Morella

Morella stands at about a thousand metres on an isolated hill in the Maestrazgo, and its walls, some two and a half kilometres with fourteen towers and six gates, enclose the town almost completely, with a castle on the rock at the summit above them. The site has been fortified since prehistory and was held by Muslims, then by El Cid's contemporary Blasco de Alagon, then contested through the Carlist wars of the nineteenth century, when the general Cabrera made it his base. Inside are stepped streets, an arcaded main street, the Gothic basilica of Santa Maria with two carved portals and a spiral choir stair, and a Gothic aqueduct outside the walls. Winters here are severe and snow is common.

What you actually see

• The wall circuit - two and a half kilometres with fourteen towers.
• The summit castle - a fortress on the rock above the town.
• Santa Maria basilica - a Gothic church with two carved portals.
• The Gothic aqueduct - a medieval water channel outside the walls.

When to go

May to October; Morella at a thousand metres is cold from November to March with frequent snow, and many businesses reduce hours. Summer is pleasant here when the coast is oppressive.

Honest expectations

The climb to the castle is steep and the streets are stepped throughout. The town is remote, over an hour from the coast on winding roads. Winter cold and snow can close the approach.

Nearby

The Maestrazgo villages surround it; Peniscola and the coast lie east.