Day Trips in Catalonia: Exploring Castle Miravet

On our other day off from the volunteer work we've been doing at the campground of Casa Valerosa, we took a daytrip to visit the nearby castle of Miravet. Jaded as [I am ashamed to admit] we sometimes are, we debated on whether the gasoline expense of driving the bulky jeep during the hour round-trip would be worth the experience.
A view of the castle as we approach the city on foot after getting off the ferry.
It was.

May we never fool ourselves with presupposed apathy again.
Here comes the cute non-engined ferry that could. I want this guy's job, just not when it rains.
The ferry could accommodate two vehicles. Did I mention the awesomeness of being allowed to use Valerie's jeep?
Walking up toward Castillo Miravet
And this is why you love Europe.
Castle Miravet keeps watch over an adorable town of the name Miravet, and parts of its Moorish walls date back to the 11th century.
I think I get why they wanted the castle here.
This is one of the arrow-shooting slits. Better be a good aim.
Since then, it has been occupied by the Knights of Templar, the Hospitallers, and various armies. It has been besieged during wartime as recently as the 1800s, where Liberal and Carlist forces jockeyed for occupation, and then during the Spanish Civil war during the early 1900s.
A view of the castle's inner court

The unfinished ruins of the dining hall, whose construction was halted due to probable poor design.
The austere church section was added when the castle came under Templar rule. 
Sometimes we get stuck on the thought of whether seeing something new will be worth the cost and effort. We are on a pretty tight budget, after all. But after seeing the castle, it's much easier to remind myself of the idea that more often than not, paying 10-or-so euros to see the beautiful things that the locals recommend are the experiences that nostalgia is made of.
Aren't we so regal?

We packed a lunch (which, I'll mention, we ate while sitting atop one of the castle guard towers), so at the end of the day our only expenses were three euros to cross the river on a line-run ferry and about ten euros on gasoline.

A thirteen-euro day, folks. And I'm not going to make a "priceless" remark here about the sights we saw, but I think you know where I'm going with this...
Some juxtaposition of old and new...a couple men work on a church that sits across from the castle.
Soon we're headed to Southern Spain to meet up with John's family, and I'm lucky to say that I'm looking forward to it...stay tuned!
A final look at the view and the arrow slots that were used in the olden days

3 comments:

  1. Almost as regal as those elegant flamingos (I almost wrote flamenco...) -- Hola and Ole! Still dreaming of the winding streets and patios filled with Seville orange trees...Sukie xo

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  2. Wow. That was a beautiful post.
    Jess.
    http://heartnmindramble.blogspot.co.uk/

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    Replies
    1. Thank you! Can't wait to read up on your experience in Scotland--good luck with those crazy accents!

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