Cerler: Mountain Trails, Summit Views and Old Town

Cerler lies above the Benasque Valley and offers views of the largest concentration of peaks over 3,000 meters in the Pyrenees. When looking for a hotel in Cerler, it helps to first decide what you want to focus on during your trip: mountain trails, cycling, winter sports or the historic town center. The routes and attractions offer a specific destination for each of these interests.

Mountain Setting and Viewpoints

The El Molino chairlift takes you to an altitude of over 2,000 meters. From there, you can see the peaks of Maladeta, Posets, Perdiguero and Aneto. If you plan to take the lift, check the timetable in advance. Another named viewpoint is Rincón del Cielo, which offers a 360-degree panorama of the Turbón massif.

Hikes by Distance and Time

The Ruta de las Tres Cascadas starts in Cerler and is a marked circular hike of less than 7 kilometers. It follows a marked, paved path to the Ermita de San Pedro Mártir. The Masearada, El Clotet and El Bom or Ardonés waterfalls can be viewed up close. Seasonal snow conditions may affect this route.

The Cerler 1,500 – Cota 2,000 walking route leads from the ski resort’s base station to a natural viewpoint at Cota 2,000. The ascent is listed as taking 2 hours, and the descent 1 hour and 45 minutes; the route has an elevation gain of 470 meters. The details for the Miradores de Cerler route are different: it takes 2 hours, is 4.5 kilometers long, includes a 375-meter ascent and has a difficulty rating of 3 out of 5. When comparing them, note that the ascent and descent are listed separately for the Cota route, while a single route duration is given for Miradores.

Another high-altitude hike leads to Pico Gallinero at 2,630 meters. The route is listed as 7.5 kilometers long, takes 3 hours and 30 minutes, and has a difficulty rating of 4 out of 5. The Benasque–Cerler–Anciles–Benasque circular hike follows the PR-HU 27 and PR-HU 33 trails and is 9 kilometers long. This gives you a choice of shorter routes and longer circular hikes, with different times and difficulty ratings.

Cycling Routes with Different Profiles

The Blue Velvet – Bosques de Cerler mountain bike descent runs from the top station of the El Molino chairlift at 2,030 meters to the station parking lot at 1,500 meters. It follows forest trails and covers an elevation difference of around 500 meters. The Redline – Bosques de Cerler route also runs from 2,030 meters to the parking lot at 1,500 meters; this descent follows technical forest trails and has an elevation difference of 500 meters. The two routes therefore share the same elevation figures but differ in how their terrain is described.

For road cyclists, the Puerto Ampriu route is listed as a 12-kilometer one-way route with an average gradient of 6.3 percent. This makes it possible to distinguish a road cycling route with a specified distance and gradient from the two mountain bike descents.

Historic Town Center and Dining

Cerler’s old town lies around the parish church of San Lorenzo. Wrought-iron work, stone, wood and slate shape its appearance; the historic town center is fully preserved. Cerler’s origins have been documented since the 9th century. Casa Cornel is considered probably the oldest building in the village and was the former residence of Pedro Cornell, Bishop of Tarazona, in the 15th century.

There is also a restaurant at an altitude of over 2,000 meters: Panorámico El Bosque serves homemade pizzas in a cozy mountain hut. The historic town center and this dining option offer a different focus from the high-altitude routes and sports trails.

Ski Resort and Ski Touring

The Aramón Cerler ski resort reaches an altitude of 2,630 meters and has a skiable vertical drop of 1,130 meters. Its facilities include 72 runs, a snowpark, a boardercross course and a toboggan run.

Skimo Cerler has four ski touring routes, with ascent distances ranging from 1 to 4.6 kilometers. Snow conditions and route status vary by season. If you are planning a stay around these tours, take these conditions into account when making your plans.

For the broader travel overview: Benasque.