Morella, a city to conquer
1. A VINTAGE MARITIME WALK
Benicassim It is one of the most traditional coastal towns on the entire Mediterranean coast. Here began to spend the summer a century ago the great Valencian fortunes who fled from the hustle and bustle of the city and who first found its beaches the ideal place to put down roots. And they did it by creating what is known as Paseo de las Villas in the northernmost part of the beaches of its coast . A neighborhood for the 'jet set' who could afford to build their mansions to their liking, since here the urban planning laws were not as restrictive as in the cities.
Thanks to this stylistic variety today you can enjoy what is known as ‘Valencian Biarritz’ where it still exudes the vintage shine of its good times . This museum of coastal mansions has its examples of French, colonial or even Basque style and also has its date with history, since Villa Amparo was reused as a hospital during the Civil War, receiving illustrious patients such as Hemingway . And to finish off the tour, the Voramar, the hotel that once hosted the best parties of this fun elite and that today is a cuckoo accommodation where you can sleep in front rocked by the murmur of the waves or where you surrender to a good paella.
Villa Amparo, part of the 'Valencian Biarritz'
two. THE LONGEST NAVIGABLE UNDERGROUND RIVER IN EUROPE
The grotto of San José, located in Vall d'Uixo, It is one of those places that exponentially increase the capacity for wonder and drooling of the human being. It is simply spectacular. And it is that this great cavity adds two factors that make it unique in our geography . The first is the spectacular nature of the limestone formations, while the second is the river that emerges between the rocks to form a channel that is almost three kilometers long, which makes it the longest navigable underground river in Europe. Visiting it involves an unforgettable boat ride thanks to the tranquility transmitted by the water and the lighting of the different galleries and rooms. Everything is different when it is discovered sailing, and in this place this evidence becomes the definitive argument.
3. THE PERFECT FORTIFIED VILLAGE
Glimpse Morella from afar requires a few blinks of disbelief. Yes, it exists, and in fact it seems to be the implementation of any medieval childhood dream, of any precocious engineering work built with beach sand. Before conquering it, he excites a lot, as if its thick walls and its castle were a sin or a longing. And the fact is that the reward is not only two kilometers of wall and a castle at the top, it also includes an Archpriest's Church of Santa María, which has even a papal bull and where its rosettes stand out, its two doors (dedicated to the virgins and the apostles) and its Churrigueresque altarpiece. Also, it is a crime to leave without nosing around shops boasting black truffles or without giving a minute of glory to its great Gothic civil works: the aqueduct and the town hall.
Detail of a gothic church in Morella
Four. AN ANTIPAPAL RESIDENCE
Behind that stamp of Peniscola so televised and postcard, of that beach that ends in walls and that magical 'blue hour' with the illuminated walls and the calm sea, there is a very special monument. That is why it is worth overcoming the ecstasy of the panoramic view to get closer to the peninsula, climb the rock and give the templar castle a try. A fortress that became a papal residence, well, rather anti-papal since it was the place where Benedict XIII (a.k.a. Pope Luna) arrived after France withdrew its political support and he was forced to leave Avignon in the times of the Western Schism. Here he had the protection of the kingdom of Aragon and the recognition as Pope of very few kingdoms, which led him to be considered Antipope. He even had an heir to the title . The conclusion of this convulsive story is a monument with much more chicha than it presupposes, with a very sober pontifical basilica when compared to Roman bombast and intact papal rooms.
Pe scola, an anti-papal residence
5. A SANCTUARY IN THE SHELTER OF THE MOUNTAIN
Three kilometers from Zorita of Maestrazgo appears the monumental complex of the Virgin of Balma , a place of Renaissance-style pilgrimage built in an elongated concavity of the mountain . It is one of those perfect examples of evangelization through the spectacular, the architecturally miraculous. And it had its good results, it was for centuries a center of devotion for the surroundings, especially for those women who considered themselves 'possessed' . The complex is not deprived of a hostelry or a hermitage carved into the rock, which gives the visit more epic and effect. But apart from devotions, the Virgen de la Balma is a exceptional place, surrounded by pine forests and streams like the Bergantes that forcefully dig ravines and gorges.
6. A MINI CAPITAL LIKE THOSE OF BEFORE
Often in Spain there is the curious phenomenon of cities that have fallen into disrepair, converted into towns, but which retain the luster and preciousness of the capital. Within this category shines with its own light Segorbe , a kind of mini-Ávila that stands out for its slender walls and its cathedral attached to the walls . In fact, this 'fusion' between the temple and the defenses brings with it a cloister with a trapezoidal plan that is most curious and strange, although beautiful. But Segorbe is not satisfied with this construction to maintain this senorita halo. And it is that it does not lack other details such as the baroque of the Church of Santa Ana and San Joaquín , the marble covers of the Town Hall or the always magnetic pictures of its towers and its aqueduct.
Valltorta, a jewel of rock art
7. EL BARRANCO-MUSEUM OF PREHISTORIC ART
The Valltorta ravine is one of the largest accumulations of Levantine rock art of this current (protected as a World Heritage Site). In its 21 different coats, men and animals are represented with great naturalism. This great historical comic not only shows what life was like before written language, but also is a lifestyle magazine, showing hairstyles and beads used by both men and women on a daily basis. An adventure that becomes more democratic in its Museum-Interpretation Center, located at the access to the ravine.
8. A CARTUJA IN RUINS
Castellón is one of those provinces to which the confiscations did a lot of damage. The most scandalous example is that of the Charterhouse of Vall de Cristo (near Atura), a grandiose monastic complex built during the most splendid period of the antipopes of Peñíscola, which today barely conserves any of its walls. The most striking thing is to investigate among them and visit the remains of the Church of San Martín , the cloister or the Iglesia Mayor and find Gothic ornaments and tiles of all styles, in a visit that mixes the curiosity of walking among the ruins with archaeological curiosity.
Pe n Pe scola
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- The non-festival side of Benicasim - The most beautiful villages in Spain - The Iberian Road Trip: secondary roads in Spain
- All articles by Javier Zori del Amo