TRAVEL GUIDE TO JACA. WHAT TO SEE, WHERE TO SKI, GETAWAYS AND TIPS

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Jaca is nestled in a unique environment, ideal for those looking for a ski getaway, as well as for mountaineers. Or simply those who want to discover an interesting place with a rich history, at the foot of the Pyrenees and where you eat luxury. In this guide we tell you everything to see and do in Jaca, where to ski, nearby getaways and a few tips To prepare your trip.

The history of Jaca must be linked to its strategic position, a short distance from the border with France through the Somport Pass and on the Camino de Santiago. That is why in the Medieval Age it acquired great importance, even becoming the capital of the Kingdom of Aragon. From that time there are several monuments that deserve a visit, as well as other attractions that we will detail:

San Pedro Cathedral

It is considered the first Romanesque cathedral in Spain, built in the year 1077. On its main facade a loggia style portico is imposed and inside, although dark and somewhat dark, there are beautiful details. Admission is free, although you can visit the Diocesan Museum for € 6, where a fresco known to some as “the Sistine Chapel of the Romanesque” is kept.

Citadel

It is a defensive construction of a pentagonal plan, built in 1952 to repel the entry of the French through the Pyrenees. Its walled structure is quite impressive, surrounded by a large moat, with a monumental entrance door and bastions in each of its corners. Inside, different buildings rise around the courtyard, one of these barracks houses the Museum of Military Miniatures. The price of admission to the Citadel is € 7. By the way, when you visit, pay attention to the pit, because here lives a group of deer that walk continuously up and down (just look at them, but don't feed them!).

To stay we recommend the Hotel Jolio Jaca. You can look at other options of cheap accommodationin Jacahere

Benedictine Monastery

It is a building that radiates history on all sides. It dates from the eleventh century, at that time it was the palace of King Ramiro I. It was later occupied by the Benedictine nuns for which the stays were increased. Today it preserves several treasures, such as the mural paintings of the primitive chapel dating from the 13th century and the famous sarcophagus of Doña Sancha (Sancha de Aragón), the best preserved Romanesque tomb, with impressive and delicate reliefs. The visit is free (if you want you can leave a donation).

Hermitage of Sarsa

It is one of those small Romanesque jewels that are still preserved in areas of northern Spain. Its original location was the town of Villar de Sarsa, which was abandoned in the 70s. To avoid deterioration, the transfer to Jaca was decided. It can be seen from the outside in a moment, and although at first glance it has nothing too noticeable, I loved it!

Clock Tower and statue of Ramiro I

In the heart of the historic center of Jaca we find this stone tower, built in 1445 as a temporary prison and later the place where the civil clock was installed, which marked the official time of the city. It was one of the few buildings (if not the only one) that remained intact after the War of Independence. On one of its sides we can see the statue of King Ramiro I, the first king of Aragon and who named Jaca as capital.

Town Hall Building

It is one of the most beautiful palaces of Jaca. It was built between the 15th and 16th centuries with an Aragonese Plateresque style facade and a Renaissance interior courtyard. By my segunctine origins, what struck me most was the plaque next to the main entrance and which indicates that Jaca is at an altitude of 820 meters, the same as Sigüenza. Hum ... we would have to measure again, because I know Sigüenza is 1,000 meters away!

Ice pavilion

A good place to spend a morning or an afternoon entertaining ice skating. The building is quite cool from the outside, although here what matters is to get on the skates and try not to break your teeth! Admission with skate rental costs € 8. You can see more info here.

Streets and squares of Jaca

Jaca is distributed around a small historic town, which you will soon get used to. The most interesting places to walk are the Main Street, the Zocotín Street, the Biscós Square wave Chain Square.

Fort Rapitan

On the outskirts of Jaca and on a hill at 1,142 meters of altitude, is this fort that was built in 1885 to defend against possible attacks from our northern neighbors. Today it no longer has military functions and is used to host shows or shows (it is only open at these events). To climb you can do it by car or walking, for the bravest. From here up the views of the entire valley are very beautiful.

To eat we recommend these sites:

La Cadiera Restaurant: Perfect for trying mountain and local food.
Ana's Tasca: It is a mythical place in Jaca, with elaborate pintxos.
The bell: a place without too much charm but where delicious potatoes and toasts are made.
Grill Inn El Pajar: It is a family restaurant with traditional and grilled food. It is best to arrive early because it is usually full.

To go out for a drink, these are our options:

Zebra 21: good music, has darts and billiards. He was one of the few places that had no reggaeton on Saturday night.
The old station: in front of the bus station, it is an Irish bar, with billiards and cheap barrel beers € 2 the blonde and € 2.50 the dark one in a large glass.

The surroundings of Jaca offer lots of options for day trips. These are the most interesting:

Monastery of San Juan de la Peña

It is probably the best excursion from Jaca. This monastery, built at the foot of a huge rock in the eleventh century, was the most important in Aragon in the Middle Ages and several of its kings were buried here. In addition to its incontestable beauty, it has very interesting legends such as the one that defends that the Holy Grail was kept here for more than 200 years. The enclosure is formed by the old monastery and the new monastery. Admission costs € 7 only for old and € 8 old and new. We recommend the free guided tour, which leaves at certain times.

On the way from Jaca you can also stop in the small town of Santa Cruz de la Serós.

Fact Valley and Ansó Valley

Man already inhabited these valleys more than 5,000 years ago and it is precisely in this area where Aragon was born as a kingdom. So you can already imagine the cultural and historical wealth that this place preserves. On your excursion do not forget to visit the town of Ansó, of stone mansions and cobbled streets, theMonastery in Siresa (€ 2, visits at certain times) where up to 150 monks came to live in their best times, and the people of Done (or Echo), from where there are several hiking options in the Western Valleys Natural Parkand the Jungle of Oza. We recommend you to go on the road that passes through Majones and goes through an impressive canyon and back from Made on a better road.

