Graziella

Hi Maribel and Cova,<BR><BR>Can you, please, give me some advise regarding side trips while driving from Cuenca to Barcelona?<BR><BR>Note: As I was reading the great information regarding side trips in another route , that is Madrid-Bilbao, in which as usual both of you excelled<BR>I was tempted to change our itinerary for next April/May and go North from Madrid !!!but in truth we should go from Cuenca to <BR>Barcelona (and Ripoll) to meet with friends there.<BR>Oh ESpana,! It is so beautiful that it is difficult to choose...<BR>I avail myself to congratulate you and thank you both for sharing such wealth and wonderful data with all of us.<BR>Muchas gracias, Graziella<BR><BR><BR><BR>NOte

Maribel

Hola Graziella,<BR>Glad to hear you're off to beautiful Catalunya again! We'll be there in late June and will definitely try your great restaurant rec. in Ripoll.<BR><BR>First off, I highly recommend the detailed Michelin 443 North East Spain map for that route-it's really invaluable.<BR> <BR>From Cuenca (great town!), I would head due east for a beautiful drive through the Serrania de Cuenca to the picturesque, medieval, kind of peach-y colored town with Moorish feel of Albarracin (in Teruel), set in the Montes Universales by the Guadalaviar river . Town has been declared a national monument. Like travelling back in time. It has steep, dark, winding cobblestone streets, half timbered houses with wooden balconies, handicraft shops, a cathedral with Flemish tapestries and a couple of cute and homey little rural inns (hotelitos de encanto), like the 6 rm Casona del Aljimez (best rms-"El Canonigo", "La Menora"), the 9 rm, 16th c Casa de Santiago next to the 17th c church or the newer 5 rm Posada del Adarve ("El Fogon" is a suite with fireplace and canopy bed). These all received a red symbol for charm in the '02 Michelin guide. There are also the prehistoric cave paintings at Navazo and Callejon, 5 km southeast towards Bezas. I'd lunch on pisto, cordero or local trucha at either the Casa Santiago or Rincon del Chorro-Pedro Narro serves huge portions of hearty regional cuisine there. Make sure to take a picture of the arch that frames the leaning Casa de Julianeta, the most photographed spot in the village. Their fiestas take place mid Sept-don&Otilde;t know when you plan to travel..<BR>Or you make this a day stop and spend your night 27 km beyond at the modern Parador in a garden setting outside of Teruel. <BR>For me, Teruel deserves a stop to see the collection of Mudejar towers and the display of antique ceramics in the Museo Provincial, or a visit to the tomb of those famous Amantes de Teruel on Calle Hartzenbush, next to the Iglesia de Santiago. (those pretty greyish blue Aragonese ceramics you'll find in the shops come from the town of Muel, below Zaragoza) <BR>Or if you want to press on beyond Teruel for your first night, there's the grandiose, imposing hilltop castle-Parador La Concordia in Alcaniz. Rms with canopy beds-a Karen Brown choice. (but I'd stay 1st night in Albarracin and 2nd here), <BR><BR>

Maribel

Me again.<BR>From Alcaniz I might make a swing down to Valderrobres to see one of the picturesque villages of the Maestrago. Then I'd head on to Roman Tarragona with a detour up thru Prades (pretty drive) to do the Cisterican monastery route- the magnificent Monastir de Poblet and Monestir de Santes Creus, if you haven't already seen them. And then before heading in to Bcn, there's pretty, hip Sitges on the beach and two ( important! ) wine tasting stops, at the Torres bodega in Vilafranca del Penedes and the Freixenet or Codorniu cava bodegas at Sant Sadurni d'Anoia. This would be my itinerary. Now for cova, Pedro and our other Spain aficionados&Eacute;<BR>Buen viaje,<BR>Maribel<BR>

Maribel

Graziella,<BR>I forgot to mention a Relais et Chateaux lodging, run by the owners of the British Turners bookshop in Madrid, beyond Alcaniz, in the tiny hamlet of Fuentespalda, near that interesting town of Valderrobres, in the strikingly wild El Maestrazgo area. It gets a 4 star rating in my "Hoteles con encanto" guide (El Pais/Aguilar) and is supposedly a Shangri-La, but I've never been-a fancy option in case the Parador at Alcaniz is full. But it's pricey and remote. Check it out at<BR>www.secretplaces.com<BR>www.specialplacestos tay.com<BR><BR>Just re-read a NY Times travel article 6/11/00, "Remote Perches in Aragon" about the author's visit to the Bajo Aragon, including Albarracin, Teruel, Alcaniz and the Maestrazgo. You might want to search the archives for it.<BR><BR>And you can read an El Mundo travel article about Albarracin at<BR>www.el-mundo.es/motor/2001/MV189/MV189-19a.html<BR>Also the url for Casona del Ajimez:<BR>www.casonadelajimez.arrakis.es<BR><BR>M ore about Albarracin at:<BR>www.sierradealbarracin.org<BR>www.albarracin.org (enjoy the music)<BR><BR>Regards, <BR>Maribel

Graziella

Hola Maribel, I am delighted with your reply (ies) thank you.!!!!!!!!! Following Pedro's advised we had reserved in Casa de Santiago in Albarracin, but didn t know what to do from there on, now I know. I ll follow your advise. <BR><BR>( I reserved only today but I shall call them because after making the reservation I saw a picture , the place looks great but it is at the far end of a steep little lane, with a looooot of steps , I am wondering what to get any luggage up, even if it is small...<BR>if they cannot help us I dont think we shall make it.<BR>WE are going at the end of April,<BR>probably will leave the car in Barcelona and return by train to Granada to meet with friends and then to Madrid to take the plane back home or something like that.<BR>Gracias again. Graziella

Maribel

Hola Graziella,<BR>You're very welcome. I'm sending you an email later today about those other questions. <BR><BR>About the Casa de Santiago:<BR>Since it's located on one of the steepest streets and you have to walk to it from the Plaza Mayor, if those steps give you pause, you might want to choose another place, maybe the Posada del Adarve, which in my "Pequenos hoteles con estilo" gets a slightly better "calidad/precio" rating over the Casa de Santiago (8/10 vs 7/10, but that's just their opinion), but I'd definitely ask for one of the 2 suites at the Posada, though, as the doubles look very small. <BR> <BR>or the 3 star more standard, conventional Hotel Albarracin-less charm but they have parking and more space, even a pool. (www.gargallo-hotels.com/albarracin/index.html) <BR>I'd ask Pedro what he thinks about this one.<BR><BR>Regards,<BR>Maribel<BR>