakable in its Mudejar style.
Teruel has four such surviving towers, all of them protected by UNESCO, as a World Heritage Site (Mudéjar Architecture of Aragon). They were built between the 12th and 14th century, and are a beautiful reflection of the peaceful coexistence of cultures. The term “Mudejar” means a mixture of both Islamic and Christian elements. For centuries in Aragon and especially Teruel, Muslims and Christians managed to live side-by-side, and work together to create some incredible pieces of architecture.
We continued roaming the streets of Teruel, and soon found ourselves at the city’s well-preserved aqueduct. You can walk over it, for a unique view of town. We then had a great lunch at El Mercao de Teruel — the region is known for its incredible jamón. Bellies full, we visited the Church of San Pedro to learn about the tragic story of Amantes de Teruel, which is basically Aragon’s version of Romeo and Juliet. The tombs of the “lovers” feature them touching hands, are located inside a mausoleum within the church. Even without the tombs, this church is worth visiting, with some incredible Mudejar designs.
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From our Travel Blog.
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