Aragon Valley

It is the valley where Jaca is located and that goes up the Aragón river to the Pyrenees. The main attraction of this area is the Canfranc train station. It was inaugurated in 1928 to connect Spain and France and it was the second most important station in Europe at that time (after Leipzig in Germany). During the Second GM it was under Nazi rule. In 1970 the international traffic was closed, although until these days there are trains that circulate towards Zaragoza. You can take a guided tour of the historic station for € 4 (book the ticket online).

If you continue north you will reach the Somport Pass, border with France and from where there are beautiful views, and to the ski resorts of Candanchu Y Astun. They are a good place to drink something on terraces, eat, etc.

Tena Valley

This is the one that I personally liked the most. After passing the turnoff in Biescas, the villages of Tramacastilla de Tena (if you're hungry, at the Mariana Hotel they make great crumbs), Lanuza, a town that seems taken from a story on the edge of the reservoir of the same name, andSallent de Gállego, typical town of super nice stone houses.

But the day does not end here, higher up await you Panticosa Baths, a spa with hot springs in an idyllic setting (you know, don't forget your swimsuit). Here are also the ski resorts of Formigal Y Panticosa. In this last town we ate at the restaurant White sorrow (menu € 15) and highly recommended.

You can go down the road along the Lanuza Reservoir and cross the dam. The views from here are amazing!

Due to its proximity to the Pyrenees, Jaca is a perfect place to base a ski trip. These are the closest stations to Jaca:

Formigal

The queen of the seasons, with up to 140 km skiable. It has modern facilities, comfortable and fast chair lifts. The slopes are for all levels and also has off-piste trails for the more adventurous.

Here you can live two curious experiences: theski-ratrack This is a snowplow that drags you to the most inaccessible points. and the igloo bars in the middle of the mountain they are only accessible if you arrive skiing.

And to finish the day, there is the Marchica nightclub, considered the best apres-ski Pyrenees, with concerts, festivals and lots of gear for after skiing and just at the foot of the track.

With the Formigal ski pass you can also use the Panticosa station (not the other way around).

→ More information and prices

Panticosa

The little sister of Formigal, located in the same valley. It has up to 39 km of ski slopes and is ideal for families and for people who want to learn. It is usually less crowded than the previous one and the facilities are somewhat older.

The only way to access the station is through a gondola lift, which is also a good option for those who only go for tourism. With the ski pass the cable car is included. Normally if visibility is poor in Formigal, in Panticosa it is usually better.

→ More information and prices

Candanchu

It is the first ski resort opened in Spain, in 1928, and although it does not have the original facilities, they are not the most modern. It has a total of 50 km skiing and is perfect for families and for those who want to start in the ski world. There are many schools so if you are a newbie it may be your ideal option.

The views from high on the Tuca area They are probably the best in the entire West Pyrenees.

→ More information and prices

Astun

Very close to Astún, this station has tracks for more experienced skiers and snowboarders. There is a unified ski pass for both stations.

→ More information and prices

If you come on a weekend to ski, the ideal plan is to arrive in Jaca on Friday night and have dinner at one of the restaurants we have advised you. Do not extend the night because the next day you have to get up early to get to the station as soon as possible Formigal. Spend the day skiing and, if you feel like it, end up at the top of the party at the Marchica.

The next morning you can go to the track of Candanchu or Astun to know another area and, after enjoying its tracks and its panoramic views, return to Jaca to eat and head back.

We leave you a few warnings and tips to prepare your trip to Jaca:

If you need one ski clothing and accessories store a good option is Barrabés (in Huesca they have outlet). Another store with good prices and advice is Intersport Jorri in Jaca. Here you can also rent ski equipment for days or somewhat longer periods with offers.

It is important that if you want rent ski equipment, do it as far as possible from the seasons. You will avoid queues and the prices are better.

If you intend to go skiing, arrive at the station as soon as possible to have the best conditions of the track and snow, and not find many people. If you leave early you can try to resell your ski pass. Normally if you arrive after 1pm the ski pass is cheaper. And also take care not to wait at the last minute to leave, because the jams that can be prepared are not small.

Always check the track status, the open track km of each station and the weather forecasts. For this last we recommend this website.

Where to park in Jaca? The downtown area of Jaca is paid (blue zone), but the rest and not far from the center is free parking (white zone). You can also search for free parking spaces, we put some on the map (where we have 73 seats).

If you arrive in van or motorhome, there is a parking lot dedicated to them, where you can spend the night free. Keep in mind that if they are very touristy dates, you may not find a place, so arrive early!

There is supermarkets of all the colors. In the center you find Eroski or Day and the typical neighborhood shops, and in the surroundings is the Mercadona.

If you wonder about the road to get to Jaca, almost everything is highway, except sections of double sense, but in general it is in very good conditions. It is very rare that to get to Jaca the road is snowy or the use of chains is necessary (you know, check the predictions). Another thing is to reach the ski resorts, which are at a much higher height. In these cases it is always advisable (even mandatory sometimes) wear chains. They can be purchased at any gas station in the region.

For arrive by public transport to Jaca you can do so much in train (connection with Zaragoza and Huesca, more info in renfe) as in bus (direct to Pamplona and Zaragoza).

For get to the ski resorts from Jaca there are frequent connections. You can see on the websites of each station its “how to get there” section and on this website.

If you come to ski or spend time in the mountains do not forget of sunglasses, sunscreen and cap to cover your head. Also suitable footwear for hiking.

All ski resorts They have restaurants, bars and coffee shops. Although they differ in the level of their facilities, the number of km of track ... The food prices are usually quite high but you can take your sandwiches and eat them in picnic areas (which are normally outdoors).