Routes in Spain that will awaken the adventurer in you

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From ancient caves to abandoned castles on top of mountains, Spain is a country full of hidden corners that invite the most intrepid to explore its secrets. On this journey, we take you down trails less traveled, where every step will make you feel like an adventurer in search of hidden relics, forgotten stories and landscapes that seem straight out of a legend. Prepare your compass and your indomitable spirit: The treasure awaits you.

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Holy Chalice in the Cathedral of Valencia

The Holy Grail Route

Surely you have seen the movie “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” in which they search for the Holy Grail. What if we told you that this “treasure” is in Spain? Legend has it that the Holy Grail travelled from Jerusalem to the city of Valencia. Specifically, the relic that the Church recognises as the Chalice that was in the hands of Jesus Christ at the Last Supper is kept in the Valencia Cathedral. The city is home to a route that follows in the footsteps of the Holy Grail.But before reaching Valencia, it is said that the Holy Grail was hidden in several places in Spain. Among them, the Monastery of San Juan de la Peña (in Huesca, Aragon). If you decide to visit this monastery nestled in a mountain in the Aragonese Pyrenees, you are bound to be fascinated by the cloisters carved into the rock, the aura of mystery and the views on offer. You will feel like you are in a movie full of historical enigmas.
A western in the Tabernas desert

The Tabernas Desert (in Almería) is considered the only true desert area in Europe. It is also famous for having set the scene for numerous westerns. Did you know that “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” was filmed in that area, for example? Sign up for a 4x4 excursion where you will be shown the places where characters such as “El Manco”, “Indiana Jones” or “The Dothrakis” went on their adventures.If you are travelling with children, another plan that will delight the little adventurers is to visit the theme park MiniHollywood Oasys. You feel like a character from a western as you take a stroll, watch cancan dancers and visit the sheriff's office.
Auditorium in Los Verdes cave © CACT Lanzarote

Journey to the centre of the Earth

If you too have put yourself in the shoes of an explorer scientist by reading the adventures of this novel by Jules Verne, there is a place on the Canary Island of Lanzarote that will fascinate you. Cueva de los Verdes: A cave that is almost eight kilometres long and is made up of tunnels and interior lagoons that seem straight out of a fiction book. It is actually part of a volcanic tube that was created after an eruption approximately 4,000 years ago. The underwater area here is known as the “Tunnel of Atlantis” and is one of the biggest volcanic tunnels in the world. Dare to explore the nooks and crannies of this cave thanks to the guided tours that are organised. The dancing lights created here offer impressive surprises…There are more examples of Spanish caves that will awaken your exploratory spirit. For example, Cueva del Tesoro in Rincón de la Victoria (Málaga). The name already suggests adventure. And even more so when you know that it is one of only three known caves of marine origin in the world. Perhaps, with luck, like the protagonists of pirate films, you will find the famous treasure that they say is hidden there.
Las Médulas Roman gold mine, León

In search of the gold of the ancient Roman Empire

Did you know that the largest open-pit gold mine of the ancient Roman Empire is in Spain? Las Médulas, an incredible site in El Bierzo (León) declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site where the Romans mined tonnes of soil in search of this precious metal. On a guided tour, you can imagine yourself a treasure hunter and enter one of the greatest engineering works of antiquity. This landscape of reddish mountains hides 400 kilometres of canals, some of which exceed 100 kilometres in length. It is also possible to explore the area by 4x4!
Los Templarios Castle. Ponferrada

Following the trail of the Templars

Let us now travel back several centuries to the time when the Knights Templar became one of the most powerful organisations of the Middle Ages and accumulated wealth and fortifications. It is said that by the year 1300 the Order of the Temple had a network of 870 castles throughout the Christian West. In Spain, the Templars are said to have left their mark in a variety of different places, with three worth particular mention.Take Ponferrada Castle (León), where the Templars were tasked with protecting pilgrims passing by on the Camino de Santiago. On the other hand, the Monzón Castle (Huesca), where the future King James I of Aragon was educated. Not to be missed on this list is Peñíscola Castle (Castellón), which, as well as being known for its Templar past, was where Antipope Benedict XIII resided during his exile.Do you dare to unravel the mysteries hidden behind the walls of these castles?
Alhambra of Granada, Andalusia

The Alhambra, espionage and hidden secrets

In addition to being one of the most famous and beautiful monuments in Spain, many of the corners of the Alhambra are shrouded in legends that Washington Irving was able to capture like no one else in his “Tales of the Alhambra”. Many have an atmosphere of intrigue and betrayal that you might come to expect of a spy movie.If you want to feel like the protagonist of one of these films, lose yourself in the corridors of this place to awaken your imagination. If you want an example of its legends... One has it that in the Sala de los Abencerrajes, a Nasrid sultan, who suspected that his wife was having an affair with another man, invited all his knights to a banquet in this hall and ordered for them to be killed. But the Comares Tower, the Patio de los Arrayanes and the Tower of the Captive are also settings for Irving's stories.
Menga Dolmen. Antequera

One of the most enigmatic structures of prehistory

In Antequera, in the heart of Andalusia, is one of the largest prehistoric dolmens in Europe: the Menga dolmen, a megalithic tomb more than 5,500 years old. One feature that makes it particularly special is that, rather than facing the sun, as is usually the case, the entrance to the dolmen points to the so-called “Lovers' Rock”, whose name can be traced to the legend of a tragic love story in which a couple threw themselves from the top of the rock as they were prohibited from being together. Find out all the myths hidden away here during your visit.