Aler combines a small old town with a medieval character and megalithic dolmen sites and named hiking trails. This gives you different aspects to consider when planning your trip: the town’s architectural history, religious buildings in the surrounding area, and dolmen sites and hiking routes connected to Aler. You can first decide whether the historic centre, the dolmens or a hike will determine your choice of where to stay.

Medieval old town and church

Aler has a medieval character and a bastion-like layout. The fortified palace, known as the “Castillo”, crowns the small old town; remains of a medieval wall have also been preserved in Aler. The term “bastion-like” describes the town’s fortified character, while “Castillo” is the local name for the palace. This distinction helps you tell the overall layout apart from one particular landmark building.

The Iglesia de Santa María church stands at the upper end of the old town, on the eastern edge of a small, enclosed square. It has a striking octagonal tower. The square apparently originally served a defensive purpose. Both location and form are important to understanding the building: the tower is its most distinctive feature, while its position at the end of the town and the square form part of its architectural context.

Religious buildings around Aler

Religious buildings around Aler include the hermitage of San Martín. The hermitage of San Pedro is also nearby and is dedicated to the local festivities. The remains of the church of San Donato are located in Mas de Puybert. These religious buildings and places of remembrance extend beyond the Iglesia de Santa María in the old town: you can distinguish between the church, the nearby hermitages and the church ruins in Mas de Puybert. San Pedro also adds a connection to the local festivities.

Dolmens and hiking trails

Excursion destinations in Aler include the megalithic dolmens of Mas de Abat and the megalithic dolmen site of Mas de Balón. These two names point to two specific destinations for dolmen enthusiasts, broadening the focus from the medieval-style layout to megalithic monuments.

One specific hiking option is Circular 17, Ruta de los Dólmenes. This GR circular route connects Benabarre and Aler, covers 13.285 kilometres and has a stated duration of 3 hours and 55 minutes. The route climbs gently to the Mirador de San Salvador viewpoint. The distance and duration give you a concrete basis for planning your hike; the ascent to the Mirador adds a detail about the route itself.

Another hiking option is the PR-HU 130, which has a variant offering a detour to the Casal Museum in Mas de Puibert. The two hiking options address different planning considerations: Circular 17 focuses on the connection between Benabarre and Aler, as well as the distance and duration; the special feature of the PR-HU 130 is its detour to the museum. You can then weigh up whether to include a circular route with a specified distance and duration or the variant with a museum connection in your plans.

Landscape

Aler lies in the shelter of the Sierra de Carrodilla, on the way down to the Barasona Reservoir. This setting extends the view beyond the buildings. When choosing the focus of your stay, the historic layout and the landscape are two different ways to experience Aler: the old town offers a look at medieval architecture, while the Sierra and the reservoir provide the landscape setting.

Discover more destinations: Caladrones.

See the wider travel overview: Benabarre.