The Spanish Pyrenees are a paradise for nature lovers, adventure seekers, and history enthusiasts. Nestled in the heart of Aragón, Jaca and Formigal offer an incredible combination of winter sports, medieval heritage, and breathtaking landscapes. Whether you’re skiing down the slopes of Formigal, exploring the rich history of Jaca, or discovering the stunning surroundings, this travel guide will help you plan an unforgettable trip, from the best things to do in Jaca and Formigal, to what and where to eat, where to stay and some day trip ideas. At the end of this post, I’ve also included a map so you can easily pinpoint all the locations mentioned here.

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Disclaimers:

• I went on a ski trip to Jaca and Formigal in January 2023 and February 2025. This post was written following my most recent visit to reflect the latest information available to this date.
• Please note that this post includes some affiliate links. This means that, at no additional cost for you, I earn a commission if you make a purchase. In case you have any question about the companies advertised here or my status as an affiliate, please do not hesitate to contact me.

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Throughout the trip, I used these guidebooks by Lonely Planet to plan our stay and make the most out of it. I hope you’ll find them helpful too!

Jaca travel guide: the heart of the Pyrenees

The northeastern region of Aragón, which is landlocked, comprises three provinces, namely Huesca, Teruel and Zaragoza.

Located in the Pyrenees mountains near the French border, Jaca is a small city in the Huesca province, with over 12.000 people living here.

With a history dating back to the 2nd century AD, the city bravely resisted the Muslims in the 8th century before becoming the first capital of the Kingdom of Aragon in 1035.

Jaca is also a popular stop along the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route and the main starting point to explore the Aragonese Pyrenees.

In this section, we´ll learn what to do in Jaca, from the best attractions to visit, to where to eat and stay or how to get there.

Top attractions in Jaca 📸

Even though the Old Town of Jaca is rather small and can be easily visited in half a day, make sure to add these spots to your itinerary.

Ciudadela de Jaca 🦌

This citadel (Ciudadela de Jaca, also known as Castillo de San Pedro) is the most iconic monument in Jaca. Built at the end of the 16th century by order of King Philip II to protect this strategic location of neighbouring France, this pentagonal fortress houses the San Pedro Castle and the Museum of Military Miniatures. Walking all around its perimeter is a great idea to admire its distinctive shape and corner towers.

You can visit the Citadel of Jaca at your own pace or book a guided tour, which will give you access to all the exhibitions in the premises. There are specific tours for children as well as environmental education activities or dramatized visits.

As a bonus point, you might spot the various deer grazing in the moat! I had no idea about this and just loved the surprise!

Jaca Cathedral & Diocesan Museum ⛪

Jaca Cathedral (known as Catedral de San Pedro de Jaca) is considered one of the most important monuments of Spanish Romanesque art along the pilgrimage routes of the Camino de Santiago.

Built in the 11th century, the Jaca Cathedral is one of the oldest in Spain, although it has been renovated over time. Its highlights include biblical-themed carvings, delicate sculptures and ornate vaults, as well as a sombre central nave due to the alabaster windows.

When checking out the Cathedral of Jaca, make sure to stop by the Diocesan Museum (Museo Diocesano de Jaca or MDJ) located in the cloister on the left side of the nave, next to one of the chapels. This impressive museum of sacred art displays a vast collection of Romanesque and Gothic frescoes as well as sculptures from churches in the region.

The surrounding streets and square (Plaza de la Catedral) form an attractive urban ensemble worth exploring on foot.

Other religious monuments worth mentioning in Jaca include:

• Ermita de Sarsa, a hermitage originally built in the 11th century in the village of Villar de Sarsa but then transferred to Jaca in 1972.
• Iglesia de Nuestra Señora del Carmen, dating from the 16th century.
• Real Monasterio de las Benedictinas e Iglesia de San Ginés, an ancient monastery lying next to the medieval wall of the city of Jaca.
  

