Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park, Pyrenees
Cut by glaciers and the Rio Arazas into the southern face of the Pyrenees, Ordesa Valley is Spain's answer to Yosemite — sheer limestone walls rising 1,000 metres above a valley floor carpeted with beech and pine. It is one of Europe's great walks, and remarkably few international visitors make it here.
The Circo de Soaso Walk
The classic route follows the valley floor from Pradera de Ordesa to the Circo de Soaso, a 9-kilometre (one-way) trail that passes four major waterfalls, the most spectacular being Cola de Caballo — a 70-metre horsetail fall at the head of the cirque.
The path is well-marked and mostly flat until the final ascent to the cirque; the round trip takes 5–7 hours at a comfortable pace and the scenery intensifies with every kilometre. Griffon vultures ride thermals overhead throughout.
In late October the beech forest turns a blazing copper-gold and the crowds thin dramatically — autumn is arguably the most beautiful season in Ordesa, and the light is extraordinary for photography.
Practicalities and Base Towns
The park's main access point is the village of Torla-Ordesa, 8 km from the valley entrance. From late spring to early autumn, private vehicles are prohibited beyond Torla; a shuttle bus (€4.50 return) runs frequently to the Pradera de Ordesa car park.
Broto, 14 km further down the valley, has more accommodation options and a good weekly market on Sundays. Aínsa, 30 km south, is a beautifully preserved medieval walled town and an excellent base for exploring the whole Sobrarbe region.
The park receives heavy snowfall from November to April; the Circo de Soaso walk requires no technical equipment in summer but check conditions on the park website (ordesa.net) before setting out in shoulder seasons.
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