The Matarraña, or Matarranya in Catalan, is the corner of Teruel that tourism brochures like to call Spain's Tuscany, and for once the comparison is not silly. Olive groves and almond orchards climb rolling hills topped by stone villages with church towers, while to the south the limestone wall of the Ports de Beseit rises abruptly, cut by gorges and clear rivers. Near the village of Fuentespalda, a painted shelter called Els Figuerals adds this valley to the long UNESCO roll of Iberian rock art.
Valderrobres, the main town of the area, is one of the most beautiful villages in Aragón, with a medieval bridge over the Matarraña river leading through a gateway into the old town, and a castle and Gothic church crowning the hill. Beceite, further south, is the gateway to the Parrizal, a narrow gorge with a wooden walkway above the river, and to rock pools where locals swim in summer. The area is bilingual, with Catalan spoken alongside Spanish, and has a long tradition of olive oil and cured ham.
The roads around here are a delight, with smooth tarmac, little traffic and constant curves through hills and valleys. Short loops link Valderrobres, Fuentespalda, Monroyo, Peñarroya de Tastavins and Beceite, with views of the Ports mountains and stone villages, and the route towards Morella in the Maestrazgo of Castellón is one of the great motorcycle roads of eastern Spain. Watch out for gravel on bends, especially after rain, and for wild boar at dusk. Summer days are hot, but evenings are cool, and spring and autumn are perfect.
Fuentespalda is a small village, so for fuel head to Valderrobres or one of the larger towns. Many villages have a bar or a small dining room offering rabbit with snails and garlic mayonnaise, and pastries made with almonds and honey. The local olive oil, from the Empeltre variety, is soft and fruity, perfect on toasted bread with tomato. Bring water and sturdy shoes for the walk to the rock shelters, which often involves steep paths, and check whether a guide is needed.