Travel for Bliss

There are many beautiful and easy hikes near Aínsa in Aragon. The area is one of the most beautiful hiking destinations in Spain. There are snowcapped mountains, thundering waterfalls, turquoise lakes and ancient hilltop villages. Many of the hikes are quite easy while still offering incredible scenery.

We were there with our nine-month-old baby, so all these hikes I recommend are achievable with a baby in a carrier. Check out my tips below to ensure you have a good time while hiking. I loved all of these hikes. They’re all extremely beautiful and offer different experiences.

Hiking in Aragon can be relatively easy. There are many long-distance hikes if you’re up for them, but also lots of shorter, easy hikes, especially near Aínsa. Even if the hike is short you still need to prepare properly.

• If you’re hiking alone always advise someone of where you’re going.
• Bring more than enough water. It gets hot in Spain
• Wear a hat
• Wear appropriate footwear
• If going to higher elevations pack extra warm clothes. This is the Pyrenees.
• Pack rain gear.
• Always check the weather

Aragon likes to advertise itself as having more than 300 sunny days a year. This is a really good guarantee that you will have good weather when you visit. It does mean that you need to be prepared for lots of sun and heat, especially in spring and summer.

The Aínsa-Sobrabe province is in the Pyrenees, so you will also have snow in winter.

In Spring you can have more of a chance of thunderstorms. These pass through very quickly but can bring wild weather.

We hiked under a clear blue sky and then half an hour later (when we were driving) there was a huge thunderstorm with hail and strong wind and rain. The temperature even dropped by twenty degrees!

  Distance: 1.5km
  Time – 30 minutes or 1.5 hrs
  Difficulty: Easy
  Start Point: Aínsa Castle Parking Lot
  Meters Climbed: 33m

The Mirador Del Cinca is a very easy hike near Aínsa in Aragon. The path departs from The Aínsa Castle parking lot and follows an easy road for most of it. There is a very small uphill section near the lookout.

Parts of the road are dirt so it’s always good to have hiking shoes. The views over the river, valley and village are spectacular, especially at sunset.

  Distance: 3.8km
  Time – 2 hrs
  Difficulty: Easy
  Start Point: San Victorian Monastery Parking Lot
  Meters Climbed: 200m

The San Victorian monastery is a ruin nestled at the foothills of the Pyrenees. It is an easy hike in the Aínsa-Sobrabe area and a short drive from the Aínsa village.

The actual monastery is in the middle of being renovated. Half is still ruined and another part is now ready to be visited. The opening times vary on the season and day so check before you go.

The area that the monastery is located in is beautiful. It is surrounded by towering mountains and flower meadows. The rest of the walk to La Espelunga is through flower fields with ruined shepherd huts.

You can drive right up to the monastery. There is an uphill section to get to La Espelunga. The track is quite wild but still easy. There is also a castle ruin if you want to add a steeper hike to your itinerary.

  Distance: 8.5km
  Time – 3 hrs
  Difficulty: Medium
  Start Point: Aínsa River Car Park
  Meters Climbed: 250m

The Cerro De Cotón hike is another semi easy hike near Aínsa in Aragon. The road for the hike is next to the Hotel Mesón de L’Aínsa.

It’s a dirt road that winds through farmland before heading into a wooded area. Along the way, you can see a vulture sanctuary, a lovely view of Aínsa, and sheep herded by the famous Great Pyrenees dogs.

This hike has some steep uphill sections and not a lot of shade, so make sure you bring lots of water and sun protection.

Once you make it up Cerro de Cotón (Cotton Mountain) the path follows the ridgeline. Below is the bright turquoise Cinca River and uninterrupted views of the mountains.

At the end of the loop is a ruin called the Torre de Tou. This is an old tower from the 11th century. From there you can loop back towards Aínsa.

  Distance: 5.5km
  Time – 4 hrs
  Difficulty: Medium
  Start Point: Pozas de San Martín Car Park
  Meters Climbed: 250m

This hike can be as easy or difficult as you wish, so I’m still adding it to the list of easy hikes near Aínsa. You can just hike to the pools if you want a swim, or do the loop if you want to see the waterfall.

The hardest part about this hike is the track. It follows the riverbed, so it’s a good idea to wear shoes that can get wet. There are also parts where you will be walking up and across rock faces.

If you’re going to the pools of San Martin to swim then just be aware that they do become quite stagnant without rainfall. The best time to go is early spring.

  Distance: 8.4km
  Time – 3 hrs
  Difficulty: Medium
  Start Point: Parking at the Puente del Entremón (Entremon Bridge)
  Meters Climbed: 200m

This hike was one of the most beautiful hikes I did in Aragon, and there’s a lot of beautiful hikes in this area. It is another easy hike quite close to Aínsa in Aragon.

It’s classed as medium difficulty because the path has areas where it’s advised to walk holding onto a rope due to cliffs, or floating steps over a collapsed section of trail.

The hike follows the Entremón Canyon from one dam to another. Most of the trail is shaded and the turquoise river is always beside you.

The trail ends at the Presa de Mediano, which is a large dam. The dam wall is huge, but the most interesting aspect is the submerged town.

When the dam was created a small village had to be sacrificed. You can still see the old church tower rising above the water. This is called the Torre de Mediano (Mediano Tower).

  Time – 45 Minutes
  Difficulty: Easy
  Start Point: Parking San Urbez
  Meters Climbed: 50m

The Añisclo Canyon is one of the most beautiful places in Aragon. The canyon has a river down its length and awe-inspiring mountains surround it.

The walk is very easy and is one of the most maintained. There are bridges and rails and lockout points.

Even though this is a short hike it has a lot crammed into it. You can see an old watermill, a waterfall where they do abseiling, a turquoise river and San Urbez, which is a cave chapel.