Monasterio de Piedra: Gardens of lush beauty

I have led many tours, in many occasions, to places I was visiting for the first time myself, which is obvious and natural if you think about it (“nobody is born knowing” we say in Spain, and, after all, only practice makes perfect), and a significant part of my job involves thorough research and preparation to ensure, among other things, that such circumstance doesn’t show. Even if you understood it, much of the magic I strive to transmit through my work would be lost and nobody wants that, so I am very used to tread confidently and knowingly unknown trails, trusting my skills and previous preparation. And still, every now and then, a place surprises you and knock’s you off your pace. The actual beauty of the Gardens of El Monasterio de Piedra caught me embarrassingly unaware and produced one such situation first time I engaged it.
You see, this place is topic in Spain, one of those romantic sites nearly everybody has been to in that trip the pictures of which they threaten with showing you (all 600 of them) every odd reunion (right over coffee, before you have had time to make a remark on how late it’s getting for that important business you have this afternoon). Because of this, most people underestimate it or just rub it off with a shrug. I did so, too and didn’t pay due attention to graphic reference material; as a result, most of that first walk we had around this idyllic place it was all I could do not to stare open mouthed at its cascades, pools and caverns.
This place translates to English as Monastery of Stone and owes it’s name not to the materials of the actual building but to the river Piedra (“Stone”) that runs through the surrounding private natural park, creating the wonders I have mentioned. The monastery itself was founded in 1197 by some Cistercian monks come from Poblet, in the Catalonian region, and is a nice mixture of Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque elements; have a go and visit it while you are there, if you have time, but keep in mind that the park is the jackpot, and it will take you the best part of three hours to trail it exhaustively. The monastery and its gardens stand in an area of small hills and valleys at the end of a winding old road, near medium sized town of Calatayud and close to much smaller village of Nuevalos, about 3 hours drive from Madrid or 1,5 from Zaragoza, capital of the Aragonese region. You will have to take a few detours from the highway, so make sure you’ve done your home work or GPS is connected. If you don’t have a car, best option is to take a bus from Zaragoza (most days of the week there is one in the morning and one back at around 5 pm, more or less 15 € return ticket).
You will be given a map of the park which helps to identify and find easily the best spots. Arrow signals (red to go deeper into the gardens, blue to find your way out) along with the map will hopefully make sure you don’t get lost. From the furthest point inside the park it can easily take you more than one hour to get back out. The park descends to the lowest part of a narrow valley, following the river in a few spectacular jumps like the 50 meters high Tail of the Horse: you don’t want to miss this: once you locate this one, find, close by it, a very steep tunnelled stair, it will take you down to a huge moss covered cavern behind the actual waterfall. This was the very feature that made me lose my step and stare tantalized for a couple of minutes before I realized one person from the tour was asking me something and I was ignoring him completely. Luckily for me I am very enthusiastic in all my lectures and trips and it shows when something fascinates me, even if I have seen it a dozen times, so my “No matter how many times I have come here, it still captivates me” sounded very natural for most witnesses. Judging by the wink of his eye and the cunning smile, though, I don’t think I fooled the guy involved. Down in the valley you will pass some artificial piscifactory pools into a gorge that surrounds the Mirror Lake and the Devil’s Crag. On your way there and the rest of the park you will find beautiful corners with evoking names like Diana’s Bath, Trinity Falls, the Panther’s Cave or the Sombre Waterfall.
As a last recommendation, best place to have lunch is a very nice restaurant about a mile off the Monastery by the same road you got there. It’s called the Mirador.

More info:

http://www.monasteriodepiedra.es/

http://www.estacion-zaragoza.com/

http://www.restaurantemirador.com/index2.htm

More photos:

http://www.fotoviaja.com/2007/01/11/zaragoza-monasterio-de-piedra