Rock art, Roman history and two hiking trails with different focuses give La Puebla de Castro a distinct profile for a trip combining culture and landscape. The historic centre retains its original appearance; the archaeological site of Labitolosa, El Remosillo and several examples of religious art are also among the town’s attractions. When choosing this destination, you can decide how much to prioritise its townscape, archaeological sites, church art and landscape trails.
Townscape and Architecture
The historic centre retains its original appearance, with narrow streets, gate-like entrances, covered passageways, arcades and façades that form a defensive wall. These features describe not just individual buildings, but the townscape as a whole. Alongside the archaeological sites, the town centre offers a distinct cultural focus: the layout of the settlement and the ensemble of its architectural features.
The Church of San Román de Castro has a Mudéjar choir with varied polychromy. The beams are decorated with plant and geometric motifs, so visitors can appreciate the interior both for its colours and its ornamentation. The Church of Santa Bárbara is another example of religious art: it houses a Gothic altarpiece from the Romanesque hermitage of San Román de Castro. Together, these offer a church interior with brightly decorated beams and an altarpiece whose origins lie in a Romanesque hermitage.
The surviving ice house offers a further glimpse into the history of the local economy and food supply. It was part of a facility where ice was produced, transported and traded to preserve products and food. This brings an earlier production and trading function into focus alongside church art and archaeological sites.
Archaeological Sites
The El Remosillo site in the Congosto de Olvena features around forty schematic rock art figures. These include quadrupeds, carts pulled by quadrupeds and anthropomorphic figures. The range of motifs thus spans depictions of animals, carts and human figures. Labitolosa is a different archaeological site: the Roman site lies on Cerro Calvario, within the municipality of La Puebla de Castro. It was active from the 1st century BC to the end of the 2nd century AD. The two sites can be distinguished by their different features: El Remosillo by its depictions, and Labitolosa by its Roman history and the period in which it was active.
Hiking Trails and the Camino de Santiago
When choosing between the hiking trails, their different profiles are the main consideration. The PR-HU 73 follows old paths and agricultural tracks, with views of the Pyrenees and the Olvena gorge. The starting point, route and endpoint of the PR-HU 74 are specified: it begins in Artasona on the banks of the Cinca, passes through La Puebla de Castro and the Roman site of Labitolosa, and ends at the Barasona Reservoir. While the PR-HU 73 focuses on the character of the route and its views, the PR-HU 74 follows a sequence linking Artasona, the town, Labitolosa and the reservoir. If you plan to take the PR-HU 74, check the current route in advance, as route details may change.
A branch of the Camino de Santiago also passes through La Puebla de Castro or its surrounding area. Via the Val d’Aran, it connects France and reaches the Catalan Camino de Santiago at Berbegal. In addition to hiking trails tied to the landscape and the town, this offers a long-distance pilgrimage route and its named connections.
Annual Festivals
The RomerĂa de Castro takes place on the Monday of the second week of Pentecost. The Feria de San Román is held on the second Saturday in November. The dates are therefore tied to different calendar markers: the week of Pentecost and a Saturday in November. If you are planning your trip around either event, check the programme for the specific year, as the exact schedule may vary.
Discover more destinations: Benavente de AragĂłn, ChĂa, CastejĂłn Del Puente, Montmesa, Estadilla, Campo, Guasillo, AgĂĽero
For the full travel overview: Huesca.
