Excursions in the Reino de los Mallos region complete with a local guide and a vehicle

To help you make the most of your stay in the Reino de los Mallos region and enjoy your holiday to the full, we offer you daily excursions to the most interesting, hidden places in the area, all made easy with a vehicle and local guide provided. You’ll encounter mountain huts and cool, shady spots, rivers and natural pools in the hills.
These excursions consist of a local guide driving you to different places and organising visits, immersing you in Aragonese history and culture and showing you the local countryside. In addition we will take you to stunning locations where we will serve you a delicious gourmet picnic made of local delicacies.
These outings are guaranteed to take place seven days a week during the months of June, July and August, and they all follow the same framework:

• Transport: We will take you in our vehicle to some of the most beautiful and inaccessible places around.
• Countryside and nature: We will take you on a leisurely walk during the morning, giving you information about the scenery as we go.
• Lunch: After the walk we will provide you with a gourmet picnic, complete with table and chairs, in a magnificent setting.
• Culture and heritage: The afternoons are reserved for lingering visits to places of cultural and historical interest

Monday: Loarre Castle and mountain viewing points

Fortresses of the Reconquest, a living history

In order to give you an authentic medieval experience, we will walk up to the castle instead of driving to the carpark, before enjoying a guided tour of Loarre Castle. The views of the castle and the Hoya de Huesca region are unbeatable.

We will then drive to a shady spot in the hills with views of the Pyrenees. Here we will serve your picnic in the meadows by the Fuenfría mountain refuge hut.

In the afternoon we will visit Loarre village and church.

Tuesday: The Mallos (gigantic rock formations) at Riglos and the Mirador de los Buitres (Vulture Viewing Point)

The border between the mountains and the plain, between the Moors and the Christians

We will take an easy path, called “Los Fills”, as far as the Mirador de los Buitres high above the Mallos. Here, with panoramic views of the giant rock formations down below, we will tell you how the rocks were formed and you will be able to observe the many species of birds that inhabit them.
On the way back we will stop at the ruins of Sarsamarcuello Castle and your picnic will be served at the ermita, a small chapel nearby.

In the afternoon we will take you to the Arcaz visitor centre with exhibitions and videos of the birds, and we will end the day with a stroll through Riglos village.

Wednesday: San Juan de la Peña Monastery and the Holy Grail

Cradle of the Kingdom of Aragón

San Juan de la Peña Monastery is traditionally considered to be where the Kingdom of Aragón originated, and for centuries has been linked with the Holy Grail. It is a renowned place to stop when on the Camino de Santiago (St James’s Way) pilgrimage route, along which we will walk from the Pyrenees viewing point.
After a guided tour of the monastery we will drive you to a corner of this protected area where you can relax and be served lunch.
In the afternoon we will visit the village of Santa Cruz de los Seros followed by some more remote villages where it feels like time has stood still.

Thursday: San Julián Gorge and Bolea Colegiate Church

A magical place where the Mozarabs (Iberian Christians living under Moorish rule) found refuge in the heart of the Sierra (hills)

The chapel of San Julián can be found built into the rock in the depths of the Sierra. Access to the gorge is easy, along a magical path excavated in conglomerate rock. The narrowness of the near-vertical walls of the gorge form one of the most beautiful, breathtaking locations in the region.
You will be served with lunch in a quiet spot by the river.
In the afternoon we will visit the huge Becha oak tree followed by the recently-restored colegiate church in Bolea, a surprising, relatively unknown must-see.

Friday: Mallos (gigantic rock formations) de Agüero and the Church of Santiago

Colossal rocks packed with life and history

We will wander around Agüero, a charming village, and then go up the Pituelos Gorge between the Mallos where we will see the karst and conglomerate rock formations. We are likely to see vultures and birds of prey including peregrine falcon and other rock-dwelling species .
Your picnic will be served at Santiago Church, a relatively unknown Romanesque gem.
In the afternoon we will visit the pozas (natural pools) de San Felices where you can bathe and relax in a beautiful spot in the middle of nowhere.

Saturday: Salinas Gorge and abandoned villages in the foothills of the Pyrenees

Abandoned villages and shady pastures

In the shadows of the hills there is very varied scenery from ancient pastures to historical abandoned villages and mixed forests.
We will drive you to a spectacular karst rock formation called “La Ralla”, which you will see up close and can even touch. We will then visit the abandoned village of Salinas Viejo followed by Salinas Gorge, an enormous, uniquely beautiful chasm, and a fantastic point from which to view the Pyrenees and spot vultures in flight.
We will serve your lunch in the cool pastures of the “Os Chuans” mountain hut.
In the afternoon we will stop off to see the Gállego Canyon at the viewing point on the Trans-Pyrenean Geology Route.

Sunday: “Virgin de la Peña” and “San Cristóbal” chapels

Ermitas (chapels) built in the rock in the Sierra de Loarre hills

There are two chapels of great beauty built into the rocks in the hillside of the Sierra de Loarre: San Cristóbal, hidden in a canyon of conglomerate rock, and La Virgin de la Peña.
Your picnic will be served at the chapel – this remarkable site boasts beautiful views of the Hoya de Huesca region.
The outing will end with a walk around Aniés village.

What’s included:

• Transport from your hotel so that you can forget about your car
• Access to magical places off the beaten track
• A local guide for the duration of each excursion so you won’t miss a thing
• Gourmet lunch with local delicacies in unique places
• Tickets and guided tours at places of interest, with no queuing

What’s not included:

• Anything not listed above under “What’s included”