Let’s dive into Spanish folklore and enjoy a few romantic legends from Spain to inspire your next couple’s getaway across the country.

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Top Spanish Romantic Legends

Best Romantic Legends from Spain

A few weeks ago, while sharing 10 Inspiring Spanish Legends, I promised to discuss romance and love in Spanish folklore. So, I hope this collection of Romantic Legends from Spain will inspire your future trips across the Iberian Peninsula, especially if you’re excited to experience Romantic Spain and surprise your partner with a few eternal love stories. Get yourself in the mood and check out this list of the Best Romantic Spanish Songs as well.

1. The Lovers of Teruel

One simply can’t ignore the Spanish national legend of the Lovers of Teruel. It is undoubtedly one of the most famous romantic legends from Spain. The heartbreaking story took place in the city of Teruel. According to the legend, Diego and Isabel had been in love since childhood, but Isabel’s wealthy family didn’t want her to marry someone outside their social class. Nevertheless, they gave Diego five years to build a fortune, so he left the city. When he returned, rich and successful, five years later, Isabel’s family had already arranged her marriage to another man. Diego couldn’t believe that Isabel had married someone else, so he went to see her and asked for a kiss. She refused, as she now belonged to another man. If you look closely at the picture of their monument, you’ll notice their hands are aimed to hold but don’t actually touch, symbolizing the kiss she refused to give him. The next day, Diego died, and during his funeral, Isabel passed away by his side. The legend claims both died of a broken heart. The tale of the Lovers of Teruel has inspired Spanish artists, writers, and poets from the 13th century to modern times.

2. Medina Azahara and the legend of the almond trees

While Andalusia’s historical sites always stand out during my Spanish road trips, this local legend somehow never made it onto my radar. To my surprise, I discovered it while watching Lunnis de Leyendawith my kids (a Spanish TV program for preschoolers, where popular legends are introduced in short, catchy video clips). So, the legend goes that the ruler of Cordoba, Abderraman III, once fell in love with a girl from the northern region of the Iberian Peninsula, Azahara. To surprise her, he decided to build one of the most beautiful and glorious palaces ever and named it Medina Azahara. Abderraman III hired the best craftsmen from Al-Andalus (modern Andalusia during the Moorish era in Spain) and spared no expense on the rarest and most luxurious materials. Despite his efforts, Azahara seemed more distant and discouraged every day. He watched her sobbing and gazing toward the horizon for weeks. Finally, the girl confessed that she missed her home, especially the snowy mountains of her childhood. To see a smile on Azahara’s face again, Abderraman III came up with a creative plan. He decided to plant thousands of almond trees so that, when they bloomed, they would remind her of the snow-capped mountains of her homeland. Azahara was enchanted by the beautiful flowering almond trees and never felt sad by his side again. Some versions of the story even say that Azahara was not born in Northern Spain but rather in Granada, and the mountain view she longed for was the famous Sierra Nevada National Park.

3. The Legend of Gara and Jonay

Fans of the Canary Islands might already know that La Gomera island, with its Garajonay Park, is home to one of the most romantic legends in Spain – the story of Gara and Jonay. The legend tells that, even before the Spanish conquest of the archipelago, the beautiful princess Gara lived on La Gomera. She fell in love with Jonay, the son of a poor peasant from the nearby island of Tenerife. The feeling was mutual, and every day the boy would raft to La Gomera to visit his beloved. But there was no happy ending for Gara and Jonay. A priest foretold misfortune for them, and just as they were about to wed, a powerful earthquake shook Tenerife. As a result, the Teide volcano began spewing lava. Fearing for their safety, Princess Gara’s family tried to break up the young couple by sending Jonay back to Tenerife. However, the boy returned a few weeks later, and together they escaped to hide in the woods of La Gomera. Desperate to stay together, Gara and Jonay each took a laurel lance and stabbed themselves. Ever since, the magical forests of La Gomera have been called Garajonay National Park.

4. The Bitter Well of Toledo

No list of the most romantic legends in Spain could be complete without the glorious city of Toledo, one of the most iconic Spanish landmarks and one of my favorite places in the country. Toledo is surrounded by many local legends. However, one of the most popular city tales is still The Bitter Well of Toledo. According to the legend, the well was once located in the garden of a local Jewish girl, Raquel, who was madly in love with a Christian boy named Fernando. Despite the fact that Toledo was internationally known as the city of three cultures – Christians, Arabs, and Jews – intercultural marriages were not welcomed. One day, Raquel’s father saw the couple and, in his madness, stabbed Fernando in the back with a dagger. Fernando fell to the bottom of the well. Raquel was desperate. She shed so many tears into the waters of the well that they became too bitter. Consumed by her grief, one night, Raquel had a vision of her lover’s voice calling her from the bottom. Raquel couldn’t resist and fearlessly threw herself into the well in an attempt to help Fernando. Some say their souls rest together at the bottom of Toledo’s most famous well.

5. The Legend of Cambaral

Another lesser-known folktale on this list of romantic legends from Spain is The Story of Cambaral. This time, the events took place in the region of the Asturias, in one of its most beautiful villages, Luarca. The legend says that long ago, the coast of Northern Spain was terrorized by pirates, led by Cambaral, who was notorious for his cruel and ingenious attacks on local fishing villages. Despite multiple complaints, the royal navy never managed to catch the pirates. So, one day, the Lord of the Luarca fortress came up with a plan to end the constant pirate threat. Together with his best warriors, they sailed out to sea, pretending to be simple fishermen. The pirates saw them as an easy target and launched their attack on what they thought was a group of local fishermen. Although the fight was long and bloody, the Lord of Luarca and his men won the battle. Cambaral was taken prisoner and locked in the dungeons of Luarca. While the Lord and the people of Luarca celebrated their victory, the Lord’s young daughter asked for permission to help the prisoner with his wounds. Unexpectedly, both the girl and the pirate fell in love at first sight. Once Cambaral had recovered, he began planning an escape from the fortress for both of them. Their carefully crafted plan almost worked, but someone had warned the Lord of Luarca about the escape. He was waiting with his men at the harbor of Luarca. When Cambaral and his beloved saw they were surrounded, they shared one final kiss. In his madness, the Lord of Luarca ordered their heads to be severed, and their bodies disappeared forever into the deep waters of the local port. Years later, a bridge called Puente del Beso (The Bridge of the Kiss) was built at that very spot.

6. The Bride´s Jump Waterfall

Another one of the romantic Spanish legends that should scare people, but somehow has turned into the ultimate wedding photoshoot destination near Valencia, is the legend of The Bride’s Jump Waterfall (El Salto de la Novia in Spanish). I discovered this beautiful area while searching for new hidden gems near Valencia, but to my surprise, this gorgeous natural setting came with a legend. Many years ago, there was a local tradition where brides would jump over the Palancia River to prove their love and ensure a happy marriage. Normally, a girl would find a place where the river narrows a bit, and then, in front of the villagers, jump to the opposite shore. Success was a sign of a happy marriage and true love. According to the legend, there was once a young couple in love. They were about to get married and had to follow the ritual of jumping to receive the blessing. Like other brides before her, the young lady tried to jump. However, she accidentally slipped and fell into the river. The groom tried to save his beloved, but sadly, both of them drowned. Nowadays, some locals claim that on moonlit nights, they still hear voices, and the river becomes radiantly white like a wedding dress. So, The Bride’s Jump Waterfall is often called one of the top mysterious places in Spain. You can check out more photos in this post.

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