Other things to see in Jaca 🌳

In addition to the abovementioned Jaca Citadel and Cathedral, there are a few more spots to consider when visiting the city. Add the following to your bucket list:

• Ayuntamiento: Jaca´s 15th century City Hall lies in Calle Mayor, one of the main streets in town.
• Escuela Militar de Montaña y Operaciones Especiales: given its proximity to the French border and its strategic importance in the Pyrenees, this is a military training center for mountaineering and high-altitude rescue operations.
• Paseo de la Constitución: running in parallel to one of the sides of the imposing Citadel, this scenic promenade lined with trees is ideal for a relaxing walk.
• Plaza Biscós: lively square with bars, restaurants and the bus station.
• Torre del Reloj: a Gothic clock tower built in the 15th century. At its foot, you will find the statue of Ramiro I, the first King of Aragón.

What and where to eat in Jaca 🍽

Traditional cuisine in Aragón

The landlocked, largely mountainous region of Aragón places special importance on meat, especially lamb (known as cordero or ternasco de Aragón), but also beef, rabbit and free-range chicken, which are usually served simply grilled or cooked over a slow fire in clay containers. The sausages from Graus (longanizas de Graus), as well as ham and chorizo are also typical of Aragonese cuisine.

On the fish side, river trout (trucha) and baby eels (angulas) also star in some of the region’s recipes.

Given the harsh winter climate, hearty stews such as Alto Aragon-style lentils (cooked over a low heat with garlic, pieces of ham and blood sausage) or migas (fried bread crumbs with garlic and different pork products) are popular too.

To finish on a sweet note, the traditional cuisine in Aragón includes desserts with Arab reminiscences such as candied fruit (fruta escarchada) or the delicious guirlache made with almonds and sugar. Jaca in particular features an exquisite artisan tradition when it comes to sweets. Taste the following in any of the city’s pastry shops: condes, corazones, coronitas de Santa Orosia, jaqueses, lazos, patatas de Jaca.

Last but not least, Aragon wines are worth being mentioned too. The most important wine-growing areas in the region are concentrated in Calatayud, Campo de Borja, Cariñena and Somontano.

Best places to eat and drink in Jaca

Despite its small size, Jaca has quite a few delicious places worth trying when visiting the city. Below you´ll find them sorted by category for your ease of reference:

• Bars (tapas food)🍷: Casa Fau, La Tasca de Ana (famous for its Rodolfito, a battered langoustine with red sauce), 19 Tapas y 500 Vinos (bar literally next door that I really liked where we had mini cannelloni with calçots and foie gras, French oysters, the Rodolfito, a mouthwatering tortilla de camarones and a coffee flan). For more bars in Jaca, stay on that same street, Calle Ramiro I.
• Cafes ☕: Pilgrim Café.
• Delis and wine shops 🛍: Bodegas Langa, Bodegas Santamaría, Quesería Aladina (I heard this local cheese shop is truly good, but it was closed when I last visited; I can´t wait to come back and try again!).
• Pastry shops 🍫: Confitería Echeto (legendary spot for sweet lovers right in front of the Jaca Cathedral).
• Restaurants 🥩: El Almacén de la Catedral, El Rincón de la Catedral, Lilium, Mesón Serrablo (specializes in grilled meats), Restaurante Biarritz (a must-visit and my favorite so far! Everything is delicious here – I´ve tried caldo de cocido, migas de pastor con huevo frito y uvas, boletus con crema de jamón y huevo poché, longaniza de Graus y pan con tomate, chuletón de vaca a la teja, pastel ruso, torrija con helado, Borsao wine – the place is cozy and the service is on point too. Trust me, you can´t go wrong here), Restaurante La Cadiera (I came here in 2023 and we ordered chorizo, chireta – lamb tripe with rice and batter, olla jacetana – a very comforting stew-, sopa de ajo, Somontano wine – 12 Lunas variedad Garnacha – and a semifredo for dessert – ice cream with hot chocolate and guirlache), Restaurante Las 3 Ranas.

