Top 5 Best Things to See and Do in Teruel, Spain

El Torico in Teruel, taken in the middle of the town's harsh winter - copyright Enrique Matías Sánchez, Creative Commons

Teruel in north-eastern Spain in the province of Aragon is both a province and a capital city. With over 230 small towns and villages in the entire province, more than a quarter of the population lives in the capital. In recent years, Teruel has become much more popular with tourists in both summer and winter — summer for the superb weather and interesting things to see and do, and winter because of Teruel’s excellent ski resorts.

Although not as popular as Benidorm or Barcelona, Teruel still has its charms and, with so many things to see and do, you could spend a few weeks here and not see everything.

On your next visit to Teruel though, make sure you check out these top five best things to see and do — you won’t be disappointed.

Rubielos de Mora – Don’t miss visiting the stunning town of Rubielos de Mora. One of the most beautiful villages in Teruel, Rubielos de Mora has interesting architecture, several important churches, palaces and an old convent. You can also see part of the old city wall, with a tower still attached to it. The town is more popular with Spanish tourists than with foreigners, so you get much more of a feel of traditional Spain here too.

Teruel Cathedral – Teruel Cathedral is part of four churches recognized by UNESCO as part of the World Heritage Site Mudéjar Architecture of Aragon. This 12th century cathedral is built in the ornate Mudéjar style, and is one of the best examples of this type of architecture in Spain.

Dinópolis Teruel – Teruel is known for its dinosaur remains, being the site of some of the oldest ever found on the Iberian Peninsula. That’s why you’ll find a theme park and museum called Dinópolis Teruel, on the outskirts of the capital city, which even has a 3D movie theater, and a life-size model of a Tyrannosaurus rex – and yes, it’s huge. If you’re with the whole family, the kids will love it.

El Torico (The Little Bull) – Don’t miss visiting El Torico, or The Little Bull. He’s a small statue of a bull that’s located in the town’s main square, the Plaza del Torico. El Torico is Teruel’s good luck symbol, so no visit to Teruel is complete without seeing him. He’s cute too.

Eat Jamón Serrano – Teruel is famous for its jamón serrano, or cured ham, and people come from miles around to buy it.  Don’t miss eating at least one meal at one of Teruel’s restaurants, and seeing for yourself why this ham is so famous.  Portal del Carmen in Rubielos de Mora is one of the notable restaurants in the area, particularly if you’re looking for authentic Teruelian cuisine.