Miravet on the Ebro river, Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain

© Eloi_Omella/Getty Image

Miravet, Catalonia, Spain

Some towns live in the present. Miravet in Spain politely declined. Clinging to a cliff above the Ebro River, this Catalan village still offers a living glimpse into the Middle Ages. A castle keeps its perch, potters spin like it's the 1300s and the local ferry still refuses to join the motor age. Welcome to the village where even the river seems too relaxed to rush. As Spain's longest river, the Ebro winds through tales of Iberians, Romans, Moors and Knights Templar. Locals once relied on its waters for trade, transport and even defence. Today, you'll spot kayakers, ferryboats and visitors drifting through the same currents where Crusaders once crossed.

Perched above the village, the Miravet Castle dates to the 12th century. Built by the Moors and later fortified by the French military order Knights Templar, this fortress was made to last. Thick walls, strategic towers and a commanding view of the river made sure of that. With a population of less than 700, the village is a quiet maze of stone houses and narrow lanes, built to confuse invaders and, coincidentally, modern tourists. There's a former Jewish quarter, viewpoints that deliver postcard-worthy angles and plenty of silence—broken only by birds, bells and the occasional clay jug clinking into place.