Villanova: Hiking Routes, Pyrenean Landscapes and Historic Architecture

Get to know Villanova through its location in the Pyrenean landscape, its architectural details and its several hiking and cycling routes. Different points of reference can help you choose it as a destination: the A-139 road, the location of the town centre and the routes that lead to Villanova or start there. This allows you to consider the landscape, culture and planned activities as distinct aspects of your stay.

Location and orientation in Villanova

The A-139 road runs alongside the lower part of Villanova, connecting Benasque with Castejón de Sos. The town centre lies below La Coma and Cerro de Santa Quiteria. Villanova is on the right bank, by the Sierra de Chía and opposite Pico de Eresué. These details describe different geographical points of reference: the road below the town, the elevation of the town centre and the surrounding landscape. Together, they help you locate Villanova on a map and in relation to the named mountain ranges.

Churches and architectural details

The parish church of Santa María houses a 16th-century altarpiece. Casa El Ríu has a portal from the same century, while Casa Beltrán is distinguished by its arcaded courtyard. These are different architectural features: the furnishings of a church, a house portal and a courtyard with arcades. If you are interested in architecture, these details offer concrete points of reference for exploring Villanova’s religious and secular architecture.

A virtual 360° tour is available for the Iglesia de San Pedro. It adds a digital way to explore this church to the architectural highlights. Santa María and San Pedro are two distinct points of interest: the altarpiece belongs to Santa María, while the virtual tour is of the Iglesia de San Pedro.

Hiking and cycling

The hiking routes differ in how they relate to Villanova. After crossing the Ésera, the PR-HU 86 leads to Villanova, a village with Pyrenean architecture. Circular Route 4 starts in the upper part of the village; its starting point is accessible via the A-139. The route passes through Sesué and then returns to Villanova. This gives you a choice between a route that arrives in Villanova after crossing the river and a circular route that returns to the village.

The PR-HU 51 offers a different perspective on the landscape: dense forests, traditional mountain houses and striking natural viewpoints alternate along the trail. There is also a descent option towards Villanova. When planning, you can consider not only the route’s connection to the village, but also the sequence of landscape features described. The descent option adds an alternative that heads towards Villanova.

Cycling is also represented among the routes described. BTT Route 31 connects Castejón de Sos, Villanova and the Sesué power station. It is distinct from the hiking routes mentioned: the PR-HU 86, Circular Route 4 and PR-HU 51 are hiking routes, while Route 31 is specifically identified as a BTT route. Which of these different route descriptions matters for your trip depends on whether you are most interested in the connection to the village, the route through Sesué or the scenery along the PR-HU 51.

A dated tradition

A report dated 24 June 2010 describes the Fallas being run in Villanova on St John’s Day. This dated detail adds a cultural dimension of the village to its architectural and landscape highlights.

Villanova as a destination when searching for hotels

If you are looking for a hotel for a trip to Villanova, you can start by considering what you want your destination to offer: churches and houses, its location in relation to the A-139 and the surrounding heights, or hiking and cycling routes. The routes offer different points of reference and should not be combined into a single route. The cultural details also have their own distinctive appeal.

Discover more destinations: La Puebla de Roda, Sabayés, Santoréns, San Juan De Plan, El Run, Viacamp Y Litera, Ibieca, Santa Cilia

Go to the main travel overview: Huesca.