Where to stay in Jaca 🛏

In the small city of Jaca you will find accommodations suited to all kinds of budgets. Here are some options. Note that I didn´t try these myself since I stayed at my family´s apartment.

• Medium range hotels in Jaca (⭐⭐⭐ or ⭐⭐⭐⭐): Gran Hotel de Jaca, Hotel Conde Aznar, Hotel Eurostars Reina Felicia, Hotel Oroel & Spa, Hotel Real Jaca & Spa, Hotel & Spa Real Badaguás Jaca, Pura Vida Pirineos.
• Budget accommodation in Jaca (⭐⭐ or below): Hotel Las Nieves, Hotel Mur.
• Campings in Jaca: if you love nature, consider staying in nearby campgrounds such as Camping Victoria.

Note that certain hotels in Jaca offer the Jaca Pass, which gives you access to the Cathedral, the Citadel and the Diocesan Museum.

For more accommodation options in Jaca, feel free to check out Airbnb or Booking, my go-to platforms wherever I travel.

How to get to Jaca 📍

Located near the French border, the city of Jaca is well-connected to the rest of the Pyrenees and easy to reach. Here are various ways to get around Jaca.

• 🚌 By bus: the central bus station (Estación de Autobuses de Jaca) lying next to Plaza Biscós is ideal to explore nearby villages in the area, or reach major cities such as Huesca or Zaragoza.
• 🚙 By car: the main towns in the Aragon region are connected by first-class roads, although in the Pyrenees mountains weather difficulties can lengthen the journey. From Jaca, it will take you 1h30 to reach Zaragoza using the A-23 motorway, 2h30 to get to my hometown in the Basque Country or 3h30 to drive to Barcelona.
• 👣 By foot: walking is the best way to explore Jaca given its manageable size.
• ✈️ By plane: on the one hand, the nearest option from Jaca is the Pamplona airport (Aeropuerto de Pamplona, PNA), in the neighboring region of Navarre, a mere 1h20 drive. On the other hand, Zaragoza (Aeropuerto de Zaragoza, ZAZ), the capital of the Aragón region, is another option lying 1h40 away.
• 🚂 By train: the nearest train station is Huesca, from where you can take a bus to Jaca and other ski stations such as Astún, Candanchú or Formigal. During the winter season, there are AVE high-speed trains connecting Madrid and Zaragoza all the way to Huesca.

Skiing in Formigal: Spain’s premier winter resort in the Pyrenees 🎿

The Pyrenees mountain range separates the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal) from the rest of Europe, stretching more than 430km between Spain and France and rising higher than 3,400m in elevation. Pico de Aneto at 3,404 metres is the highest mountain in the Pyrenees. Hiking trails traverse the entire length of the range and national parks offer shorter trails, while dozens of ski resorts can be found on both sides of the Pyrenees.

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Winter in St Cergue

In Spain, the following regions lie by the Pyrenees mountains: Aragón, Basque Country, Catalonia and Navarre. Out of the various ski resorts you can find in the country, Formigal-Panticosa is Spain’s largest, offering 182 km of skiable terrain across six valleys (Anayet, Petrosos, Portalet, Sabocos, Sarrios and Sextas), 37 lifts and 147 runs, snowparks, off-piste areas and après-ski spots. Besides, Panticosa offers not only skiing, but also a thermal spa experience (Balneario de Panticosa).

Located just a 50-minute drive from Jaca, I´ve been to Formigal twice and I love it because of its wide, gentle slopes that are ideal for beginner and intermediate skiers. I mainly skied in blue and red slopes in the Anayet area, with my favorite ski runs being Cantal, Pico Royo and Sarrios.

Practical information ℹ

• As of 2025, the daily forfait for an adult to access the Formigal ski resort is 64€ (or 73.5€ if you buy it with insurance).
• You can also download the Aramón App to check real-time ski conditions and maps.
• There are various parkings throughout the Formigal-Panticosa ski resortdepending on where you´re staying or where you would like to hit the slopes first. We´ve parked in Parking Formigal-Anayet both times.

