ECO-CULTURAL WEEKEND
| DRY-STONE WALLED CATHEDRALS.
VILAFRANCA, ARES DEL MAESTRAT AND CATÍ |
Dry-stone walling, a constructive art declared Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO in 2018, encapsulates an ancient way of life. The villages of Castellón’s Maestrazgo region are home to thousands of dry-stone agricultural constructions, built to facilitate the work of farmers and shepherds. Discover this ancient heritage by exploring its unmistakable landscapes.
SCHEDULE
Viernes
AFTERNOON
Guided tour
Upon arriving in Ares del Maestrat, an authentic dry-stone wonder in the heart of the Maestrazgo region that will serve as our base for the weekend, we’ll show you around the village and point out some hidden treasures that you’d never have been able to spot with your naked eye.
Sábado
Vilafranca, the village of the 3 thousands
The village stands at more than 1000 metres above sea level; has more than 1000 dry-stone constructions; and, so they say, has up to 1000 kilometres of dry-stone walls distributed across its unique cultural landscapes. Our expert guides will show you around the historic centre, the dry-stone art museum and some of the town’s finest lookout points.
Total distance covered on foot: 4 km
Approximate duration: 4 hours
Difficulty: Very low
Truffle set-menu. Maestrazgo’s black gold.
The main ingredient of this specialist restaurant’s set menu is the famous Maestrazgo black truffle (Tuber melanosporum).
AFTERNOON
Morella: the jewel in the crown
We’ll pass through magical landscapes on our way to Morella: the capital city of the northern region of Els Ports and listed as one of the Most Beautiful Towns in Spain. Once there, we’ll visit its wonderful historic centre, town walls, basilica and castle. We won’t leave without raiding one of its countless pastry shops.
Domingo
The world from the Muela de Ares
In a simple circular route, we’ll explore the outstandingly beautiful Muela de Ares mountain. The views from the top are simply out of this world. We’ll visit the Nevera dels Regatxols snow deposit, which is surrounded by maple and oak trees and overlooks the whole Maestrazgo region.
Total distance covered on foot: 5 km
Approximate duration: 3 hours
Difficulty: Low
Slow lunch
On our way back to the village, and after visiting the intriguing Cave Museum, we’ll prepare a delicious lunch of locally-sourced ingredients that will allow you to taste the local culture from one of the most spectacular stone viewpoints.
AFTERNOON
Catí: jewel of the Maestrazgo region
The activity of wool merchants saw this village become a true jewel of Gothic buildings and artistic heritage, standing unrivalled in this part of the world. To round off the trip in the best way possible, we’ll visit the local market and its museum and take a look around the fascinating Avellà parish church, which is surrounded by sun dials and known locally as the Sistine Chapel of Maestrazgo.
Possibility of a 1 or 2-night stay. Includes:
- 2 night half-board accommodation.
- 1 guided tour in Ares del Maestrat.
- 1 guided tour in Vilafranca.
- 1 black truffle set-menu lunch in Vilafranca.
- 1 guided tour in Morella.
- 1 interpretative route in Ares del Maestrat.
- 1 slow lunch in Ares del Maestrat.
- 1 guided tour in Catí.
- Photographic reports of the experiences.
- Tickets must be booked in advance.
- Vegetarian/vegan option.
- Accident insurance.
Minimum/maximum group size:
- From 2 to 20 people.
