Like other small towns in Aragon, Camarena de la Sierra has been recovering population, little by little, in the last five years. An interesting phenomenon that could be changing the trend in some enclaves of the so-called Spain emptiedthanks especially to migratory movements.

And it is that towns like Sierra Camarena offers newcomers a setting they won’t find in big cities. Ideal for lovers of idyllic nature which, in this case, is also nourished by a river and many fountains: there is a reason they call it the town of 100 fountains.

A nature bath in Camarena de la Sierra

If you are one of those who enjoy isolated and rugged landscapes, the surroundings of Camarena de la Sierra may be the answer to your prayers. It is a municipality of almost 80 square kilometers with a population density that does not reach two inhabitants per km2. Located in the valley opened by the waters of the Camarena River, between the high peaks of the Sierra de Javalambre, it is called “de la Sierra” for a reason.

But before enjoying its surroundings on various routes, a tour of the camarenero hamlet that a century ago had up to 900 inhabitants, five times the population today. Its most unique element is the San Cristobal hill o Castillejo on whose eastern slope a good part of the town’s homes are developed. At the top, the castle ruins in which there are the remains of a temple, a tower, as well as a section of the wall that was part of its defensive structure.

But the prize of climbing to the top of the hill is not only in observing the castle up close but in the views of the town and its surroundings: the best way to enjoy the heart of the region of Gúdar-Javalambre.

Also from the top of the hill we can see the St. Matthew’s Church Baroque style, as well as the different styles of the town’s homes, from the most modern apartments of various heights, to the traditional adobe homes that we find on San Mateo Street, the closest to the hill.

For its part, on the church street, in addition to enjoying the sgraffito decoration that houses the interior of the Camarenero parish temple, we can visit the municipal laundry. It is a restored stone building that was built in 1920 to replace the old La Fonsomera laundry located one kilometer from the town, on the Baños road.

Lastly, and indicated for families, it is advisable to approach the so-called Star Gazebo located on the small hill that protects the north of the town. Here we will find one of the many fountains of the municipality along with an information panel of the Route of the Constellations: the ideal place to watch the sunset and welcome the starry sky, which here is truly starry due to the absence of light pollution that we have in cities.

Routes in Camarena de la Sierra: hermitages, fountains and waterfalls

We propose four routes that cover a good part of the municipality of Camarena de la Sierra, enjoying its main natural landmarks, as well as several hermitages and neighboring villages.

Mas de Navarrete Route

A little more than five kilometers north of the town is Mas de Navarrete, a small village of a handful of houses that offer that distinctly rural air that fascinates the urbanite. All of this surrounded by a leafy grove of trees and a ditch of pure water that runs along the main street from the Zarcillo fountain. On the way to Mas de Navarrete we meet various sources more like that of the Fox or that of the Goat.

Route from the Waterfalls to Riodeva

It’s time to tour a stretch of the path of Great Route GR-10 that links the Mediterranean and the Atlantic. There are 16 kilometers with a positive slope of 300 meters that offers us a panorama of the southwest of the municipality, starting with the Hermitage of San Roque and the Spa from Camarena de la Sierra, which is currently closed, but allows you to take water from sources.

After passing the Casa de los Prados, a long descent begins in which we pass through various waterfalls, such as Las Yeguas, Las Ninfas, Virgen Blanca or el Estrecho. The end of this route is in Riodeva, a town in the extreme south of the province of Teruel where Titania is located, one of the different headquarters of Dinopolis in the province.

Route of the Fountains

As a complement to the previous route, we have this long circular route of 24 kilometers that takes us to see two of the most famous fountains in the municipality. On the one hand, the Mankiller Sourcea wonder in the middle of nature, and a little further southwest, the Fountain Honey, also with several stone tables around it, ideal for a snack halfway along the route. On our way back to Camarena, we pass Amanaderos de Riodeva, already in the neighboring municipality, which connects with the waterfalls on the preceding route.

Saint Paul’s Way

To finish, a short way, but full of symbolism since it is the same one that the residents of Camarena walk through in the pilgrimage at the end of June. This leads to the hermitage of Saint Paullocated at almost 1800 meters above sea level.

Camarena is not only a municipality full of fountains, but it is a high-altitude town: less than 20 minutes by car is the Aramón Javalambre station. Surely from the top of the mountain on which the hermitage is located you can see the Javalambre hill that exceeds 2000 meters in altitude: a spectacular panorama of one of the most splendid (and still lonely) regions of Aragon.