Where to eat and apres ski in (or near) Formigal 🍻

• Asador Borrullán (specializing in grilled meats and hearty stews),
• Asador Restaurante Sarao (I heard great things about the cachopo and menestra in this restaurant in Escarrilla),
• Bar Pizzería Grajos (popular bar for apres ski),
• Marchica Après-ski (legendary spot bringing the best DJs and trendy bands at the end of a day of skiing).

Where to stay in (or near) Formigal 🛏

• Hotel Almud (Sallent de Gállego),
• Hotel Continental Balneario de Panticosa (Panticosa),
• Hotel Nievesol (Formigal),
• Hotel Saliecho (Formigal),
• Hotel Sarao (Escarrilla).
• Check out these additional accommodation options in the Formigal-Panticosa area.

Browse the sports products that I’ve used during my ski trips over the years. You can also check out my Decathlon affiliate profile to create your own look.

Jaca and Formigal travel tips

In case this is your very first time visiting Jaca and/or Formigal, here are a few tips to help you navigate these destinations.

• 🗓 Best time to visit, key events and weather: Jaca and Formigal are both important destinations for winter sports (be it ice hockey, ski or snowboard), although they´re also popular among hikers and outdoor lovers during the summer. The climate in Aragon can be as variable as the landscape, with winters often long and extreme, and summers hot with very little rain. The main celebrations in Jaca are the Victory on the first Friday of May, followed by Santa Orosia and San Pedro between June 25 and 29. In odd-numbered years, the city of Jaca hosts the Pyrenees Folk Festival (Festival Folklórico de los Pirineos), an exhibition of music, dance and traditional costumes taking place between the end of June and the beginning of August. The Quebrantahuesos race in nearby Sabiñánigo at the end of June draws many visitors too. If you´re visiting the area during these popular periods, make sure to book your accommodation early.
• ⏳ Historic background: with a decisive historical role in shaping the Spain we know, the region of Aragón features splendid Mudejar architecture and many well-preserved medieval villages. Between the 12th and 15th centuries, Aragon was a powerful kingdom that included Catalonia, Mallorca and Valencia. At its glorious peak in the 13th century, its domains extended across the Mediterranean to Sicily. In 1469, the marriage of Ferdinand II of Aragon to Isabella of Castile paved the way for the unification of Spain.
• 📍Itinerary: given that Jaca is a small city, you can easily visit it in half a day, or a day at most. Should you be combining Jaca with other nearby destinations or ski resorts, I would suggest devoting at least three days to the area.
• 🛟 Safety: for extra peace of mind when traveling abroad (and especially if you´re skiing), you can calculate how much you would pay for your health insurance with the SafetyWing widget below.

Feeling adventurous? Check out these outdoor activities with Manawa in the Pyrenees.

Excursion by electric bicycle through Sierra de Guara, Huesca

Ice climbing in Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park, Aragonese Pyrenees (Huesca)

Rafting down the River Ara in Broto, Huesca

Ski Touring Course in the Tena Valley, Huesca

Tandem Speedriding (ski + paragliding) from Cerler Ski Resort to Ampriu, near Benasque

Map of Jaca and Formigal

For your ease of reference, below you will find a Jaca and Formigal map with all the spots mentioned throughout this blog post. Use it to plan your next trip to these destinations in the Pyrenees!

Best day trips from Jaca and Formigal

While you´re visiting Jaca and / or Formigal, you may also want to explore some of the most breathtaking landscapes and charming villages in the Pyrenees. Whether you’re seeking epic hikes in Ordesa & Monte Perdido National Park, medieval streets in Aínsa, or stunning glacial scenery in Benasque, these day trips offer a perfect escape into nature, history, and adventure.

Here are the top destinations to visit from Jaca and Formigal!

