SPAIN

Maestrazgo –Labyrinth of Silence (self-guided tour)

Ref. number: - Last edited by: VK, 06/11/09

Guaranteed departure dates for 2010: 01 March - 30 November Ref. number: - ( Anytime if the requirement for the minimum group size is fulfilled) Last edited by: VK, 11/11/09

This is an exciting journey between the visit the “Grutas de Cristal” (not included Day 4: Pitarque -La Cañada de highlands of Castellón and , in a in the price). You stay overnight in Benatanduz wild, mountainous landscape of strong Molinos. You start on a path along a shady contrasts; peaks and ravines, /dinner/ gully (cliff) to the source of the river rivers and moorlands. With the Pitarque. Maples, walnuts and hazel protagonism of its medieval villages Day 2: Molinos--Montoro de trees constitute one of best founded by the this land Mezquita Mediterranean river bank forests of will gradually reveal its culture, life and Today you will observe the transition the area. You will pass a small hydro past. You will soon find yourself lost in the between the low and the high electric power station with its maze of narrow streets of , . Lonely hillsides, covered defences built against the attacks of and Molinos. Here you will with thyme, rosemary, lavander, and the maquis - resistance enjoy your time for walking, contemplation mixed forests of pine and oak await you against Franco which fought from or a chat with friends. All you need is the along the route. Walking through the 1949 to1954. Go on to La Cañada de will to have a good time! ravine of the river Guadalopillo you reach Benatanduz. You will enjoy the Ejulve village, with its old mills of flour beauty of one of the most isolated Special highlights: now in ruins. You have a short transfer to areas of . You stay overnight in - Los Molinos was once a milling center Montoro de Mezquita (20 min.) On the La Cañada de Benatanduz. where farmers would bring their harvest way you will visit a huge geological rock Walking distance: 15.5 km. via donkey to be ground. The valley is structure with the shape of church Walking time: 5 hours scattered with abandoned buildings, a few organs (instrument). You stay overnight /breakfast, dinner/ old mills and caves with troughs for the in Montoro de Mezquita (10 inhabitants), animals, who often slept there with their hidden away at the bottom of a beautiful Day 5: La Cañada de Benatanduz- owners while waiting their turn in the busy valley. Cantavieja season´s overnight queue. Walking distance: 19 km. Today you walk in the high parts of Walking time: 5 hours Maestrazgo with an altitude of 1700 Itinerary: /breakfast, dinner/ m. The landscape is painted by pine forest and alpine grass. Also it is the Day 1: You arrive in Barcelona and then Day 3: Montoro de Mezquita - Pitarque area with most historical buildings in by public transport reach (if it is Follow the path used by the pilgrims to the district, there are six more convenient you may travel to Alcaniz San Pedro's Hermitage. You cross municipalities declared of Historical- town instead). You will find detailed mountain ranges running parallel with artistic interest. You stay overnight in bus/train schedules in the road book. A each other and intersected with little Cantavieja. private transfer might be arranged upon valleys and streams, with short but steep Walking distance: 17.5 km, request (410 EUR). ascents and descents.. You reach walking time: 5.5 hours Here you meet our agent who will give you Pitarque, where you stay overnight. /breakfast, dinner/ the maps, vouchers, road book and all the Walking distance: 11 km. needed information for the trip. You have Walking time: 4 hours transfer to Molinos – a small village (170 /breakfast, dinner/ inhabitants). In the afternoon you may take a walk along its gothic little square and church (15th century). You may also Penguin Travel DMC-Bulgaria 1 Address: 9 Orfej Str., 1421 Sofia, BULGARIA; Phone: +35924001050; E-mail: [email protected] Day 6: Cantavieja Weather: Good physical condition is required. Free day: you may rest in the village or In April, May and the first half of June the In order to achieve it we advise you to take a walk around . mornings and evenings are fresh, the start walking, jogging or cycling You stay overnight in Cantavieja afternoons are sunny with ideal everyday. Swimming a couple of /breakfast, dinner/ temperatures for walking, with possible times a week is also highly occasional fresh spring rains. recommended. You do not need Day 7: Cantavieja-Mirambel In September and October the weather is much to get yourself in shape. And The landscape this day is devoid of wood dry and warm, with possible significant don't forget that the most important tip or forest as they drop in temperatures in the end of the for an unforgettable active holiday is were cut down in the XVI century to period. to choose a trip which corresponds to provide more pasture for sheep as the your physical condition! area was thriving The price includes: B: Moderate Most of you, who are economically from wool. You stay Half board on twin share used to walking during a long overnight in Mirambel, a beautiful accommodation, all transfers as weekend, will be in condition to cope medieval village with stone structures, described in the program, luggage with a tour of this level. You should decorated with bold transport, map and detailed route notes, be in good health condition and not wooden eaves. 