Day 1

Welcome at our B&B in the valley of Aísa with local wine and cheese. After dinner, introduction to the history and nature of the area.

Day 2

We will visit the amazing pinnacles of Mallos de Riglos, a place full of climbing stories and heroes, and a landmark to understand the uplift of the Pyrenees during their geological history. We will enjoy this fabulous landscape through a moderate, circular hike (4 hours) that will warm up our legs for upcoming walks. In the afternoon we will take a refreshing splash in one of the hidden pools on our way back to Aísa, where we will have dinner at our B&B.

Day 3

A less demanding day where we will delight our senses in the Romanesque monastery of San Juan de la Peña, carved in the middle of a cliff and fantastic example of the cultural heritage of the area. After the visit of the Old and New monasteries we will enjoy superb views of the whole Pyrenees from an overlook and take a pleasant walk (1.5 hours) in the surroundings. We will have lunch at Jaca and visit the historic centre and its most relevant monuments (including its Romanesque cathedral) in the afternoon. Dinner at our B&B. Weather permitting, after dinner we will enjoy a night sky watching and some related ancient myths (otherwise, we will move it to another night).

Day 4

We will head towards the upper part of the valley of Aísa to unveil the dark side of the region. We will do a nice hike (5 hours roundtrip) to reach the ice cave of Lecherines and learn about the processes that take place under our feet. Steep valleys, mountain pastures and strange-looking rocks will set the scenery on our way to the underground, accompanied by groundhogs and other local fauna. Back to our B&B we will enjoy a replenishing dinner after a good shower.

Day 5

We will travel to the valley of Ansó, with the impressive Foz de Biniés gorge, at the western side of the Natural Park. We will visit the village of Ansó, one of the prettiest in Spain and have a relaxing walk through Gamueta beech forest (2.5 hours) by the Linza mountain hut, with its gorgeous alpine landscapes. In the afternoon we will visit the village of Hecho and the Romanesque monastery of San Pedro de Siresa. Depending on the timing, we will have lunch or dinner at a good restaurant in Hecho.

Day 6

We will cross to the nearby valley of Aragón, where we will discover the footprints of the last Ice Age glaciers. After learning about the Camino de Santiago (St. James Way), we will stop at Canfranc Railway Station. There we will do a guided visit to the modernist railway station (with its surprising history and characters, including World War II Nazis) and another one to Canfranc’s Underground Laboratory. In this second visit, we will know about the experiments to understand our Universe and have the chance to visit the tunnel of the old railway where those experiments take place. Depending on the timing, we might have a chance to visit as well the Coll de Ladrones fortress. Diner at our B&B.

Day 7

The last day we face the most surprising hike (5 hours). We will reach the Anayet lakes, with their particular red stones, and enjoy the views of the fierce Anayet and Midi d’Ossau peaks. There we will discover the explosive past of these old volcanoes and enjoy the magnificent scenery from the Anayet lakes, where Earth and sky definitely shake hands. Once we descend and come back to our B&B, we will enjoy the last dinner together.

Day 8

Departure day. Depending on our guests’ spare time, we could do a short walk in the Aísa surroundings.

The holidays include bed and breakfast, evenings meals in Casa Estarrún with a variety of wine included, the guide, the transport to the routes, and also the tickets to visit the heritage and two meals in two of our favourite restaurants. All the dinners in Casa Estarrún will be cooked with local food and traditional dishes with some innovations. In the seasons (spring and autumn) we could also collect mushrooms to cook for dinner. We include also the transfer from Jaca to Casa Estarrún. We will give all the information needed to get to Jaca easily by train and bus. If you wish to be picked up from the Huesca train station it will cost a suplement per person, please ask for the price when booking if you require it.

You will stay at Casa Estarrún (Natalia, Julio and Darío), a rustic but comfortable B&B that was once an old hut and it is now restored preserving the traditional materials and architecture. A place that we manage from a decade ago and where you will enjoy its sunny garden, its bedrooms with beautiful mountains views, and its stove to heat in winter and talk about old tales and traditions by the fireplace.

Our B&B is located by the Western Valleys Natural Park, which includes the valleys of Ansó, Hecho, Aragüés, Aísa and Borau. The Park and its surroundings offer a wide variety of hikes with stunning views and low human pressure, making it for a perfect escape from other crowded areas of the Pyrenees. These landscapes are also a great scenery for understanding the science behind them, such as how mountains and caves evolve, what is the geological history of the region, or why frontier research on cosmology takes place under the Pyrenees. The area also holds an impressive cultural and historical heritage, including a branch of the Camino de Santiago, the Romanesque monastery of San Juan de la Peña, Jaca’s Romanesque cathedral and other better-kept secrets.

Flights

Zaragoza is our nearer airport. It is a good alternative if you come from inside Europe, for example from London. Ryanair offers directs flights to Zaragoza from London Stansted airport.

The best alternative options are the Madrid (Barajas) and Barcelona (El Prat) airports, above all if you come from outside Europe. The most of the airlines, including the low cost, flight to both airports.

Trains

If you flight to Madrid or Barcelona. You can take a train (including high speed trains) to Zaragoza Delicias train station or Huesca Station. You can look for train times and prices  in RENFE or Omio.

Buses

Once in Zaragoza or Huesca, you can take a bus to Jaca. The buses leave from Zaragoza Central bus Station (Zaragoza Estación Central) or Huesca bus station. Both are located beside the Zaragoza Delicias train Station and  Huesca train Station.

Yuo can check for times and prices in Reserbus (choose Zaragoza to Jaca) or in Avanzabus (choose Zara. Est. C. to Jaca).

Jaca – Aísa

We will pick up you from Jaca to Aísa and drop off from Aísa to Jaca when leaving. These transfers are included in the price.

If you wish we can provide transfers from Huesca train station to Aísa. If you are interested please ask for prices.

Of course, if you have any problem during the payments process or any other question, we are here to help you and try to solve them or inform you how to proceed.

High speed trains can be booked two months in advance. Buses may be booked three months in advance.

Average level for the holiday

• Difficulty: Low .

• Slope: 300 to 700 metres.

• Time: More o less 4 hours.

• Effort: Low to medium.

“Gracias Natalia y Julio por vuestro magnifico trato, por vuestro empeño en sacar este proyecto adelante, por esa magnifica hospitalidad. Solo me cabe desearos lo mejor para vosotros y vuestro hijo.”

Ramón Montañés Esteban, Villanueva y Geltrú.

“Excelente el trato recibido, casi como estar en casa. Acogedora, confortable y llena de detalles. Tanto nosotros como nuestra mascota hemos disfrutado tres días en un valle precioso, como es el de Aisa y con muchos rincones por descubrir.”

Esther Maria, Zaragoza.

“Es un lugar magnífico. El paisaje, la casa, las cenas riquísimas contribuyen a tu descanso. Natalia y Julio son un auténtico encanto y te ayudan con su buen conocimiento de la zona.”

Elena Eguia Gurruchaga, Madrid.

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