Albarracín Town, Spain

I've always wondered why a small town in the province of Teruel always finds its place among the most beautiful places in Spain, often ranking at the top of those lists. So, as we were passing through this province on our way to the north of Spain, we decided to make a little detour to see this settlement with our own eyes, despite its population barely exceeding a thousand people.

And so, we visited Albarracín in the province of Teruel. According to what was told to us in this town, until recently, only about a thousand people lived here. They even say that houses were given away to encourage people to live here. Albarracín is a beautiful medieval town declared a national monument in 1961. It is said to owe its well-preserved heritage to conservation efforts and has become one of the best-restored complexes in the country. Almost everything about it is flawless. The origin of the town is quite interesting as it represents a mix of Christian and Muslim cultures.

The history of Albarracín is linked to the history of a Berber family that ruled the region in the 10th century. So, where the cathedral stands today, there used to be a mosque, but unfortunately, nothing remains of it today. This town has seen many cultures, and the legacy of Al-Andalus is very prominent here. In fact, the name of the town is of Arabic origin because "Albarracín" means "the place where the sons of Rossin lived." Rossin was one of the princes of a tribe that ruled in this region.

Another interesting thing about this town is the wide variety of sausages and chorizos you can find on its counters. For example, wild boar chorizo, mushroom wild boar chorizo, deer chorizo, and truffle mushroom deer chorizo. The cuisine of Albarracín is known, like its people, for its attachment to the land, traditions, and local products. It is closely related to agriculture and pig farming. In fact, this province ranks second in Spain in terms of pig population, with about 5 million pigs. Among its most well-known products are raw and dried pork sausages and chorizos.

We had a little chat with the locals, and they shared an interesting fact with us: Years ago, a Muslim prince sold this village to a Christian nobleman, leading to the curious situation of a Muslim village being ruled by a Christian.

When we visited, grape harvesting time wasn't too far away. With the beginning of autumn, grape harvest festivals are celebrated here, making it one of the best times to enjoy Spain's famous wines. These festivals are a great opportunity to explore wine culture, participate in grape harvesting, and savor the local festive atmosphere.

The heraldic doors indicate the residence of a noble family. If you still have energy after visiting the town, I recommend climbing the castle walls. It's not easy, especially if you're not used to mountain climbing, but it's worth it for the magnificent views of Albarracín. And you can explore other interesting places in the area and see rock paintings and waterfalls, for example, Kalomarde or Molino de la Hiedra. If you come here in winter, you can see the waterfall frozen.

Thank you very much for reading my post to the end. I hope it encourages you to visit this beautiful town. In my next posts, I'll talk about the best winery in the Rioja Alavesa region. We toured the underground tunnels, which are about two kilometers long, and saw century-old wines. See you in my next post.

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