Piedra Vieja Restaurant
What to order: the set menu after the park; at the bar, sharing plates and pinchos
geocalia
Day itinerary · 41.19° N · 1.78° W
Monasterio de Piedra: a cave behind a waterfall.
The waterfall park first thing, with the Iris Cave and the birds of prey display, lunch on the grounds and the 13th-century monastery before heading home.
Leaving from
Part of Monasterio de Piedra
Add to my trip
Total time9 h from Zaragoza
By car1 h 15 each way
WalkingNearly 4 km · steps
DifficultyLow to medium
Cost€35–60 pp
Best timeMarch – June · October – November
With childrenYes, without a pushchair
With a dogYes in the park, on a lead
The plan
The day at a glance
Any part can be swapped for another without spoiling the day.
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Leave Zaragoza 1 h 15 by car
From Zaragoza via the A-2, exit 231; about 120 km
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1
Historic Garden Park: waterfalls, Horsetail Fall and Iris Cave
Park: Cola de Caballo, Gruta Iris and lakes · 2 h 30 · €20 with the monastery
- 2 min on foot
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2
Birds of prey display
Birds of prey display · 11:30 show
- 3 min on foot
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3
Historic Fish Farm, the First in Spain
Fish farm · 20 min, before leaving
- 6 min on foot
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4
Piedra Vieja Restaurant
Piedra Vieja · menu of the day on the site · €
Calle Juan Federico Muntadas y Jornet, s/n, 50210 Nuévalos · +34 976 870 700
Restaurant €Book - 2 min on foot
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5
Cistercian Monastery and Calatayud DO Wine Museum
13th-century monastery and Wine Museum · 1 h · included
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Back home
In Zaragoza around 18:20
Approximate cost
About €10–20 per person
Adds up the activities and meals in the plan at their published prices; travel and accommodation not included.
The route
Historic Garden Park: waterfalls, Horsetail Fall and Iris Cave
The Monasterio de Piedra is the Sunday that works for any age and almost any weather: waterfalls for the grown-ups, birds of prey and trout for the little ones and a 13th-century monastery to finish. From Zaragoza it is an hour and twenty along the A-2; from Soria, Teruel or Guadalajara, under two hours.
The Day, Hour by Hour
7:45 · Departure. From Zaragoza, take the A-2 towards Madrid and exit 231, Nuévalos – Monasterio de Piedra. From Guadalajara, the A-2 towards Zaragoza and exit 204, Alhama de Aragón. Parking is free.
9:00 · The park. Go in as soon as the ticket office opens, next to the shop. There are nearly 4 km of paths, steps and bridges among waterfalls and lakes. What everyone comes to see: the Cola de Caballo, more than 50 m high, and the Iris Cave, the cave that opens behind it. Admission costs €20, €14.20 for ages 4 to 11.
11:30 · Birds of prey. The flying display has sessions at 11:30, 14:00 and 17:00 (in summer, 11:30, 13:00 and 17:00). Confirm the time at the ticket office: it changes with the season.
12:15 · Fish farm. The one the Monastery presents as the first in Spain, created some 150 years ago. Twenty minutes among trout ponds.
13:30 · Lunch. You cannot eat inside the park. Get your ticket stamped on the way out and eat at Piedra Vieja, on the grounds: set menu, à la carte, mixed plates and pizzas, with a terrace. For something longer, Reyes de Aragón, the hotel restaurant. Neither publishes opening hours: call beforehand if you are in a group.
15:30 · The monastery. It is open until 18:00. On your own: the old church, the 13th-century cloister, the refectory, the conventual kitchen with the history of chocolate and the old cellar, now the DO Calatayud Wine Museum.
17:00 · Return. In Zaragoza around 18:20.
With Children and Dogs
It is one of the best Sunday plans with children in the area, but not with a pushchair: there are steps. Under-4s do not pay. Dogs go into the park on a lead, not into the birds of prey area; in the monastery, only in a carrier or backpack.
Distance4 km
Time3 h
Change the route
Where to eat
Where to eat?
Lunch is half the plan: book before you set off.
Hotel Río Piedra Restaurant
What to order: the Río Piedra menu, or the gourmet one for a special meal
Reyes de Aragón Restaurant
What to order: the seasonal dishes on the Aragonese menu; in summer, a table on the Los Castaños terrace
Map
The stops, in order
With where to park at each one.
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
Getting there
By car or without one?
When to go
When to go to Monasterio de Piedra
Any Sunday of the year: the park is open every day. In spring there is more water and in autumn, colour. In summer, arrive at 9:00 to avoid queues.
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Best timeGood timeLow season
Tips
Worth knowing first
- 1Arrive at opening time
By mid-morning on Sunday queues form at the Iris Cave.
- 2Get your ticket stamped when you go out for lunch
With the same ticket you can go back in.
- 3Wear shoes with grip
The steps in the cave are always wet.
If it rains
The park stays open and the waterfalls carry more water; bring a waterproof. The monastery is under cover.
We'd skip it
August Sundays at midday and long weekends: queues on the narrow sections and a full car park.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take from Zaragoza?
An hour and twenty minutes along the A-2.
How much does the day cost?
Between €35 and €60 per person: €20 for admission, plus lunch.
Is the Monasterio de Piedra open on Sundays?
Yes, every day. The park, from 9:00 to 17:45 (last entry at 16:30); from 10 November to 6 January, last entry at 16:00.
Can you bring your own food?
You cannot eat inside the park. Eat on the grounds or outside.
Can I take a dog?
Yes, on a lead in the park.
More plans like this
Other days of walking and good food
geocalia.com/en/spain/aragon/piedra-monastery/itineraries/monasterio-de-piedra-waterfalls-birds-of-prey-and-monastery
Prices, opening hours and times are approximate: check them before you go. Each place has its own page on Geocalia.