24 hrs assistance by our local agent, too bad physical condition. We have Walking distance: 14 km, VAT 7% successive days of longer and more Walking time: 5 hours difficult walking and days of lighter /breakfast, dinner/ The price does not include: walking. Some parts of the day routes Flight tickets, transport to local start point are done at a higher altitude. The Day 8: Departure (Alcorisa) and to Barcelona airport, paths are in good condition. We walk You will have a transfer to Alcorisa and lunches, alcohol, cigarettes, other for 5-7h a day. You are free to skip from there you to Barcelona by public personal expenses some walks and have a rest. transport. A private transfer directly to ======Barcelona might be arranged upon Price of extra services: Equipment and clothing: request (appr. 410 EUR). Visit to Cristal Caves (5 eur/person) You should always remember that Walking day around La Iglesuela del Cid you must try to keep the weight of DETAILED ROAD BOOK AND MAP - 25 EUR return transfer (1-4 people). your clothing equipment down to a WILL BE PROVIDED BY E-MAIL Private transfer from/to Barcelona: 410 minimum. Your packed rucksack EUR should weigh no more than 10-15 Accommodation & luggage kilograms. transportation: GENERAL Recommended items: waterproof You stay overnight in small ======rucksack (60 l) & daypack (35 l); rural hotels and Casa Rurales. These are TOUR TYPES & GRADES walking waterproof boots with old buildings that have been converted for We provide different varieties of tours as suitable ankle support; light casual tourist accommodation. Breakfast and regards to their types and difficulty shoes for walking and/or for dinner are included every day in the hotel grades! Whether you will choose travelling; gaiters; loose, casual or a local restaurant. Accommodation is in individual and group tours with a guide or trousers for trekking; waterproof double rooms with private facilities. combined tours with a guide for some trousers; fleece windstopper jacket; Your luggage is transferred for you daily to part of the trip depends on you. We windproof, waterproof outer shell your next hotel so that you can enjoy the emphasize on using local experienced garment (breathable if possible!); hat walking with just a day pack. guides with knowledge of the local for sun protection; sunglasses with language, culture, history, art, etc. The UV protection; sunscreen lotion and Tour type: IT tours are conducted in the English lip balm; torch (headlamp), water language. Guides in other languages are bottle, trekking sticks. Difficulty grade: B available upon request. ======Tour types Our tours are divided in Vaccination Group size: Minimum 1 person different tour types, regardless of being Immunisation against Hepatitis A is guided or not or if someone travels alone recommended two weeks prior Best period: Year round except for June or in a group. We have prepared your departure. Check latest requirements and July, when the weather is too hot. vacation so that you can concentrate on with your travel clinic or doctor prior to new impressions and experiences, departure. Equipment and clothing awaiting you all the time. Here is a ======Nothing is compulsory. For the full list with description of the various tours: Money and personal expenses: recommended items see “General”. IT: Individual tours There is no guide You will need some extra money to on this tour. You travel individually and cover meals, drinks and extra trips General remarks: we are responsible for the hotel not included in the tour price. The The route often follows the route of long overnights and /some/ transfers. Euro is Spain’s official currency. distance path GR-8. You will walk on Sometimes you will travel together with Money can be changed in any bank, footpaths and drovers routes used for other people. If you wish a guide can be and at most travel agencies, major generations by villagers and farmers. The arranged, if ordered. We take it for hotels and airports. American paths are of good quality but rough granted that you can read maps, Express, Diners Club, MasterCard underfoot in places. A walking day would provided by us. and Visa are widely accepted. ATMs normally be between 4 to 7 hours long. ------are widely available. International Altitude gain is between 300 to 780 m. Difficulty grades To prepare yourself for traveller's cheques are widely There are no vertiginous sections. the best of your vacation we recommend accepted. To avoid additional that you start planning it in an advance. exchange rate charges, travellers are

