The guide book said that the medieval village of Ainsa is one of Aragon’s gems, so we went there.
- Ainsa from the castle wall – pity about the crane
it sits high on a hill
the castle
The castle and fortifications mostly date from the 1600s. The main tower is from the 11th century.
The huge cobblestoned main square, Plaza Mayor, is surrounded by low stone arcades housing restaurants and a few shops.
the arched walkways beside the square
the restaurant in Plaza Mayor where we had dinner
Iglesia de Santa Maria
Please note the stone bench from where the previous post was done.
the bells in the tower of the church
The interior of the restored Romanesque church lights up when you put 1 euro in the box, and as a bonus you get 5 minutes of Gregorian chanting.
inside the church - you will have to imagine the music
part of the Gothic cloister
the crypt
one of the pretty houses
part of the village
the view through the arch
decoration on a pot
close up
his mates
comunal wine press in the arcade
The guide book that recommended the village also suggested staying at Hotel Los Siete Reyes, so we did. The room was lovely, the service friendly and the breakfast excellent.
the hotel room
the bathroom
decoration in the hotel
The sunset was also recommended, but it was overcast and gloomy, so it didn’t deliver. The next morning the weather had improved and we had an excellent view of the rock bastion of La Pena Montanesa.
the view from the village
a bit later
a pretty good view
If you are passing by consider dropping in to Aragon’s gem.