Among the fertile plains of Aragon lies Huesca, a city with a well-preserved historical center and a lively atmosphere of real Spain. Despite the abundance of antiquity, Huesca at the same time remains quite dynamic and modern. And yet – one of the richest cities in the country in terms of the diversity of natural landscapes. An hour’s drive to the north is the mesmerizing Pyrenees, 30 minutes to the south – the harsh semi-desert steppes of Monegros. In general, everything you need for a calm, predictable, but at the same time rich in impressions holiday.
How to get to Huesca
The fastest and cheapest way to get to Huesca is via Barcelona. Arriving at El Prat airport, from terminal T2 you need to get to the main station of the capital of Catalonia, Barcelona Sants (trains run every 30 minutes), and then transfer to a bus to Huesca (departures 5 times a day). For Spain climate and geography, please check TopPharmacySchools.
Another option is the train. On it to Huesca you can directly come from Madrid. But when going by railway transport from Barcelona, you will need to change at the Sants station and in Zaragoza – very tiring and much more expensive than by bus. More details – at website of the Spanish Railways (in English).
Transportation
Public transport in Huesca is represented by buses. But local authorities, in an effort to attract tourists, have launched interesting and inexpensive bus tours around the city and its environs: every day there is a new route. Details can be found at the official tourist center at Plaza Luis Lopez Allue. It is more convenient to explore the historical part of the city on foot or by bike – there are several rental points. Car parking is paid. Taxis can be called by phone or found at a special parking lot; there are quite a lot of them in the city. The price in both cases will be the same.
Huesca Hotels
Huesca has a large selection of accommodation for tourists. Hotels dominate. A double room in a four-star hotel costs 80-90 EUR per night (without breakfast). The same in 3 * – 50-60 EUR. It is even cheaper to stay in a two-star hotel, they offer a standard room for 30-40 EUR. Apartments for 3-6 people will cost 70-100 EUR. There are also hostels, a bed costs 12-16 EUR per night. The prices on the page are for August 2021.
Cafes and restaurants
Gastronomy is one of the symbols of Huesca. There are three Michelin-starred restaurants in the relatively small town. A tasting menu for one person costs about 90 EUR. Both expensive restaurants and ordinary cafes serve dishes from the same products grown by Aragonese farmers.
Typical food in local taverns: salmorejo tomato soup, roast pork with potatoes, fritada de menudillos de cordero fritada de menudillos de cordero. All these dishes cost around 10-15 EUR. Wicker almudevar buns and chestnuts in marzipan are considered the sweet symbol of Huesca. McDonald’s, Burger King and small Chinese restaurants are responsible for fast food, where you can grab a box of noodles for 7 EUR.
Attractions
A significant part of Huesca is occupied by the historical center, but since the city itself is small, you can explore it in 1-2 days on foot. The main street of Koso-Bakh runs along the line of the fortress wall built by the Arabs. It surrounds the Old Town, in the center of which stands the 14th century Cathedral (Plaza de la Catedral) built on the foundation of a mosque. Part of the temple is occupied by the Museum of Religious Art of the Province of Huesca.
Opposite the cathedral is the self-government building, built in 1578. Inside it there is a small exhibition, among the exhibits of which stands out the painting “The Bell of Huesca”, depicting the execution of participants in the rebellion against King Ramiro II in 1136.
The park will help them to freshen up a bit. Miguel Serveta (Calle del Parque, 22). This is the largest green area, founded in 1928. 1600 trees grow here, and in small squares there are monuments to kings and Miguel Servet himself, a scientist executed by the Inquisition.
Another important attraction is the 12th century St. Peter’s Monastery (Plaza de San Pedro, 1). The Romanesque cloister was erected on the site of an ancient Roman sanctuary, which is why the townspeople often call it “El Viejo” – “the old one”. The complex consists of a basilica and a bypass gallery. The altar of the 17th century has been preserved in the chapels of the monastery church, and the ashes of the kings of Aragon, Ramiro II and Alfonso I, lie in the pantheon.
At Plaza Universidad, 1 is a complex of buildings of the former Sertorian University, which today houses the Huesca Museum. It was here that the events from the already mentioned legend about the bell took place. Today, the exposition of the museum exhibits archaeological artifacts, monuments of Iberian and Aragonese art, lithographs by Francisco Goya, paintings of the 15th-20th centuries.
Weather
Huesca has a typical Mediterranean climate, but the proximity of the mountains gives it some special features. Winters are cold here, and summers are not as hot as in the south of the country. Precipitation falls evenly from October to April.
