Morella

Member of Los Pueblos más Bonitos de España

Morella's great festival, the Sexenni, comes round once every six years: nine days of processions and guild dances in late August giving thanks for the end of a 17th-century plague. The town covers a hill at almost 1,000 metres below its castle, still enclosed by 2.5 km of medieval walls that can only be entered through the gates. Ramón Cabrera's Carlists once made it their headquarters.

Highlights

Morella Castle, built on Iberian and Roman foundations, with wide views (ES)
Santa María la Mayor: Apostles' doorway, spiral choir stair, 14th-century glass
Dance of Death fresco in the chapter house of the Convent of Sant Francesc
The Gothic aqueduct of Santa Llúcia
Flaons and mantecadas from the local bakeries

Text adapted from Wikipedia (Morella, Morella, Spain), Wikivoyage (Morella). Available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Population: 2,501

Things to see

Events through the year

San Julián Religious · 7 JanuaryFeast of the town's patron saint
San Antonio Religious · Weekend after 17 January
Carnaval Seasonal · Carnival
Corpus Christi Religious · Corpus Christi (late May or June)
Rogativa a Vallivana Religious · First weekend of May, except Sexenni yearsPilgrimage to the sanctuary of the Virgin of Vallivana
San Juan Seasonal · Saturday nearest 24 June
Bous de San Roque Seasonal · First Sunday after 15 August, not in Sexenni years
Sexenni Religious · Every six years, nine days in late August · every 6 yearsVirgin of Vallivana procession; town guilds perform old dances
Fira de Morella Fairs and markets · Second weekend of September

Dates follow the traditional patterns in our sources: check locally before you travel.

Adapted from Wikipedia (Morella, Morella, Spain). Available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Local food & wine

XufancFlaons de morella1 CC BY-SA 3.0
FlaonsSweetPastry made with cinnamon, cheese and almonds
Diego DelsoTuber melanosporum - trufa negra, Ágreda, España CC BY-SA 3.0
Black truffleLocal produceHighly valued, traded at seasonal markets in winter
Olla de recapteDishStew of chickpeas, cecina, chicken and potatoes
Boca DoradaCecina CC BY-SA 2.0
CecinaCured meat
TamorlanTernascoAragonDO-PiernaPublic domain
TernascoDish
Goat and sheep cheesesCheeseCured locally, typical of the comarca

Adapted from Wikipedia (Morella, Spain, Morella), Wikivoyage (Morella). Available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Where to sleep

8 places to stay within 3 km

Hotels 5
B&Bs and guest houses 1
Hostels 1
Campsites 1

Thermal baths nearby

Hot spring: Pozo de San Valero · ~54 min by car
Hot spring: Font del Foix · ~1 h 30 by car

Nearby member villages

Mirambel · 21 km
Cantavieja · 28 km
Culla · 32 km
Valderrobres · 36 km
La Fresneda · 37 km