Caminos del Matarranya is a route that goes into this Aragonese region that has some particular features compared to the rest of the community. Here the landscape is tinged with a deep Mediterranean influence that has earned it the nickname of the Spanish Tuscany. Culturally it shares language and traditions with the Catalan and Valencian communities. It takes its name from the river that runs through it and that rises in the Ports de Beseit, a large natural park also shared by the three communities and that together with the Tinença de Benifassà forms one of the great nature reserves of the Mediterranean.
Dry stone walls, olive groves, almond trees and vineyards will be the constants of our itineraries.
Our base camp will be in Beceite. A population of Arab origin with an old town declared of cultural interest that houses several unique buildings such as the Stone Bridge or the Church of San Bartolomé. Beseit is also known for the remains of the old paper mills that made the town famous with its precious productions. Paper regularly sought and commissioned by the painter Goya for his drawings and engravings. It is a town of great charm like most of the villages in the region. Built with solid blocks of stone, they present a labyrinthine historic center of medieval layout and narrow streets, enriched with unique Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque buildings … the walks through these narrow streets of Matarranya always give us the pleasant surprise of discovery. A clear example are its main squares, presided over by town halls that shelter – in the manner of the ancient forums – the porches where commercial activities coexisted with the administrative and judicial ones.
In Beceite we will stay in the Solfa Factoryone of the most comfortable lodgings in the region with a carefully selected gastronomic offer.
Duration: 3 days
We will leave Barcelona early in the morning to start our first route that will take us to the westernmost part of the Matarranya region, passing by the Pena de la Pena reservoir. the Pena reservoir. We will cross the reservoir and begin a slight climb between fields of crops, some farmhouses and numerous stone terraces that help to support the many fields of olive, almond or cherry trees that mark a smooth transition to the majestic mountain range dels Ports. In the vicinity of Pena-roja de Tastavins we will make a loop to visit the historical Sanctuary of the Virgen de la Fuente. This complex houses a Gothic chapel with a Mudejar roof declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
In the second part we will take the road back to the reservoir but a few km away we will turn towards “los Prados Altos“, the last cultivated foothills before reaching the walls of Els Ports. From here we will begin a long descent back to the Pena reservoir, which we will now border on the opposite side. Return to Beceite by the old and narrow road corseted between stone walls.
Route of 42 km and 750 mt. of accumulated elevation gain through good trails.
This routedesigned by the people of the region, shows a wide range of the characteristic elements in the landscapes of Matarranya: the constant presence of the river, the cultivated fields, the vineyards, the olive groves in the most solitary and unimaginable foothills, always embraced by magnificent examples of the construction technique of dry stone.
Other attractive elements of the route are linked to the worrying phenomenon of depopulation. We will cross the old village of Mas del Llaurador which gives its name to the route. A village abandoned in the 60s after the Civil War razed much of the buildings. Still stand out by contrast the beautiful forms of the renovated Church of San Juan Bautista.
Another point of interest is the romantic attraction of the ruins of the Sanctuary of the Sanctuary of the Virgen de la Gracia. A former convent of friars located in a remote and secluded place, far from any population among dense pine forests.
Varied route of 40km. with good tracks and varied scenery: thick forest areas and more open areas between olive groves.
This route will take us flanking the rocky parades of the Ports, from Beceite to Arnes, along a mountain track in good condition. On the way we will take a slight detour to contemplate the Toll of Vidre.
Arrived in Arnes we can contemplate the monumental Renaissance building of the town hall with its elegant and stylized porches. Then we will go to the spectacular Estrets d’Arnes. It is a monumental geological composition result of the constant work of water through time has modulated the gorges and pools where the river sought exit to the south from the foothills of the Ports.
Route of 33 km with a cumulative elevation gain of 650 mt on rolling tracks.
After lunch, return to Barcelona
Transportation of participants, luggage and bicycles
Lodging and breakfast
(2 nights)
Dinner (2)
Activity insurance. Tracks and itinerary information
Assistance and maintenance
Guide (in guided mode)
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Roads of Matarranya
