The Maestrat is the high, rugged interior of the province of Castellón, a land of limestone plateaus, deep ravines and stone villages that seem to grow out of the rock. Near Benassal, the Barranc del Puig cuts into the hills, and its rock shelters contain prehistoric paintings, part of the UNESCO serial site of the rock art of the Mediterranean Basin. This area is one of the richest in Spain for Levantine rock art, and the nearby Valltorta gorge, between Albocàsser and Tírig, has some of the most famous paintings, including scenes of hunters chasing deer and wild goats. The Valltorta museum in Tírig explains the art and organises visits to the shelters.
The Maestrat was a frontier land during the Reconquista, and the Knights Templar and later the Order of Montesa held castles here. Villages such as Culla, Ares del Maestrat and Benassal have medieval streets, churches and fortifications, and the landscape is dotted with dry-stone walls and masías, isolated farmhouses. Benassal is known for its spring water, the Font d'en Segures, which is bottled and drunk across the region. The area is sparsely populated, and many villages have lost much of their population in the last century.
The riding in the Maestrat is outstanding. The roads wind across the high plateaus and down into the ravines, with tight bends, steep gradients and spectacular views. Traffic is almost nonexistent on many roads, and the surfaces are generally good, though some minor roads can be rough. The CV-15 and the roads toward Morella and Vilafranca are particularly enjoyable. Watch out for gravel on bends, livestock and the occasional deer or wild boar. The altitude, around a thousand metres on the plateaus, keeps temperatures cooler in summer, but winters can be harsh, with snow and ice.
Benassal, about five kilometres away, is a small village with a few cafés and shops, and fuel can be found in some of the larger villages, though distances between stations are long, so plan ahead. Alcalà de Xivert, on the coast, is the nearest town of more than five thousand people, about thirty kilometres away. Local food includes hearty stews, cured meats, and the famous black truffles of the region in winter. Visit the Valltorta museum, ride the mountain roads, and stop in Culla for the view. It is one of the most beautiful and least known corners of Spain.