Southern Aragon: waterfalls, cranes and Mudéjar Teruel
The waterfalls of the Monasterio de Piedra, a lake full of cranes, pink-walled Albarracín and the tiled towers of Teruel.
- Distance
- 291 km (181 mi)
- Driving
- 4 h 01 min
- Suggested days
- 4
- Stops
- 8
- Countries
- Spain
- Updated
- August 16, 2026
At a glance: 4-day road trip of about 291 km (181 mi) with 8 stops, from Zaragoza to Torre de El Salvador. About 4 h 01 min of driving in total.
Route description
From Zaragoza take the A-2 west and turn south at Calatayud for the Monasterio de Piedra, where a walking circuit leads through gardens past waterfalls and into a grotto behind a cascade. Then cross quiet uplands to Daroca, a small town enclosed by kilometres of medieval walls.
South of Daroca lies the Laguna de Gallocanta, a shallow salt lake on a high plateau. In November and February tens of thousands of cranes gather here; watch from the hides around the shore at dawn or dusk. The A-23 then leads on towards Teruel, and a side road climbs to Albarracín.
Albarracín is one of the most striking villages in Spain, with pink-ochre houses hanging over a river gorge and walls climbing the ridge behind. Close by, the Pinares de Rodeno have red sandstone outcrops in pine woods, with short trails to prehistoric rock paintings.
End in Teruel, whose Mudéjar towers and cathedral ceiling, decorated with brick and green and white tiles, are a World Heritage Site; the town is also known for its cured ham. This is high country, very cold in winter with frequent frost, so spring and autumn are best.
Stop-by-stop itinerary
In driving order. Distances are estimates between consecutive stops.
- 1Start
Zaragoza
Spain - 2113 km
Monasterio de Piedra
NatureNuévalos, SpainA former monastery whose gardens hide a string of waterfalls, including the Cola de Caballo and a grotto behind it. The paid walking circuit takes a couple of hours; weekends are busy.
- 340 km
Daroca
Spain - 421 km
Laguna de Gallocanta
NatureGallocanta, SpainA shallow salt lake on a high plateau where tens of thousands of common cranes stop in autumn and late winter. Watch from the hides around the shore at dawn or dusk.
- 580 km
Albarracín
Spain - 69 km
Pinares de Rodeno
NatureBezas, SpainRed sandstone rocks among pine woods near Albarracín, with waymarked trails to prehistoric rock paintings in shelters. Several short walks start from the road to Bezas.
- 727 km
Teruel
Spain - 80 km
Torre de El Salvador
HistoryTeruel, SpainThe finest of Teruel’s Mudéjar towers, decorated with brick patterns and green and white glazed tiles; you can climb inside. Teruel’s Mudéjar monuments are a World Heritage Site.
