Discover Peñalba: Valcuerna, Santa Cruz and festival traditions

Peñalba offers several specific highlights to help you plan your trip: the architecture of the Iglesia de la Santa Cruz, the Valcuerna landscape and religious traditions with fixed dates. You can tailor your stay to architectural history, nature or a particular feast day. The highlights range from the layout of a church to a bike ride with a named destination.

Architecture and cultural connections

The Iglesia de la Santa Cruz has a floor plan that more closely resembles a Greek cross than a Latin cross. The large central nave and the two smaller side aisles define the layout of the church interior. The main altar is dedicated to the Finding of the Holy Cross. The brick-built tower is also clearly structured: it consists of three sections; the two lower ones are square, while the upper one is octagonal. This offers two distinct architectural features to explore: the shape of the floor plan and the change in the tower’s shape as it rises.

Another cultural connection is Peñalba’s role as one of the filming locations for Bigas Luna’s 1992 film “Jamón, jamón.” The town is also associated with the historic Catalan branch of the Camino de Santiago. These connections complement the local architectural history with film history and a link to a historic route.

Festivals and dates throughout the year

The Santa Cruz patron saint festival takes place on May 3. The pilgrimage in honor of Santa Quiteria follows on May 22. The smaller festival in honor of the Virgen del Rosario is celebrated on October 7. On Good Friday, the El Reloj procession takes place in Peñalba. If you are planning a visit for a particular celebration, you can take its date into account in the calendar for the year of your trip. The two May festivals take place close together, while the Virgen del Rosario festival has its own date in autumn; El Reloj is held on Good Friday.

Valcuerna landscape and activities

The Valcuerna is the only river that rises in Los Monegros and flows entirely through Los Monegros. The Valcuerna area is considered one of the region’s most nature-rich areas because of its diversity. At the Barranco de la Valcuerna, vegetation above the water forms a green tunnel, characterized by tamarisk trees. The river, ravine and vegetation each give the natural area a distinct character: the river defines its geographical course, while the tamarisk trees shape the described landscape along the water.

The Barranco de la Valcuerna is designated as a public hiking trail. From Peñalba, the Valcuerna access road runs to the A-2410; from there, the route continues downhill on foot or by bicycle. A roughly two-and-a-half-hour bike ride is also described, following the Barranco de la Valcuerna from Peñalba to the Caspe reservoir. You can use these details as different points of reference when planning: the hiking trail is designated as open to the public, while the bike ride has an approximate duration and a named destination.

Getting around locally

Peñalba’s town center is at kilometer 400 of the N-II, providing a specific reference point for your journey. Access to the Ermita de Santa Quiteria is also described in terms of its location: it can be reached without crossing the N-II. A passage beneath a bridge leads over the Barranco de la Valcuerna. This gives you two separate points to consider when planning your visit: directions to the town center and access to the Ermita.

Discover more destinations: Rapún, Castejón Del Puente, Ceresa, Anciles, Ribagorza, Estada, Buetas, Cajigar.

For the regional travel overview: Huesca.