Trail name and description
- Province of Zaragoza
- 41°47′17″N 1°50′18″O
Level & Scale of difficulty used for hiking
E (For more info have a look here)
Duration
3,05 hours
Distance
6,8 km
Refreshing points
There are 2 water sources at the very beginning of the trail
Shelters
Santuario and a stone open roof shelter at the top of the mountain
Best period for hiking
All year long, however in winter it is necessary to have snow equipment. The best time of year to visit is from mid-June to mid-September.
Climate
The mountain is known for its changeable weather so it it very important to check the weather forecast regularly. Generally, he temperature ranges from 0 °C to 29 °C and rarely drops below -4 °C or rises above 34 °C.
how to reach the starting point
From Zaragoza take the N-323 towards Logroño (or the AP-68 motorway). Then take the N-122 towards Soria and after passing Bulbuente, take the Z-372 road towards Vera de Moncayo and from there you can go via the Monastery of Veruela, or via Trasmoz. The parking of the Sanctuario is at 1562 m.
Equipment and outfit required
a bottle of water, as it is not always possible to stock up on water on the way, a hat, windbreaker, whatever you consider indispensable on a personal level, remembering not to make the rucksack unnecessarily heavy, hiking footwear.
The Moncayo or San Miguel is a mountain of the Iberian system located between the provinces of Zaragoza (Aragon) and Soria (Castilla y León) in Spain. With its 2314 m above sea level, it is the highest peak of the Iberian system and one of the most important peaks of the Iberian Peninsula, as well as the highest peak of both the provinces of Zaragoza and Soria. Part of the mountain on its Aragonese side forms part of the Moncayo natural park, which covers an area of 11 144 hectares.
On the Aragonese side of the mountain is the Sanctuary of Nuestra Señora del Moncayo (starting point), and nearby is the 12th century monastery of Veruela, which inspired Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer (a spanish poet) to write the Letters From My Cell. On the Soria side, Antonio Machado made vague references to Moncayo in Campos de Castilla.
- Monasterio de Veruela. One of the best preserved monasteries from the XII century.
- Añon de Moncayo village
- Tarrazona castle and the legends related to witches
- Chimneys in the area
Melocotones al vino is a traditional Spanish dish hailing from Aragon, where the people have been growing a type of yellow-fleshed peach with a sweet flavor since medieval times.
Pollo al chilindrón is a traditional Spanish stew hailing from Aragon. It’s made with a combination of chicken, onions, bell peppers, garlic, olive oil, white wine, tomato sauce, pimentón (sweet smoked paprika), and diced jamón Serrano.
There are many rural houses as well as hotels available in Vera de Moncayo or Añon de Moncayo:
Villa Encanto
Monasterio de Veruela. The monastery and church, forming one edifice, were founded in 1146 by Pedro de Atarés. Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer stayed there while recovering from an illness. The monastery is very well preserved and has been used in recent years as a cultural centre for exhibitions and music festivals.
Useful links:
- https://www.caminosdeveruela.es/index.html
- https://www.turismodearagon.com/en/ficha/parque-natural-del-moncayo/