The remote and rural province of Teruel in north-east Spain forms part of the Region of Aragon. It’s climate is one of extremes with temperatures reaching 40ºC in the Summer months, and dropping as low as -19ºC in Winter. The province has two ski resorts which are very popular and cheaper than many of the resorts in Northern Spain.

The city of Teruel is Spain's smallest provincial capital, with just 35,000 inhabitants. It straddles a deep valley which is adorned by a number of impressive viaducts and the aquaduct of Los Arcos which join the different districts high above the river Turia.

It was occupied by Arabs during the Moor occupation of Spain and its narrow streets still retain much of the architectural styles of that period.

The Mudéjar Architecture of Aragon was declared a World Heritage Site in 1986. It was originally called the Mudéjar Architecture of Teruel consisting of: Cathedral of Santa María de Mediavilla, Churches of San Pedro, San Martín and of the Saviour.  In 2001 it was renamed to the Mudejar Architecture of Aragon to include a further 6 sites in Zaragoza and it’s province.

As you walk through the twisting streets and alleyways of Teruel, you will pass through the most important public and commercial areas such as the Plaza del Torico and the Plaza de San Juan.

The Plaza del Torico was recently refurbished with 1230 LEDs embedded into the walkway. The lights are controlled by a central computer enabling the LEDs to be lit with different colours and different intensities with relative ease to produce a variety of effects.

This pretty square also contains some beautiful Gaudi-esque buildings and warrants a visit at any time. However if you have the opportunity to visit at night you will see the pavement in it's full glory. 

The Legend of Teruel's Lovers (Los Amantes de Teruel)

According to legend, at the beginning of the 13th century, Juan Diego de Marcilla and Isabel de Segura who had always been best friends realised they were deeply in love. Juan Diego asked Isabel's father for her hand in marriage, but he refused saying that Juan would not be able to properly support his daughter. He gave the young man 5 years to go and make his fortune in The Crusades and meanwhile tried to persuade Isabel to marry a richer suitor. She resisted until the last day of the final year when, convinced that Juan would not return, she agreed.

On the day of her wedding shortly after the ceremony, Juan returned to see Isabel. He asked her for a kiss, but she refused saying that she was now a married woman. When she refused to kiss him he fell dead at her feet. The next day during his funeral, a woman in black approached Juan Diego's coffin to give him the kiss she had denied him when he was alive. Isabel kissed her love and fell dead on the coffin.

The lovers are now entombed together in the Mausoleum of the Church of San Pedro. The tombs are carved out of marble with their hands reaching out towards each other but because Isabel was married they do not touch.

What to visit in Teruel

The Cathedral  is a wonderful 12th century Mudejar construction. The tower has romanesque influences and was built in brick with tile decoration. It has another smaller, ornate tower in 16th century romanesque style at the top. At the base of the cathedral, a street passes through a pointed arch. The interior features a spectacular Mudéjar panelled ceiling which shows the history of the city and is the only one of its kind in the world. The ceiling above the central nave is considered the Mudéjar equivalent of the Sistine chapel.

Museo de Teruel  Just behind the Cathedral you will find the Museo de Teruel. This building houses a selection of artefacts that have been found in the Teruel area. The displays include early agricultural tools, a mock up of an old fashioned pharmacy and a couple of bedrooms complete with cot and baby-walker, however the most impressive item, in my opinion, is a huge Roman mosaic floor. As with most museums in Spain it is free to get in but they are closed for siesta between 2pm and 4pm. Please also note that they are closed all day Monday and do not reopen in the afternoons on Saturday or Sunday.

San Francisco Convent  Built in 1391 with tapestries from the seventeeth century

Mausoleo de los Amantes  Built last century by Juan de Avalos next to San Pedro church, the mausoleuem is supposedly where the remains of the lovers were laid to rest

The church of el Salvador has a tower of the same name which is the best conserved Mudejar tower in the city. It has a typical minaret style and features rich green and white tile decoration. Its sister tower is called San Martín.

Dinopolis, a dinosaur/cultural theme park. Designed to be an educational park, it's offers an overview of those huge beasts that once roamed the earth: the dinosaurs, as such the museum houses an extensive display of replica skeletons including a brachiasoras and of course a T-Rex plus many others.  For the children it contains a 3D cinema, a gentle water ride with anamatronics showing the history of man, a small train ride also takes you through the history of the dinosaurs. In addition there is a very impressive adventure play area for the over 9's (in fact many adults can be found climbing amongst the timber structure).