WITH yet another heatwave pushing the mercury above 40C, many people in Spain are dreaming of cooler climes.
While Spain’s northwestern corner has escaped the brunt of the high temperatures, there are more options than a trip to Galicia or Asturias to find a respite from the scorching sun.
The place in Spain that has officially been declared the town with the lowest temperatures during summer is actually located in rural Teruel province in east-central Spain, roughly halfway between Madrid and Valencia as the crow flies.
Griegos, in the Sierra de Albarracin, is the second highest town in Spain sitting at an altitude of 1,604 metres and only beaten by Valdelinares, a town about two hours drive east within the same province.
In Griegos, the thermometer can often drop to 0C, even in August, and a duvet is most definitely required.
To those in the scorched plains of central Spain or the humid south or east, that probably sounds blissful. But don’t all rush there at once.
Griegos has little tourist accommodation within the village itself, except a private home offered for rental on Booking.com, although on the outskirts of the town surrounded by pine trees, you will find an albergue with basic hostel-style accommodation.
And there’s not an awful lot to do in the town, except visit the Butterfly House or the 16th century church of San Pedro.
But if you want to enjoy the cooler temperatures and beautiful walks through nature there are countless hiking paths through the unspoilt woods of the surrounding hills.
Visitors can be sure of dining well at the town’s only restaurant, El Paladar de Aragon, which has a great value restaurant.
Close by you must also visit the capital of the local mountain range Albarracin itself.
This gem of a town has been voted one of the most beautiful villages of Spain and it is not hard to see why.
READ MORE: The Spanish village that looks like Havana – but sits in the mountains of Asturias
Almost totally unspoilt it counts on a stunning hillside location in a green, leafy valley and with a wonderful collection of stone houses, palaces and churches.
It has a far better collection of places to stay, including the excellent Hospederia de Batan (www.elbatan.es), which sits nearby in its own valley with breathtaking local scenery and a Michelin-star restaurant to boot (the only one in Teruel province).
In the heart of town a great choice of restaurant is Senorio de Albarracin (www.senoriodealbarracin.com), which has a surprisingly interesting and creative menu, with plenty of good wines as well.
Back in Griegos, the town has recently launched an appeal to attract young families, as its numbers have dwindled to just 130 residents over recent years.
The town, like countless others within Teruel province of Aragon, suffers from a falling population after decades of abandoning rural life for opportunities in the cities.
The town council is currently offering young families a free house and a job to encourage them to relocate in a bid to stop the town dying out and the local school closing.
For those suffering in the heat elsewhere in Spain this month, that sounds like a tempting offer.
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