We went for another three days to Teruel, also in Aragon. This was a pleasant and sizeable country town of about 30,000 people - and almost 2.5 x the size of Jaca. It was also lower and warmer, and in the middle of a farming region. Once again, it was replete with historic buildings, pleasant squares, and scenic walks.
I will always remember one field trip to nearby regions, however. Towards Madrid the landscape became dry and deeply etched, with abandoned farms, fields and houses creating an air of depression. However, the region contained some exquisite gems and I'll note two of them. The Albarracin Cultural Park had some rock art dating back to c. 6,000 BC ... rather old ... in a craggy landscape. And the town of Albarracin was magical. It is a National Monument dating back to Moorish times over 100 years ago and containing a virtually intact and unspoilt medieval settlement. It also occupies a magnificent site high above a huge meander in the river which acted as an impregnable defence. Just to make sure, the town has two sets of almost intact walls to keep out invaders snaking across rugged hill-tops.
Within these walls lie scores of attractive houses and public buildings dating back hundreds of years, lots of little shops, squares with cafes, and cobbled streets. Everywhere the visitor turns there are gorgeous views, as scores of photos I took attest. If you get the chance, pay it a visit!
AS
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