Spain it has many beautiful towns that you can take advantage of and get to know this summer vacation Within the Valencian Community is, for example, Morella.
It is part of the prestigious list of The most beautiful villages in Spain since 2013, so if you still don't know him personally maybe these hot days are great for a walk.
Morella
It is within the province of Castellón and enjoys a Mediterranean climate with high mountain features so the summers are not tremendous but quite pleasant, although yes, the winters are freezing.
Although its main economy is the textile industry, to which is added livestock and the production and marketing of the tasty black truffle, for some time now it has paid a lot of attention to tourism and that is why we are talking about this town today.
Tourism promotion focuses on culture and heritage, nature and gastronomy. In all these fields Morella has something to offer so let's see what we can find according to our tastes.
Culture and heritage of Morella
Morella has a great medieval past So you can walk through the castle and its walls, see the old aqueduct, the elegant town hall building, the manor houses, some prehistoric caves and obviously, the Camino del Cid since there is a historical link between the town and the Cid Campeador.
El Morella Castle It is imposing and occupies a site that has been inhabited since the XNUMXrd century BC. This located in the mountains, in the rock itself and because of its location and height, it has been impregnable. Archaeologists have found remains from the Neolithic, Bronze and Iron Age and have obviously also found traces of the passage of the Romans, Visigoths, Arabs and Christians.
The castle has been taking shape through the centuries but the current appearance dates from the time of the Christian reconquest with some later reforms as the arts of war were modernized. It is through this castle that El Cid passed, among other historical figures. The views are great and not to be missed. Open Monday through Sunday from 11 am to 7 pm, summer time), and from 11 am to 5 pm in winter.
Do not miss the visit to the Governor's Palace, built in a natural cave, right there.
The entrance costs 3, 50 euros but retirees and students pay a little less. It is entered by the Convent of San Francisco so the ticket allows you to see the castle and the convent. Other medieval structures are called Towers of San Miguel. They are twin towers with an octagonal base dating from the XNUMXth century and are the main entrance to the city. You can climb so here you also have very good views.
The towers are open on weekends and holidays from 10 am to 1 pm and from 4 to 7 pm. The entrance is cheap, 1, 50 euros.
Another monument that enriches the heritage of Morella is the Basilica, the Iglesia Arciprestal Santa María la Mayor. In this gothic temple with two doors, that of the Virgins and that of the Apostles, a beautiful interior full of columns, a lowered vault that is an architectural gem and a Churrigueresque altar with a huge organ from 1719.
This instrument has more than three thousand tubes and if you go in August you will be able to listen to it because that month the International Organ Music Festival. It also has a museum that is visited together with the basilica. Both are open Monday through Saturday from 10 am to 2 pm and from 3 to 7 pm. On Sundays it opens from 12:15 to 6 pm and admission is 2 euros.
You can also visit the XNUMXth century town hall, walls that surround Morella and dating from before the Reconquest, many churches and hermitages that are all over the city and the aqueduct of the year 1318, of Gothic style and of which two sections are preserved. Finally there are a handful of manor houses, the House of the Council and the Studies, the House of Piquer, the House of Rovira or those of Cardenal Ram. All old and beautiful.
Morella and nature
The location of the city also invites you to be outdoors, walking and doing sports. For example, if you like to ride Mountain bike you can follow the Morella Singletrack, a Valencian project that crosses the mountains of Morella using roads and paths. The route network is guided by GPS.
Morella is characterized by forests and mountains with different species of trees among which there are olive trees, walnut trees, elms, pines, maples, and a lot of fauna. So you have many hiking trails To appreciate everything, just visit the Morella website to find out more about them.
Morella and its gastronomy
The classic cuisine of Morella It is based on beef, sheep and swine construction and also in Bushmeat. The meat is central, partridge. cow, wild boar, lamb. It is cooked on the grill, in a stew or in the oven and is always accompanied with mushrooms and truffles, cheeses and honey. Of course there are also Sausages So take the opportunity to try blood sausages, sausages, hams and sausages, jerky and the popular Bolo de Morella.
At the beginning we talked about Morella specializing in the collection and commercialization of the black truffle so there are many recipes where it is the protagonist. It accompanies salads, bread slices, stews, meats, appears in fillings and even in ice cream or cakes. If you go between January and the end of March you can enjoy the Truffle Days in which local restaurants offer many dishes with it on their menus.
How to get to Morella
If everything you have just read makes you want to visit Morella quickly then I'll tell you how to get there. The city is connected with Logroño and Zaragoza through the N-232 which in turn connects it with the Mediterranean Highway and all the Valencian destinations along the coast. From Castellón you can also get there, by the 238 that connects with the 232 later and if you travel by bus you can get there from Castellón, Peñíscola and Vinaroz, among other coastal cities.
As soon as you arrive you can take a walk around the Tourist Office in the Plaza de San Miguel. It opens from Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 2 pm and from 4 to 6 pm. In winter and in summer it closes one hour later. On Sundays it is also open between 10 am and 2 pm.