Aínsa, the medieval square at the meeting of the Ara and the Cinca.

Aínsa has two villages. Below, at the road junction where the Ara meets the Cinca, the new part, with hotels, petrol stations and shops. Above, on a ridge, the medieval old town: an arcaded square from the 12th and 13th centuries, a castle with an enormous parade ground, the Romanesque church of Santa María and five gates in the wall. It was the capital of the old Sobrarbe and is now the most comfortable base in the comarca, less than an hour from Añisclo, Ordesa and Pineta.

How do you get to Aínsa from Huesca, Zaragoza or Lleida?

By car. From Huesca, along the A-22 towards Barbastro and the N-123 and A-138 northwards past the El Grado reservoir; allow an hour and a half. From Zaragoza, via Huesca and Barbastro, a little over two hours. From Lleida, via Monzón and Barbastro, around two hours. All routes end up following the Cinca along the A-138, with the Mediano reservoir on the left.

There is a scheduled bus from Barbastro, but with few departures a day; for a Sunday there and back, the car is the only realistic option.

Where do you park?

Leave the car in the new part, by the river or in the junction area, and walk up to the old town: a few minutes uphill. The old town is not for cars, and the square is enjoyable precisely because there are none. If you are sleeping at the Hotel Sánchez, it has a garage that can be reserved and an outdoor car park.

What is there to see in Aínsa?

• The Plaza Mayor and the castle, free and at any time. Under the arcades two communal wine presses remain; in the castle, the Pyrenean Fauna Ecomuseum and the Geopark Space.
• The church of Santa María, from the late 11th century, with a guided visit for €4.
• The guided tour of the old town, on Saturdays at 17:00, for €8.
• The Cruz Cubierta, a little temple from 1655 that recalls the legend of the cross on the holm oak, celebrated every two years at the festival of La Morisma.

Around it, the municipality has fifteen waymarked trails. The best to start with: the Cinca viewpoint, half an hour; Muro de Roda, a castle with a church high on the ridge; and San Victorián and La Espelunga, beneath the Peña Montañesa.

What is there to do nearby?

The Sobrarbe is an adventure comarca. From Aínsa you head to the Añisclo canyon, inside the National Park: three hours each way to La Ripareta. Aguas Blancas, with an office on Avenida de Sobrarbe, runs canyoning in Guara and the Pyrenees from €52 and age 7. And the town council takes you free to the Peñamiel rock shelters, with cave paintings beside the River Vero. If you want more mountain, the Ordesa valley is about 50 km away.

How much time do you need?

Half a day is enough for the old town. For Aínsa and a walk, a Sunday. With one or two nights you can also do Añisclo or a canyon and see the village at dusk, when the day visitors leave and the square is left to those who sleep in it.

When should you go?

In spring and autumn: trails and canyons at their best, good temperatures and fewer people. Canyoning runs from March to October. In summer there is atmosphere and the castle festival, but also heat and the Añisclo road is one-way. In winter the village is quiet and some places close: Callizo, in January and February.

Where do you eat on Sunday?

The Bodegón de Mallacán is open 365 days a year, from 10:00 to midnight, on the Plaza Mayor: it is the safe bet. Casa Alfonso, on the same square, serves Pyrenean beef steak and trout. For a special meal, Callizo, with a Michelin star, tasting menus at €130 and €150, and closed on Monday evening and Tuesday.