The Sierra de Guara is a natural park known throughout the world for its canyons and the practice of canyoning, but there are other ways to discover its emblematic landscapes. This page focuses on unusual places that are worth a detour, such as swimming spots and good tips to enhance your canyoning stay with little natural gems from the Sierra de Guara. All these walks and its heavenly corners are accessible for families with children.
WHAT TO DO IN SIERRA DE GUARA Tourism in Aragon
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This page offers a discovery of the Sierra de Guara in three sections: swimming spots for the hottest times of summer days; good tips for eating or having a drink; short, easily accessible walks to discover nature in all its splendor.
WHERE TO SWIM IN SIERRA DE GUARA
Here are some places to swim and enjoy the calm of nature, obviously respecting common sense rules: take away your waste, avoid disturbing the fauna and flora, do not put on sunscreen before immersion in water. Nature thanks you!
Rodellar sector
The village of Rodellar is a cul-de-sac at the end of a road that winds between two canyons, from which you can easily reach idyllic swimming spots on foot. The first is at the EL PUENTE campsite, 1 km from Rodellar, at the entrance of which you will have to park, respecting the signs. The Rio Alcanadre offers many small swimming spots. In particular, you can take the old bridge to reach a path on the right bank, then go up the river for about a hundred meters. We then arrive at the exit of the Barrasil canyon, where it is possible to find small jumps in the water.
The second is located at the bottom of Rodellar, under the climbing cliffs: the RIO MASCUN basins. To get there, you have to walk from Rodellar and go down the path that leads to the bottom of the canyon in 15 minutes. At the edge of the river, you can go downstream to a formerly cultivated field. In the middle, a cherry tree hides a magnificent basin for bathing. If we go upstream, we go up the river crossing small, fresh and deep pools up to the EL FUENTE spring. At this place, the water that comes out of the mountain is drinkable, you can fill your bottle!
Alquezar sector
A real tourist attraction during the summer, the Alquezar footbridges (entrance fee) allow you to reach the Rio Vero to enjoy sublime swimming spots. You can also reach the canyon without taking the footbridge path, passing through the SAN LUCAS pass to reach the VILLACANTAL bridge. In just an hour, this hike allows you to reach the end of the Rio Vero canyon and swim in its turquoise green waters.
10 km from Barbastro towards Alquezar, just arriving at the village of Pozan del Vero, a car park allows you to park and quickly reach an old dam: EL SALTO DEL VERO. A beautiful little corner that is easy to access for families with children to cool off and enjoy a small waterfall.
Bierge sector
2 km from the village of Bierge, the well-known EL SALTO DE BIERGE dam was previously freely accessible and symbolized the end of the Péonéra canyon. Today prohibited from access for safety and ecological reasons, you can still enjoy the swimming area: a large expanse of transparent water above the dam. Very easy to access from the El Salto bar car park, it is an ideal place for a day of rest with the family (entrance fee).
WHERE TO EAT AND DRINK IN SIERRA DE GUARA
The Kalandraka refuge in Rodellar
Many visitors fall in love with this magical place: old sheepfolds tastefully renovated overlooking the Mascun canyon. To discover Kalandraka, you have to cross Rodellar on foot and follow the wrought iron lampposts. This climbers’ refuge is made up of several different spaces: a huge terrace under a wisteria serves as a restaurant; below, a bar provides atmosphere on summer evenings; further on, a suspended terrace facing the canyon is the perfect place for a memorable aperitif.
The Valle de Rodellar restaurant in Rodellar
At the entrance to the village, this large building built according to the rules of the art offers several essential services: apartment rental, supermarket, but also a particularly interesting restaurant. From its panoramic terrace with a view of TOZAL DE GUARA, the Valle de Rodellar restaurant offers typical dishes of the region at reasonable prices.
Bar Florentino in the center of the village of Rodellar
A true institution, this bar is the first business to open in the 1980s. A place cherished by locals but also tourists, climbers, canyoners, the Florentino is a classic Spanish bar: cervezas and tapas! Its large welcoming terrace is the place of life in the village, particularly during the San Lorenzo festivities in August.
Restaurant Casa Pardina in Alquezar
The gastronomic address of the medieval village not to be missed, this restaurant brings together all the ingredients for a successful culinary discovery: a magnificent location, an appetizing menu, fresh and local products, warm and pleasant service. From starter to dessert, many of the dishes offered are inspired by local recipes and then reworked in a gastronomic way. The wines come from the Somontano vineyard and perfectly complement the flavors.
IMPRESSIVE LANDSCAPES AND ROCKS
The Dolphin’s Arch
This natural arch has an astonishing feature: it forms a dolphin silhouetted against the sky. It is located in MASCUN in a very well-known climbing area called Las Ventanas. If you are lucky, you can see a climber in the backlight going up the back of the Dauphin.
From Rodellar, you have to go down into the MASCUN canyon. Arriving in about ten minutes at the water’s edge, you have to go up the river and pass in front of the La Fuente spring. A hundred meters further, just turn around and look up..
Bellosta’s cuca
For the more sporty, you can continue your journey after the Dauphin Arch. We walk at the bottom of the Mascun canyon, which is dry in summer. In the distance, a straight, sharp needle rises towards the sky. Going up towards the village of Otin, the path passes next to the Cuca de Bellosta, for exceptional photography.
The Barranco Fondo Viewpoint
This belvedere offers a panoramic view of the Balcès valley. Forming immense domes of conglomerate rock, this landscape is typical of the southern plain of the Sierra de Guara. These solidified beaches are the result of the colossal force of rivers which carried pebbles and sediments thousands of years ago into the Thetis Sea.
It is reached by car by taking a 1 km path along the Barranco Fondo track, on the road between Rodellar and Bierge.
The Rio Vero Mirador
This is one of the most spectacular spots in the Rio Vero valley. This viewpoint opens onto the entrance to the canyon, high, very steep cliffs plunge towards the bottom of the canyon and abundant vegetation below. This is where the canyoning adventure began! This viewpoint is located not far from Lecina and the start of the Rio Vero canyon.
Au sommet de la Cuca
At the foot of the Mascun rock cathedral, the Cuca de Bellosta. This video reveals the magical landscape of the Sierra de Guara, filmed from the top of the needle which measures barely 1m²!