Daroca

The legend of the foundation of Daroca is lovely: they say that 800 years ago, six consecrated wafers were wrapped in a piece of cloth or “altar cloth” and hidden to protect them from the Arab sacking of Daroca. On recovering them, the wafers appeared to be stuck to the altar cloth and bathed in blood. Commandants from various parts of Spain fought for them.

Because of this, they decided to load the altar cloth on the back of a mule: wherever it went, there the altar cloth would stay. The mule wanderedfor 12 days, and finally returned to Daroca, where a church was constructed – the Basilica of Santa María de los Sagrados Corporales- to keep this divine gift.

Held the last week in July. Truly spectacular, all the village dress in medieval costume, also the buildings. Parades, battles, theatre, falconry, archery, medieval children games, etc.

I’ve been there three times: twice for the fair and once at Easter, this year it rained so there were no processions, but the brotherhoods made a little exaltation in the church with drums. It’s like a duel between hand drums and bass drums. Two hotels: Cienbalcones, opened in august 2007 in a renovated building. It has the splendour of an architecture at one with the village, more than a hundred balconies look out of its facades, and modern interiors. A very good restaurant.