Penguin Travel DMC-Bulgaria 2 Address: 9 Orfej Str., 1421 Sofia, BULGARIA; Phone: +35924001050; E-mail: [email protected] advised to take traveller's cheques in Languages: Castilian Spanish (official) Euros or Pounds Sterling. Traveller's 74%, Catalan 17%, Galician 7%, Basque cheques should be changed at banks or 2%, are official regionally exchange bureaux. Protected areas: 13 National Parks, and Below are some examples of costs in hundreds of Natural parks, reserves and Spain (NB: prices in mid-range other protected areas restaurants!): ======- Coffee – 1.5 € Weather: - Tea – 1.5 € The climate is Mediterranean of half - Beer - 1 € mountain / Mediterranean continental. - Soft drink – 1€ This means contrasts in temperatures - Bottle of water - 0.6 € depending on height, time of the day and - Bottle of good quality local red wine (0,75 exposure: sunshine or shady areas. l) – 8-10 € In winter: temperature can reach -20 ºC - Three-course lunch – 10-15 € although the range goes between 10 to - Lunch pack – 5 € 13 ºC. The springs are of soft/warm with ======sunny morning and fresh afternoons Cell phone coverage: with temperatures from about 18 to 22ºC. Roaming agreements exist with most The hottest months go of middle of June international mobile phone companies. until nearly final of August with Coverage is good throughout most of the temperatures reaching 38 ºC at the sun, country. softened in the highest areas (above the ======1000 m of height) September and Electricity October are very similar to April and May The standard current in Spain is 220 volts but fresher and less sunny. but it is common in older places to find the In general rainfalls are scarce with rainier old 115 volt supply. Both systems use periods in the months of April and May and plugs with two round pins. Travel adaptors in the end of October and November. can be purchased to convert plugs from other countries. Many appliances in Spain are not earthed and it is common to find electric sockets in bathrooms, near water supplies so extreme care should be excercised. In rural areas supply is often interrupted during storms. You can bring your electrical goods to Spain from the UK but not 110V appliances from the USA. ======Brief about Spain: Territory – 504 782 sq km Borders: North – Atlantic ocean, North East: France (623), Andorra (63.7 km), East & South – Mediterranean sea, Gibraltar (1.2 km), West: Portugal (1,214 km Coastline: 4,964 km Terrain: large, flat to dissected plateau surrounded by rugged hills; Pyrenees in north Elevation extremes: lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m, highest point: Pico de Teide (Tenerife) on Canary Islands 3,718 m, longest river: Tagus (part) – 1 010 km Population – 40,448,191 (July 2007 est.) Capital city - Madrid (5 603 292) Largest metropolitan areas – Madrid (5 603 292), Barcelona (5 328 395), Valencia (1 465 081), Sevilla (1 294 081), Malaga (1 019 292) etc. Ethnic composition – Spanish – 72,3 %, Catalan – 16,3 %, Galician 8,1 %, Basque – 2,3 %, others – 1 % Religion - Roman Catholic 94%, other 6% Major resources – fruit and vegetable crops, coal, iron ore, mercury, uranium, fisheries, tourism

Penguin Travel DMC-Bulgaria 3 Address: 9 Orfej Str., 1421 Sofia, BULGARIA; Phone: +35924001050; E-mail: [email protected]