Albarracin; a travel guide to the beautiful medieval village of Albarracin in Spain

Visit Albarracin

Albarracin is in the Aragon region of Spain in the Teruel province.

Albarracin is one of Spain's most beautiful villages and if you are in the Aragon region you should definitely head in this direction. The village is set on a cliff above the Rio Guadalaviar and its medieval houses have remained virtually unchanged for centuries. The town has been listed as a National Monument since 1961 and has received an international award for the quality of its preservation.

Explore Albarracin

Albarracin is known for its medieval defensive walls which are much longer than the town itself and if you approach Albarracin from the town of Teruel you get an excellent view of these. Indeed the drive is a lovely one through great scenery.

The village of Albarracin winds up the cliff in steep, cobbled streets and as you climb you get to see all the tall, balconied, medieval houses.

At the top of the village is the castle and the views from here over the village and the surrounding National Park and the Universale Mountains is fantastic. The castle is closed to the public but is an impressive sight non the less.

The Torre del Andador or Walkway tower at the north end of town also offers some good views.

Albarracin is a beautiful village as an ensemble and exploring its streets is a pleasure. There are a number of buildings and monuments to look out for in particular.

The cathedral, the Cathedral of El Salvador, is located next to the castle and is medieval in origins but has been altered in the 16th and 18th centuries. The cathedral has a Diocesan Museum attached to it with a good collection of Flemish tapestries including some telling the bible story of Gideon.

Next to the cathedral is the Bishops palace, the Dolz del Espejo which has a Baroque facade.

The Plaza Major is very attractive. The 16th century Town Hall is situated here and has lovely wooden balconies and one of the wings of the towns hall has an excellent view of the River Guadalaviar below.

The Alcazar of Albarracin has been extensively restored and can be visited. It dates back to the 11th century and was occupied until the end of the 16th century. It was largely destroyed in the 18th century during the War of Succession.

When wandering through the lanes of Albarracin look out for the houses of Casa del Chorro, Casa de la Julianeta and Casa de la Calle Azagra which are particularly well preserved and attractive.

Places to visit near to Albarracin

The Albarracin Cultural Park contains caves with pre-historic cave paintings.

The small city of Teruel with its abundance of Mudejar architecture is just 38 kilometres away. Be sure to visit Cuenca with its dramatic gorge and hanging houses which hanging right over the gorge.

You can find more local travel ideas in the Teruel guide and the Aragon guide.