Discover Alcalá de Moncayo

When planning your days, it makes a difference whether you mainly want to hike, explore the architecture or combine both. The routes range from a short connecting section between two municipalities to longer trails through the area. In Alcalá itself, there are also walking paths with views of the town and mountains.

Walking trails with different stages

The Camino 8 of the Caminos de Veruela leads from Veruela Monastery to Alcalá de Moncayo. The 8.84-kilometre route is listed as taking 2 hours and 10 minutes on foot; a cycling time of 50 minutes and a difficulty level of easy to moderate are also indicated. A 3.5-kilometre section follows the right bank of the Huecha before the route almost reaches Alcalá. Check local trail conditions before setting out.

The PR-Z 3 offers a longer connection: it leads from Veruela Monastery via Alcalá to Collado del Campo and is listed as having a horizontal route length of 23.4 kilometres. The trail heads towards Añón de Moncayo and later passes through the Barranco de Horcajuelo into the Parque Natural del Moncayo. The GR 260 also helps you plan the stages: one stage connects Litago, Añón, Alcalá and Talamantes; the section between Alcalá and Añón is 3 kilometres long, with a stated walking time of 40 minutes.

If you want to stay in Alcalá and explore the town’s surroundings on foot, you can compare two walking routes. The route from the town centre to Monte La Calera offers views of Alcalá, the Moncayo and the Peñas de Herrera. La Ladera runs around the upper part of town and also offers views of the Moncayo. This gives you a choice between a route with several named viewpoints and a walk through the upper part of the town.

Remains of the town walls, churches and local history

Alcalá was originally a Muslim fortification. After its conquest, Ramón Berenguer IV granted the town to the Monastery of Santa María de Veruela; it belonged to the monastery until the Desamortización de Mendizábal in 1835. The Muralla de Alcalá is listed as a Bien de Interés Cultural in the Monumento protection category and is one of the castles recognised as Bienes de Interés Cultural in Aragón. A slightly distorted semicircular tower with a Gothic twin window and central mullion remains of the former town wall; there is also another semicircular window and modern openings.

The churches also display different architectural details. The Renaissance church of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción has a single-nave layout with three sections and ribbed vaults. Its bell tower begins with a square structure, above which are octagonal storeys topped with a Baroque finish. The church also houses a Romanesque representation of the Virgin Mary with the Child. The Iglesia Parroquial de la Virgen de la Huerta is also a Renaissance building: its single nave is divided into three sections, the first of which comprises the presbytery with a polygonal apse.

The San Sebastián tradition is associated with 20 January and 10 May. During the patron-saint festivities in honour of the saint, a procession takes place in the second week of August. Roscones are hung on the saint’s float and on the banners.

Nearby Añón de Moncayo

Añón de Moncayo is a separate municipality and is clearly distinct from the destination of Alcalá. Nearby, Añón sits on a limestone escarpment above the Huecha floodplain, at the natural entrance from Castile through the Morana Valley. Sections of a rubble-stone wall with rectangular towers topped with battlements remain there; at the Virgen del Río Gate, a pointed arch and dressed voussoir stones have been preserved. From the Balcón del Huecha viewpoint, panoramic views extend across the valley.

Añón’s historic heritage also has different highlights: the castle-palace of the commanders of the Order of Saint John, built in the 13th century, retains the remains of its five square towers. The Romanesque parish church of Santa María also dates from the 13th century; it was altered several times between the 15th and 17th centuries and houses a collection of movable artworks. These nearby places and buildings complement Alcalá’s trails and churches without making the two municipalities a single destination.

When looking for a holiday apartment, you can first consider what you want your vacation to include: walking paths around Alcalá, longer stages through the area or time to explore the town’s architectural history. The route distances and stated walking times provide concrete points of reference; for further planning, it is worth checking current trail conditions.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Gallur, Juslibol, Sabiñán, Cuarte De Huerva, Sediles, Castejón De Las Armas, Alfajarín, Fuencalderas.

For the broader travel overview: Zaragoza.