Sobrarbe, the Pyrenees of Ordesa, Añisclo and Pineta around Aínsa.

Sobrarbe is the Huesca Pyrenees in their most vertical version. A district of about 2,200 km² and fewer than 8,000 inhabitants that runs from the Cinca reservoirs to the summits of over 3,000 metres on the French border, with the whole of Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park within its limits. Here are the range's most famous canyons and some of its best-preserved stone villages.

What is the Sobrarbe?

It is one of the districts of Alto Aragón, in the north-east of Huesca province, with 19 municipalities. It borders France to the north, Alto Gállego to the west, Ribagorza to the east and the Somontano de Barbastro and the Sierra de Guara to the south. Its administrative capital is Boltaña, although the centre of district and tourist life is Aínsa, the former capital of the medieval kingdom of Sobrarbe.

The relief is organised by rivers. The Ara flows down from Ordesa through Torla, Broto and Fiscal to Aínsa; the Cinca, from Pineta through Bielsa; and the Cinqueta, through the Chistau valley. In the north, the high valleys of Ordesa, Añisclo, Escuaín and Pineta surround the Monte Perdido massif, which at 3,355 metres tops the highest limestone massif in Europe. Since 2006 the whole district has been a geopark, now part of UNESCO's world network, for the geology that its canyons and folds lay bare.

How to get there and get around?

By car. From Huesca it takes about an hour and a half to Aínsa, via Barbastro and the El Grado reservoir; from Zaragoza, a little over two hours; from Lleida, about two hours via Monzón. From France you enter through the Bielsa tunnel. There is a regular bus from Barbastro, but with few departures: to get around the valleys, a car is essential.

Within the district, the distances are short but slow. From Aínsa to Torla, the gateway to Ordesa, it is about 50 km. The Pineta valley is reached via Bielsa, and Añisclo by the Escalona road, narrow and one-way in high season.

Access to Ordesa has rules. At Easter, in summer and on several long weekends and autumn weekends, you cannot drive up to the Pradera: you leave the car in the Torla car park and go up on the shuttle bus. In 2026 the bus ran, among other dates, from 19 June to 20 September. The ticket is not booked and the first one leaves at 6:00.

What to see in the Sobrarbe?

The Ordesa valley is the great reason for the trip: a glacial canyon with thousand-metre walls, beech woods and the waterfall path that leads to the Cola de Caballo, at the foot of Monte Perdido. It is a full-day outing from the Pradera. Higher up is the Góriz refuge, the base for climbing the Perdido.

Aínsa is the most convenient base in the district: its medieval old town on high ground, with the arcaded Plaza Mayor, the castle and the Romanesque church of Santa María, can be seen in half a day and is under an hour from Añisclo, Ordesa and Pineta.

The Añisclo canyon is narrower and wilder than Ordesa, with the River Bellós wedged between walls and a path that climbs beside the water. The Pineta valley, north of Bielsa, ends in a cirque of enormous walls beneath the summits of Monte Perdido. And in between lie villages like Torla, Broto, Boltaña or Tella, the last with dolmens and caves above the Cinca valley.

When to go

Spring and autumn are the best times. In May and June the Ordesa waterfalls carry more water and the valleys are green. In October the beech wood turns red and yellow and the district is at its best for walking. July and August bring atmosphere, good weather on the summits and also lots of people, the compulsory bus and the Añisclo road one-way. In winter, the high valleys have snow, you need equipment for any route above the valley floor and some accommodation closes.

How many days do you need?

A day is enough for Ordesa or for Aínsa and a walk. With two or three days you can combine Ordesa, Añisclo and the Aínsa old town without rushing. With five or more, you add Pineta, the Chistau valley, canyons in the area and, if you are fit and it is summer, the climb to Monte Perdido with a night at Góriz.

What to know before you go?

In Ordesa dogs are always on a lead and the valley has a limit on the number of people at one time: when it is reached, the bus trips up are suspended. Sleep in Torla or Broto the night before if you want to catch the first bus, which is the difference between a quiet valley and a pilgrimage. The Góriz refuge is booked online only and well ahead. Before going to Añisclo, check the state of the road and its one-way timetable. And in the high mountains the weather changes fast: afternoon storms are frequent in summer.