The eery quiet of Teruel

Owing to economic decline, the young have fled rural Spain in recent decades at a rate unequalled elsewhere in

Europe – and nowhere is this trend more extreme than the eastern province of Teruel, says Chris Haslam in The Sunday Times. It’s a disaster in the eyes of many locals, but as nature reclaims tracts of abandoned land, the region’s ever-greater “peace and simplicity” is proving a hit with tourists. Spanish travel writers are already calling it “the new Tuscany”. If you are seeking “a vestige of the ancient Spain”, look no further – but go soon, before its “dragons, castles and buried treasure” give way, as seems likely, to “yoga, craft beers and organic ice cream”.

The provincial capital, also called Teruel, struggles to attract visitors, though it’s beautiful and ancient. Its “bejewelled” Mudéjar towers (built by Moorish craftsmen for Christian clients) are wonderful, and it has more wine bars per capita than any other city in Spain. There’s “magnificent” hiking country nearby – try the “child-friendly” path through the gorge of the Guadalaviar river, or the more challenging Gallocanta trail in the Santa Cruz mountains. Elsewhere, there are 11 castles built by the Knights Templar, and delightful hot springs in the “dazzling” gorge of Montanejos. The region’s only “hip” hotels are La Trufa Negra, Aldea Roqueta and Hotel Consolación; decent traditional options include El Convent 1613, the Hotel Los Leones, and the Hostal Los Palacios. Finally, down on the coast in neighbouring Castellón province is the “charming” resort of Peñíscola, where Xavier Grunder’s 500-year-old inn, Dios Está Bien, is a delightful secret “yet to be uncovered”.