Discover Peñalba: Culture, Valcuerna and Holiday Apartment

In 1992, Peñalba was one of the filming locations for Bigas Luna's film “Jamón, jamón”. This gives you a place where culture, religious dates, the pilgrimage connection and nature trails can be considered separately.

Culture

Iglesia de la Santa Cruz has a floor plan that corresponds more closely to a Greek than a Latin cross, with a large central nave and two smaller side aisles. The church's main altar is dedicated to the Finding of the True Cross. Its brick-built tower consists of three sections: the two lower ones are square, while the upper one is octagonal.

Dates

The patronal feast of Santa Cruz takes place in Peñalba on 3 May. The smaller festival in honour of the Virgen del Rosario is celebrated on 7 October. On Good Friday, the El Reloj procession takes place in Peñalba; the programme for Holy Week also includes a Vía Crucis on this day, which leads uphill from the village to the nearby Ermita de Santa Quiteria. On 22 May, a pilgrimage in honour of Santa Quiteria takes place. Peñalba is also located on the Catalan branch of the Camino de Santiago.

The different dates distribute festivals, processions and the pilgrimage across several times and can be considered separately when planning your trip.

In Peñalba, religious dates, the Camino de Santiago and the Valcuerna therefore stand alongside one another as distinct focal points. Dates are tied to the calendar, while paths and landscapes follow their own rhythm. This allows culture, religious connections, cycling and nature to be given separate weight instead of being combined into a single programme.

Nature

The Valcuerna is the only river that rises in Los Monegros and flows entirely through Los Monegros. Due to its diversity, the Valcuerna area is considered one of the most nature-rich areas in Los Monegros. At the Barranco de la Valcuerna, vegetation over the water forms a green tunnel characterised by tamarisks. The Barranco de la Valcuerna is designated as a publicly accessible hiking trail. A cycling tour of approximately two and a half hours follows the Barranco de la Valcuerna from Peñalba to the Caspe Reservoir.

Trails

The centre of Peñalba is located at kilometre 400 of the N-II. The Ermita de Santa Quiteria can be reached without crossing the N-II; a passage beneath a bridge leads across the Barranco de la Valcuerna. From Peñalba, the Barranco de la Valcuerna trail is reached via the Valcuerna access road to the A-2410; the route then continues downhill on foot or by bicycle.

If you are looking for a holiday apartment in Peñalba, you can compare travel dates, room categories and cancellation policies on the respective accommodation pages. When planning your trip, you can give separate weight to the focal points of culture, festival dates, the Camino de Santiago, trails and nature.

Other places

Other local pages for trip planning: Benabarre, Satué, Plasencia del Monte, Santa Cilia, Alcalá De Gurrea, El Humo de Muro, Abiego, Fonz

For the higher-level trip overview: Huesca.