Most Beautiful Villages near Jaca: 8 Stone Hamlets and Valleys

Peña Oroel presides over Jaca like a backdrop of rock. The Citadel, pentagonal and from the 16th century, completes a city with plenty of history. But the best of the area begins when you leave: valleys where stone houses, with slate roofs and cylindrical chimneys, are still standing.

Anyone looking for the most beautiful villages near Jaca will find hamlets of Pyrenean architecture, Romanesque churches and mountain passes that lead to France. Almost all of them are less than an hour and a half from the capital of the Jacetania, and there are some for a day trip and others for a route of several days.

These eight stops follow an order by valley: first the western ones (Ansó and Hecho), then the Tena Valley, and finally those that lie farthest away. Each comes with a point of interest and a practical one, to help you decide where to go first.

1 Ansó, Pyrenean architecture and traditional costume

About 50 kilometres west of Jaca, Ansó keeps one of the best-preserved old towns in the Aragonese Pyrenees. The stone houses have thick walls and slate roofs, and the streets are narrow.

You can walk it in a relaxed morning, without needing a map. Look at the stone doorways and the wooden doors, which show how people built before concrete arrived. Photos turn out better first thing in the morning. (A practical note: the village is almost pedestrian, so leave the car at the entrance.)

Traveller’s tip: there is a museum devoted to the traditional costume of Ansó, which is still worn at the village festivals. Ask about opening hours before you go.

2 Lanuza, a village that rose again

In the Tena Valley, about 50 kilometres away, the view of Lanuza looks like an Alpine postcard. The village was left uninhabited in the 1970s because of the reservoir construction, and later recovered.

Today the stone houses are restored and face the water, with Peña Telera in the background. In summer, a floating stage hosts concerts of the Pirineos Sur festival. If you go on those dates, check the calendar before booking.

3 Hecho, sculpture and nature

Hecho (Echo in Aragonese) is about 45 kilometres away and is the centre of the valley that bears its name. Its cylindrical chimneys, which tradition says scared away witches, are a regional icon.

Among facades with coats of arms there are craftsmen’s workshops and open-air sculptures. From the village the road leaves for the Selva de Oza, a beech forest ideal for family walks. It is one of the best excursions in the area, and in autumn the colour of the forest changes the experience completely. Carry a map of the route and check the weather before you go.

4 Sallent de Gállego, beneath Peña Foratata

Continuing up the Tena Valley, about 80 kilometres from Jaca and close to the French border, Sallent de Gállego has a distinctly mountain atmosphere. The bulk of Peña Foratata watches over the village, which the Aguas Limpias river crosses.

The Gothic church of the Asunción is the monumental stop. After the walk, a plate of migas a la pastora in a tavern suits the climate well. It is a base for outings in the surrounding area and for skiers in winter.

5 Canfranc Estación, the train that never came through

About 25 kilometres north of Jaca is the town of Canfranc, famous for its International Station, opened in 1928. It is a colossal building, designed to link Spain and France by rail.

You can see it from the outer esplanades. If you want to go in, ask at the tourist office whether guided visits are available. In the surroundings there are paths that pass old bunkers of the P defensive line.

Useful fact: allow an hour to see the outside and another if you manage to get a visit. The size of the building, with its long facade, is better appreciated from the esplanade than from the door.

6 Torla-Ordesa, the entrance to the national park

It is more than an hour from Jaca, to the east. Torla is the antechamber to Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park. The walls of Mondarruego fall over the slate roofs of the village.

The old town keeps a very well-kept Pyrenean air. It is the most practical base if you plan to walk in the high mountains. Plan access to the park in advance, especially in summer, because the shuttle buses fill up.

7 Aínsa, the fortress between two rivers

Aínsa is a little over an hour and a quarter away by car along the N-260. It is declared a Historic-Artistic Site, and its arcaded Plaza Mayor is one of the most beautiful in medieval Aragon.

The castle and the Romanesque tower of the church of Santa María give views over the meeting of the Cinca and the Ara. Stone dominates the whole old town. It is a long stop, needing half a day. Walk its stone streets in both directions and climb to the castle: from there you can see how the fortress controlled the confluence of the two rivers.

8 Santa Cruz de la Serós, Romanesque and monastery

About 16 kilometres southwest of Jaca, Santa Cruz de la Serós keeps two jewels of Aragonese Romanesque: the church of San Caprasio and that of Santa María. It is a small, very well-kept village.

It is the stop before the mountain road that climbs to the monastery of San Juan de la Peña, built beneath a great overhanging rock of conglomerate. It is one of the most memorable visits in the Pyrenees and goes well with the village. The old monastery lies under the rock, and a few minutes away there is a more modern one on the heights. Allow half a day if you want to see both at leisure.

How to plan your route through the most beautiful villages near Jaca

A long weekend is enough to cover the western valleys and the Tena Valley. For Aínsa and Torla, it is worth reserving a whole day.

• Transport: there are regional buses between Jaca and Canfranc or Biescas. To reach Ansó or Hecho with ease, your own vehicle is the practical choice.
• Food: local beef, Ansó sheep’s cheese and the lazos de Jaca, a typical sweet, are a good guide.
• Weather: in the Pyrenean valleys it changes quickly. Keep a coat in the boot and, in winter, check road conditions.

Jaca is a good base to sleep and head out each day to a different valley. Leave the Citadel for the morning of departure or the afternoon of return, because it can be seen in little time. Which valley will you start your Pyrenean route with?