The Pyrenean village of Formigal, a small tourist resort located in the municipality of Sallent de Gállego, is renowned internationally thanks to its location at the foot of the Formigal-Panticosa Ski Resort, one of the four owned by the Aramón group within the confines of the Aragonese Pyrenees. In addition to winter sports, which are the star activity in Formigal, this tiny town, at an altitude of around 1,550 metres, offers visitors a comprehensive leisure network. A multi-adventure area, two children’s play areas, tennis courts, climbing walls, a heated swimming pool, and an archery range, among other things. The village of Formigal is also the starting point for many hiking routes, some of which belong to the GR-11, the 800-kilometre Pyrenean path that crosses the natural border between Spain and France. To round off this experience, Formigal offers visitors one of the best après-ski sessions in Spain, with Marchica, the most popular venue, being its main attraction. Here are the best secrets of Formigal and its surroundings.
- Estación de esquí de Formigal: información, fechas, pistas…
- Qué hacer en Formigal pueblo
- Dónde comer en Formigal
- Fiesta en Formigal: una cita imprescindible
- Qué ver cerca de Formigal
Formigal Ski Resort: information, dates, slopes…
Within the Formigal-Panticosa Ski Resort, Formigal is the part with the most kilometres of slopes, 137 kilometres, the most in Spain. It’s also the one more aimed at adults, despite the fact that its facilities include a children’s garden where you can leave the little ones and several themed areas such as the Sarrios igloo or the Indian village in the forest. Furthermore, with four parking areas and a free bus service, it’s easy to get to the resort from the village of Formigal.
Its active season usually begins in mid-November and ends in mid-March. With a maximum altitude of 2250 metres, it’s divided into four clearly defined areas: Sextas, for beginners, Sarrios and Portalet for lovers of black runs, and Anayet, for families with children. In addition to traditional skiing, there are other activities available, such as night-time snowmobile rides, dog-sled rides, or tubbing, a dizzying descent on board a giant doughnut-shaped float.
However, if you fancy hitting the snow in this corner of the Pyrenees, we recommend you visit Snow Forecast, a website where snow forecasts for Formigal are updated four times a day, and it also has detailed reports and interactive maps of the resort.
Escuela de Esquí
La Escuela Española de Esquí de Formigal tiene nada menos que 50 años de experiencia y cuenta con más de 200 profesionales titulados como técnicos en Deportes de Invierno, así que es el lugar ideal para dar tus primeros pasos en disciplinas vinculadas a la nieve o para perfeccionar tu técnica. La Escuela ofrece clases particulares de esquí alpino, snowboard, freestyle y otras dirigidas a alumnos con un nivel alto de esquí. También hay clases colectivas, cursos de una semana, de fin de semana y cursos especiales para clubes, grupos de empresa, personas con diversidad funcional y entrenamientos específicos.
Actividades en la Estación
Si, por alguna razón, no practicas deportes de invierno, no hay problema. En la Estación de Formigal-Panticosa hay otras actividades que seguro te gustarán. Por ejemplo, cenar a 2.000 metros de altitud en una pequeña cabaña reconvertida en restaurante, a la que llegarás a bordo de una máquina Ratrack. También puedes practicar el “tobogganing” en la noche, una actividad que te permitirá bajar en trineo de madera por una pista iluminada de nieve. Y si quieres volar literalmente, contrata un vuelo en parapente biplaza en Panticosa y te sentirás como un pájaro planeando en el cielo sobre la nieve. Otra opción, ya fuera de la estación, es disfrutar del balneario de Panticosa, situado a 1.600 metros de altitud, en un circo rodeado de cumbres y cuyas aguas brotan del manantial de Tiberio.
What to do in Formigal village
Hiking
If during the winter the star sport in Formigal is skiing, hiking takes centre stage during the spring and summer months. Located in the beautiful Tena Valley, a Pyrenean enclave crossed from north to south by the Gállego River, the town of Formigal boasts an infinite network of trails all around it. With a minimum altitude of 600 metres and a maximum altitude of 3,000 metres, this area offers excursions for all levels. Here are three of the most popular ones:
- Climbing Anayet: the remains of this ancient volcano, which is very similar in appearance to Ossau, now reach an altitude of 2,233 metres. Ascending it is one of the most demanding routes in the area, with a distance of around 17 kilometres that lasts around six hours. If you’re interested in this excursion, you should know that the path starts at the Anayet car park (A-135 road), and then crosses iconic places such as the Ibones de Anayet or the summit itself.
- Ascent to the Asnos and Sabocos lakes: the starting point is in the vicinity of Panticosa, just 20 minutes by car from Formigal. From there, take the Los Lagos cable car and, once at the ski resort, take a lovely stroll along a signposted path. In two and a half hours, you will come to the Asnos and Sabocos lakes, the only two glacial lakes in the Tendeñera Mountain Range. We also recommend that you keep an eye on the walls surrounding the lake, as they’re nesting areas for the Bearded Vulture, the king of the Aragonese sky.
- Excursion to the Salto de Sallent de Gállego: for this excursion, the starting point is in Sallent de Gállego, a town located just ten minutes by car from Formigal. This is a 2-kilometre circular walk full of explanatory panels about the region’s flora and fauna. Our goal is to reach the Salto in Sallent de Gállego, the most famous waterfall of the Aguas Limpias river.
