Port of Ares - Morella

Morella is probably the most impressive medieval town in the entire Valencia region and yet remains relatively unknown outside the northern Castellón counties. Perched atop a hill at 1,000 metres altitude, completely surrounded by two kilometres of 14th-century walls still intact, crowned by a fortress castle that seems to literally merge with the mountain, Morella is one of those towns that leaves you speechless the first time you see it — especially from the CV-14 ascent. The silhouette of the castle and the church of Santa María outlined against the Maestrazgo sky is probably one of the five most striking medieval views in all of Spain.

What makes Morella unique in the history of Valencia is the role it played during the Carlist Wars of the 19th century. The town served as the operational headquarters of General Ramón Cabrera, ‘the Tiger of the Maestrazgo’, throughout the First Carlist War (1833–1840), and from here he exercised military control over the whole of northern Valencia and southern Aragon for years. Morella’s walls, its castle and its strategic position made it a virtually impregnable fortress, and it only surrendered after a siege lasting several months, when there was very little hope left for the Carlists. General Cabrera’s legacy is still felt in the town: there are streets, monuments and a small museum dedicated to that turbulent period.

The Ares Pass (1,140 m), where the CV-15 climbs up from the coast, is one of the highest tarmac-surfaced mountain passes in the whole of the Valencian Community and one of the least well-known among motorcyclists from the north of the peninsula. The road – built in the 1950s as a strategic route to link the coast with the interior – cuts through desolate limestone moorland where the altitude makes itself felt: the wind blows constantly, the pine forests give way to junipers and high-altitude savin oaks, and in winter there can be snow for weeks on end. The climb is long (more than 30 km of continuous ascent), technical and utterly solitary: it is entirely possible to drive the entire length without seeing another vehicle.

The Teruel Maestrazgo, just north of Morella, shares a characteristic unique in all of Spain with its Valencian counterpart: it is the most depopulated and least developed region on the entire eastern side of the peninsula. Entire villages where only ten or fifteen winter residents remain, medieval stone houses abandoned in perfect condition, empty regional roads winding through plateaus and ravines. For the curious rider, this is a treasure: here you can ride for a full hour without encountering anyone, stop at any viewpoint, take impossible photographs, and have the absolute sensation of being in a forgotten corner of the world.

Motorcycling tip: the Ares Pass may be covered in ice and snow from November to April, so it’s best to check beforehand. The best time to visit is from May to October. Fill up as much as possible in Castellón before heading up: petrol stations are very few and far between further inland. For a bite to eat, in Morella, the Vinatea Restaurant (on a side street in the old town) serves roast lamb and local truffles from the Maestrazgo at reasonable prices. And a tip: if you’re visiting in winter and are lucky enough to be in Morella on market day (Thursday or Sunday), the town’s medieval atmosphere is heightened by the market stalls in the Plaza Mayor and the locals mingling with the few tourists. It’s one of those experiences that’s hard to come by in modern Spain.