Hold on tight, because we are going to give you a quick tour of Alquézar so that when you go on a rural tourism holiday you can get to know it inside out.
Alquézar is a municipality in the province of Huesca, in the Somontano de Barbastro region, which stands on a large limestone canyon that the river Vero has eroded over the centuries.
Just at the entrance to the village you will come across a privileged place to get an idea of everything you can see: the Sonrisa del Viento viewpoint. The most striking building from here is the old castle of Arab origin, remodeled by the Christians to convert it into what is now the Collegiate Church of Santa María la Mayor.
Where can we go from this point? Coming down from the castle and crossing its famous gothic portal, the ideal place to go to is the village center of activities: the Plaza Mayor, or Plaza de Rafael Ayerbe. From there it is easy to get to the Casa Fabián Ethnographic Museum by following the Calle Baja. This way you can take the opportunity to cross under one of the famous callizos, which are covered alleys that allowed to increase the space between the houses.
If you then take Calle Nueva, you will return to an elevated space where you will find the church of San Miguel Arcángel, a building that is deceptive at first glance due to its rough exterior appearance, but whose interior is decorated in the Baroque style.
We have already explored much of the interior area of Alquézar, but what about the surrounding area? For those who are not too afraid of heights, we recommend the Ruta de las Pasarelas del Vero, a walk along the cliff walls on suspension bridges.
Some of the sections can be done with children, who will have the opportunity to observe another perspective of the Sierra y Cañones de Guara Natural Park. This is the largest park in the whole of the Aragonese community and a special area for the protection of birds, which you will be able to see if you are lucky.
Back in the village, you're bound to be tired after a day of sightseeing. Don't worry, because there are plenty of hotels and rural houses in the streets of this medieval village. Or, if you're interested, there are a couple of campsites on the outskirts where you can take a plot and set up a tent.
What we have no doubt about is that you will want to try some of the traditional dishes of the area. They like to boast a lot about their wine with the Somontano appellation of origin, which is the best combination next to a dish of chicken al chilindrón. It is a very typical dish that is eaten especially during the festivities of Alquézar, such as the Romería de San Gregorio, or the festivities of San Nicostrato and San Hipólito.
So, what do you think? Alquézar is considered one of the most beautiful towns in Huesca, and we hope we have made you understand why. The rural tourism plan will not be boring at all in a place like this.