Ordesa & Monte Perdido National Park 🏔

If you´re a true nature lover, Ordesa and Monte Perdido National Park (Parque Nacional de Ordesa y Monte Perdido) combines the most spectacular elements of the Pyrenean landscape. In the heart of this park there are four glacial canyons, namely the Añisclo, Escuaín, Ordesa and Pineta valleys, which shape the great limestone massifs and create formidable peaks and cliffs. These valleys are crisscrossed by well-marked trails that can be followed by anyone in moderate physical condition, although hiking boots are essential. One of the most popular hiking routes starting in Formigal is the GR-11, the 800-kilometre Pyrenean path that crosses the natural border between Spain and France.

Most of the park can only be reached on foot, and the snows of fall and winter make it inaccessible to those without special equipment. However, in summer, the large number of people who visit the park attests to the well-deserved fame it has gained as a paradise for mountaineers and naturalists. The fauna and flora here is spectacular, with some endemic species such as the Pyrenean chamois or the Ordesa Ibex worth mentioning.

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Some of the top highlights in Ordesa and Monte Perdido include the 70-meter high Cola de Caballo waterfall, the Faja de Pelay trail, the Añisclo canyon, and the quaint village of Torla. Don´t miss the stunning glacial lakes known as ibones scattered throughout the Pyrenees either (Ibones de Anayet, Ibón de Piedrafita, Ibón de Plan)!

Parador de Bielsa is the best accommodation in the area to admire the formidable rock walls crossed by waterfalls after hiking all day. There are also several shelters around Ordesa and Monte Perdido where you can spend the night.

Charming villages and monuments in the Pyrenees 💚

This area of the province of Huesca is dotted with picturesque locations worth exploring. Here are a few ideas to add to your bucket list.

• Agüero: located nder a formidable cliff of eroded stone, this village hosts a Romanesque church from the 12th century (iglesia de Santiago).
• Aínsa: one of Spain’s best-preserved medieval towns featuring old alleys, the cobbled Plaza Mayor surrounded by stone arcades, and the restored castle.
• Alquézar: this medieval village of Arab origin houses a spectacular 11th century Collegiate Church that dominates a mountainous outcrop above the strange rock formations of the Vero River canyon.
• Ansó, Hecho and Siresa, located in the homonymous valleys of Ansó and Hecho, are very popular tourist destinations for cross-country skiing, fishing or hiking.
• Benasque: its old town is full of stately mansions and above the village rises the Maladeta massif from whose trails and ski slopes you can enjoy magnificent views of several peaks in the area, including Aneto and Posets, which are over 3000 metres high.
• Castles, monasteries and sanctuaries: Castillo de Loarre (the best preserved Romanesque castle in the world featured in Ridley Scott´s Kingdom of Heaven), Iglesia de Santa María (founded in the 11th century in Santa Cruz de la Serós), Monasterio de San Juan de la Peña (legend has it that it once housed the legendary Holy Grail; check out the Romanesque pantheon housing the tombs of the first kings of Aragon, and the elaborate outer cloister), Santuario de Torreciudad (sanctuary built in memory of the founder of Opus Dei).
• Graus: apart from being famous for its sausages (longanizas de Graus), this town is home to the unique Plaza de España, surrounded by facades with frescoes and half-timbered houses.

Other ski resorts in the Pyrenees🎿

In addition to Formigal, there are many more ski resorts where you can hit the slopes on any side of the Pyrenees, be it Spain or France.

• In Aragón: Astún, Candanchú, Cerler, Javalambre- Valdelinares.
• In Catalonia: Baqueira Beret in Val d´Aran.
• In France: Gourette, La Mongie, La Pierre Saint Martin.
  

If you cross into France via the Somport mountain pass, be sure to stop by a former railway station now converted into the magnificent Canfranc Estación – A Royal Hideaway Hotel.

As you can see, Jaca and Formigal offer an unforgettable mix of history, adventure, and gastronomy in the heart of the Pyrenees. Whether you’re skiing in Formigal, exploring medieval Jaca, or hiking through Ordesa, the Aragon region is worth being discovered.

Please let me know how you liked this Jaca and Formigal post, and feel free to leave your questions and comments below.

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In the meantime, safe travels around the world!

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