The Templar Trail

Follow the warrior monks across Spain

Trace the footsteps of the Knights Templar from their western stronghold at Ponferrada through the mountains of Aragón and down to the Mediterranean castles of Catalonia and Valencia. This route connects the greatest Templar fortresses in the Iberian Peninsula.

The Knights Templar arrived in the Iberian Peninsula during the 12th century, drawn by the ongoing Reconquista and the promise of lands to defend. Over the next two centuries, they constructed a network of formidable castles stretching from the rainy mountains of León to the sun-drenched Mediterranean coast. This itinerary follows that network, connecting 16 stops across five autonomous communities and more than 1,000 kilometres of terrain that shifts from Atlantic green to Aragonese steppe to coastal limestone.

Beginning at Ponferrada — the Templars' western headquarters, where they guarded the Camino de Santiago — the trail moves east through the Castilian meseta before climbing into the Aragonese Pre-Pyrenees. Here, at Monzón Castle, the young King Jaume I was raised under Templar tutelage, a fact that would reshape the entire western Mediterranean. The route then descends through the Ebro Valley to Miravet, where the last Spanish Templars made their defiant stand in 1308, refusing to surrender even after the Pope dissolved the Order.

Finally, the trail follows the Levantine coast south through a chain of fortresses — Peñíscola, Xivert, and Montesa — that the Order of Montesa inherited when the Templar lands were redistributed. Every castle on this route preserves tangible evidence of the warrior-monks: from chapel crypts and defensive tunnels to the enigmatic graffiti they carved into dungeon walls during their imprisonment. This is one of Europe's most complete Templar pilgrimage routes, rivalling anything in France or Portugal.

Stops on this route

1. Ponferrada Castle — The Templars' western headquarters in Spain, guarding pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago
2. Frías — Spain's smallest city, a medieval town perched on a rocky outcrop with a dramatic fortified bridge
3. Burgos Castle — The Castilian capital's hilltop fortress overlooking the Gothic cathedral
4. Ucero Castle — Templar castle guarding the entrance to the mysterious Lobos River canyon
5. Monzón Castle — Where the young King Jaume I was raised by Templars from age 6 — pivotal to the Crown of Aragón
6. Loarre Castle — Spain's finest Romanesque fortress, rising 1,070m above the Aragonese plains
7. Alquézar — Medieval village dramatically perched above the Río Vero canyon in the Sierra de Guara
8. Gardeny Castle — Templar commandery overlooking Lleida — the order's administrative hub for eastern Spain
9. Miravet Castle — The last Templar holdout in Spain, where knights resisted arrest for 11 months in 1308
10. Miravet Village — Traditional Ebro ferry crossing with the castle reflected in the water — iconic Catalan image
11. Siege of Tortosa (1148) — Templars helped Ramon Berenguer IV conquer this key Ebro fortress, opening the road to Valencia
12. Siurana — Last Moorish stronghold in Catalonia — legend says the queen leapt from the cliff rather than surrender
13. Peñíscola Castle — Templar castle that later housed the antipope Benedict XIII, jutting into the Mediterranean
14. Xivert Castle — Combined Moorish-Templar fortress with both Arabic and Romanesque architectural layers visible
15. Montesa Castle — Headquarters of the Order of Montesa, which inherited all Templar properties in Valencia
16. Knights Templar — The full history of the Templars in Spain — from arrival in 1131 to dissolution in 1312

Practical information

A car is essential for this route. The western section (Ponferrada to Burgos) follows well-maintained national roads. The Aragonese section requires mountain driving with occasional narrow passes. Accommodation ranges from paradors in castles to rural casas rurales. Book ahead in July–August. Most castles charge €3–6 entry. The Miravet ferry crossing operates daily and is a highlight.

Terrain: Atlantic oak forests → Castilian meseta → Aragonese Pre-Pyrenees → Ebro river valley → Mediterranean limestone coast