Paul & Karen came over last month for a few days. They were fortunate to enjoy the best weather so far this year. As the weather was fine we decided to visit Morella for a day. Morella is situated in the north west of “Comunitat Valenciana”. It is a small walled medieval town built on a rock 1.072 m above sea level.
We left Càlig in glorious sunshine but on the way up there it turned cloudy and I thought that we had made the wrong decision as it was only 3ºc when we arrived. However during the morning it warmed up and by midday the cloud had cleared and the sun was out as we made our way up to the top of the castle.
An impressive castle sits on the top of the hill, and offers outstanding views. The original castle was built by Arabs during the Moorish occupation of Spain and throughout history, because of its strategic position, Morella Castle has experienced numerous battles. The castle has been destroyed and then rebuilt by Iberians, Romans, Arabs and Christians.
The village is fortified by two-and-a-half kilometre long wall, marked by six gates. Visitors will enjoy strolling around Morella’s peaceful streets which have a historical and artistic feeling to them. The historical walled area of the town deserves special interest. Historical buildings worth a visit include the Gothic archpriestal church of Santa María with its exceptional choir; the Royal Cloister, and the convent of San Francisco.
Whilst the town is naturally a tourist hotspot it has not become tacky. The main street in Morella is a lively area lined with small shops selling mainly local produce and goods Morella and its surroundings is famous for its excellent cheeses, cured meats, and honey.
It’s some 60 odd kilometres from Cálig and well worth a visit but bear in mind that due to it’s height it is likely to be much cooler than on the coast. You can see some photos from our visit in the album February 2009.
Another day in paradise 