Getting Around in Jaca

The bus out from Jaca to the delightful villages of Hecho [sometimes called Echo] and Ansó only runs in the evening and returns in the morning, meaning that they don't make convenient day trips unless with private transport. However they may well be thought to merit an  overnight stay [or more.] Each is situated in its own valley some way south of the mountains which grace the French frontier. Just up-valley from Hecho, which is the first reached from Jaca, is Siresia, a small village with a ninth century monastery. Hecho itself is nowhere near as old as its winding streets and different depth steps would suggest but it really has a feeling of antiquity. Its few shops have an astonishing assortment of goods. Casa Blasquico, near the bus stop, is a very friendly place to stay with excellent food.

Ansó is the base for Alto Aragón holidays so more non-Spanish speech is to be heard. Again it is a well situated village though again it is a fair walk to the mountains. To compensate for this with those using public transport, which does not go up into the mountains, it seems much easier to hitch a lift here than in Spain generally.

NB Public transport users can get to Oleron Ste Marie first by train and bus and be back in Jaca in easy time to get the evening bus to either of these villages. When leaving on the morning bus it is easy to get buses on the same day from Jaca to Sabañanigo and then on to Torla for Ordesa National Park