Seniors Find Beauty and Intrigue In Albarracín

Albarracín in Spain is part of the autonomous community of Aragon. If you’re senior traveler who enjoys combining rugged terrain, ancient castles, untouched villages and a drop or two of fine wine, then Aragon is a wonderfully deserving, underappreciated place to visit.  

The municipality is small with a population of 1,075 inhabitants yet tourists arrive in droves just to soak up the ambiance and atmosphere of the region. Senior visitors will find Albarracín to be a picturesque town surrounded by stony hills. The town was declared a Monumento Nacional in 1961 that sets it apart from other villages in the region.

Some say that the town is named for the Moorish Al Banū Razín family that dominated the area during the period of Muslim domination in the Iberian Peninsula. Others say that the name comes from the Celtic terms for Mountain (alb) and Vine (ragin). What is certain however, is that the town of Albarracín is well worth a visit.

Seniors Enjoy Historical Town

From 1167 to 1300, Albarracín was an independent lordship. The former capital of a Moorish kingdom (Taifa), today the small town of Albarracín has preserved all its Islamic and medieval flavor. The Alcázar (castle) Fortress and the Andador Tower are from the 10th century. In the 11th century, the kings of Albarracín constructed the walls around the poor area of Engarrada.

Rough Guides highlights the town that is 37km west of Teruel, as one of the more accessible towns in rural southern Aragón. Also one of the most picturesque towns in the province, Albarracín is poised above the Río Guadalaviar and retains, virtually intact, its medieval streets and tall, balconied houses.

There’s a historical curiosity, in that from 1165 to 1333, the town formed the center of a small independent state, the kingdom of the Azagras.

Albarracín’s dark, enclosed lanes and ancient buildings adorned with splendid coats of arms make for an intriguing stroll, reminders of past eras. The narrow lanes between the tall houses intertwine, uphill and down. But, it’s a small place in spite of the massive crenellated walls.

Seniors Find One Of Spain’s Most Beautiful Villages

Senior visitors will want to walk along the walls called Murallas de Albarracín. The Plaza Mayor (Main Square), is the hub of action with the preferred places to eat and to enjoy some Spanish wine.

Albarracín has been called“The Most Beautiful Village in Spain.” France does the same thing with “Les Plus Beaux Villages.” “To be in Albarracín feels fairy-tale like as the sharp winds blow off the Sierra Albarracín to the north and one feels transported in time through the blind alleys, sharp turns and cobblestone streets.”

 Senior visitors say that Albarracín feels loaded with history and uniqueness, because it has both. So come and experience it all for yourself.-jeb