Where to eat in Formigal
Below, we recommend where you should eat in Formigal, depending on where you are:
- In the urbanisation of Formigal, the restaurant Borrullán stands out, specialising in stews, such as Olla Tensina, a stew with chickpeas, beans, and meat, as well as grilled meats, such as secreto ibérico. On a more informal note, there’s El Grajo, a typical Formigal bar that offers an unbeatable atmosphere at the end of a day’s skiing.
- At the Formigal Ski Resort, there are up to 28 original restaurants scattered throughout its four areas. In the Sarrios area you can visit both Cabaña Izas, a rustic-looking corner where you can enjoy a glass of champagne with views of the Izas valley, and Asador Montañes Formigal, which specialises in grilled meats. In the Portalet valley we find La Yurta, a themed bar that recreates the atmosphere of a typical Mongolian nomadic dwelling. Meanwhile, in the Anayet area you can visit La Glera, a small hut high in the mountains where traditional cuisine is served at nightfall.
Partying in Formigal: an unmissable event
If there’s one thing that no one can deny, it’s that Formigal squeezes every last drop out of the day. The most tangible proof of this can be found in its most popular venue, Marchica, a sort of alpine bar that offers live music, bars, and a terrace with unbeatable views of the mountain. Open from 3.00 to 9.00 p.m., this is where people party without taking off their snow boots.
In the village of Formigal, you can also find places such as La Luna, La Cueva, and Five Elks, legendary nightclubs where you can keep the party going until the early hours of the morning.
What to see near Formigal
Of course, we mustn’t lose sight of the area around Formigal and all it has to offer. In this regard, we have two interesting plans for you:
Parque Faunístico Lacuniacha
a 18 kilómetros de Formigal ―y a tan sólo 12 de Panticosa―, encontramos este parque faunístico de los Pirineos. Ubicado a las afueras de la localidad de Piedrafita de Jaca, este parque natural acoge un recorrido de 2-3 horas de duración en el que los niños disfrutarán siguiendo la pista de las 15 especies de animales en estado de semilibertad que habitan la zona.
Valle de Tena
en este precioso valle de Tena, del Pirineo aragonés encontrarás, además de una variada oferta de entretenimiento, paisajes increíbles que ascienden hasta los 3.000 metros de altitud y pequeños pueblos con mucho encanto, como Sabiñánigo, Biescas, Piedrafita de Jaca, Hoz de Jaca, Panticosa, Tramacastilla de Tena o Sallent de Gállego. La superficie del Valle de Tena es de 400 kilómetros cuadrados y es uno de los más poblados y extensos de los Pirineos. Aquí podrás hacer rutas de senderismo, excursiones, actividades de turismo activo y disfrutar mucho de la naturaleza.
Junto a Formigal (Huesca) hay pueblos preciosos que bien merecen una visita. A continuación, te señalamos los imprescindibles:
Panticosa
In the surroundings of the Búbal reservoir, one of the two in the Tena valley, we can find many villages high in the mountains such as Panticosa and Hoz de Jaca. The former offers two internationally famous attractions. Its ski resort, with 39 kilometres of skiable terrain, and the Panticosa Spa, which has specialised since the 19th century in therapeutic uses of the area’s thermal waters.
Hoz de Jaca
The village of Hoz de Jaca invites us to visit the Mirador del Muro viewpoint, one of the most beautiful natural balconies in the Tena Valley.
En el pueblo hay numerosas muestras de arquitectura popular y otros atractivos, como las casas-patio con sus escudos y portadas, el puente del Camino de las Cotonas o la iglesia parroquial de los Santos Reyes, construida entre los siglos XVII y XVIII. Si te animas, podrás sobrevolar en tirolina el pantano de Búbal.
Sallent de Gállego
Este delicioso y turístico pueblo situado en las cercanías de la estación de esquí de Formigal cuenta con interesantes monumentos, como su iglesia de estilo gótico del siglo XVI y su puente medieval. Disfrutarás mucho dando un paseo tranquilo por sus estrechas calles, porque descubrirás hermosos y encantadores rincones. En su término municipal, se encuentra Lanuza, sede del popular Festival Pirineos Sur.
Planes con niños en Formigal
Si viajas en familia con niños pequeños, te proponemos que programes una visita al Petrosos Park, donde hay áreas para ir en trineo, jugar con la nieve y hacer muñecos. También puedes ir al Parque de Tirolinas Biescas Aventura, muy cerca de la estación de esquí de Formigal, en el parque de Arratiecho de Biescas, porque cuenta con circuitos y actividades para todas las edades. Hay lianas, tirolinas, pasarelas, rocódromos e infinidad de juegos. Otra opción es Nieve Aventura, un paraíso para los niños que se encuentra en el valle de Portalet, y que cuenta con zonas de juegos, de tirabolas, de exploración y de descenso para experimentar con la nieve. Y si queréis disfrutar de los animales salvajes, os proponemos una visita al Parque Faunístico de Lacuniacha, donde hay renos, linces boreales, bisontes, osos y muflones. Este espacio natural se encuentra en la localidad de Piedrafita de Jaca, a 1.400 metros de altitud.
