On my last road trip through Spain, I focused mostly on visiting and photographing lesser-known towns that are not on most tourist itineraries. One of my favorites was Albarracín.
I truly enjoyed hiking through, around, and even under this sleepy town in the Iberian mountains. The oldest part of the town is the elevated walled city dating back to the mid-1100s. However, there is also a lower part straddling the banks of the Guadalaviar River that flows underneath the walled city. It is not visible here, but there is an archway with a road and walking paths that allow you to travel under the old town.
It only took 20 minutes to wander through town from one side to the other. The streets were narrow and hilly and did not offer many scenic viewpoints. As a result, I spent most of my time hiking outside of the walls to find a vantage point where I could see the entire village.
When I arrived at this overlook looking eastward, it was late afternoon. The higher peaks to the West were already casting part of the valley in shadow, but parts of the city were still harshly illuminated. As I only had 90 minutes until sunset, I decided to set up and wait for softer light. Once the mountains behind me blocked all of the direct light, I started shooting.
The valley was all in shadow, but the ambient light bouncing off the atmosphere still rendered the details below. When the pinkish hue arrived in the East, I think it also added some saturation to the reddish rooftops.
It takes a commitment to visit Albarracín. It is about a 2 1/2 hour drive from Valencia, perhaps 3 hours from Toledo, partially on narrow and winding mountain roads. In my view, it is worth the effort and one of the most picturesque hill towns in Spain.