How to get to Panticosa

Transcription

1 PANTICOSA Panticosa is situated in the high area to the right of the Búbal Reservoir, in the middle of the Tena Valley, and is followed by El Pueyo de Jaca. Opposite the reservoir there is the town of Tramacasilla de Tena. One could say that they both maintain the charm of the Pyrenees traditions and customs. Panticosa has a total area of 95.9 square kilometres, and it does not exceed 900 inhabitants. It is nestled between the Caldarés River and the Balática River, and these are a part of the first tourist movement that there was in the Alto Aragón region, long before the Panticosa and Formigal ski resorts started to thrive in the Tena Valley. El Balneario de Aguas Termales de Panticosa (The Panticosa Thermal Waters Spa) is eight kilometres from the town, heading to the mountain and in the opposite direction to the A-136 road, which is the backbone of the valley. The road to the spa is steep and mountainous, and it is closed many days in winter due to the inability to clear it, which cannot be avoided. But the spa is an idyllic place during all the seasons of the year, and it is something that you cannot miss out on during your visit. It is situated between huge crags, such as El Puerto de los Muslos, the Vignemale, and the Picos del Infierno, amongst others, all of which have beautiful tarns (small mountain lakes) that brighten up the ascent. The spa is right at the bottom, like a beautiful, little reservoir. The tourist spot of the Balneario de Tena started in the Roman era, and it was unused for a time when the Barbarians occupied the area. It was in the 17th Century that the first spa building was constructed, serving as a health hospital and used by important people of the era who were worried about their health. It came to be one of the most important tourism spots in Spain during the 19th Century, even more so than other places such as Cantabrian sea spots. Santiago Ramón y Cajal once spent some time at the spa\'s facilities, which he makes clear mention of in his biography. The spa has resulted in Panticosa having an economy based on agriculture and livestock that is in continuous interaction with tourism. From the 60s, the Panticosa ski resort started to take advantage of this, together with the Balneario de Panticosa, forming an important tourism body, making itself central to the daily economy of the town of Panticosa. As a town, Panticosa formed in the 13th Century, although the majority of its buildings are from the 19th Century, coinciding with the \'boom\' period of the Balneario. Another applied use of the Panticosa mountain pass, was in trade with France. Smugglers of the era were arriving at the French Bearn Valley, and from there, transporting products to Spain. Nowadays, the town of Panticosa is a small, Pyrenean village with narrow, steep streets and with suitable facilities for visitors, having a summer swimming pool, tennis courts, pelota courts, a basketball court and a five-a-side football pitch, for the use of everyone. In summer, the cable car that links to the lakes is also open, and it is possible to spend a pleasant day in the mountains, including having lunch at the piste cafeteria. The Petroso Mountain forms a spectacular viewpoint of the whole of the Tena Valley, at an altitude of 1850 metres. Another necessary visit in the region is the Museo Angel Orensanz y Artes del Serralbo, located in Sabiñánigo, where former customs are depicted. Panticosa and its surrounding towns, such as El Pueyo de Jaca or Tramacastilla de Tena, can be your starting point in getting to know Ordesa and the Monte Perdido, and other parts of the Pyrenees.

2 The seasons throughout the year at Panticosa are like the rest of the Catalan Pyrenees: very cold in winter, and mild in summer. The valley towns find themselves between the mountains, protected from the winds, and this makes your stay there more welcoming. Spring is beautiful: green grass, lakes, the thaw, the peace, and an endless amount of resources for fans of mountain activities, such as fishing. In summer, it is like a more pronounced spring due to the rise in temperatures, while autumn is mixed between the beautiful humidity, shades of browns and the greens of the evergreen trees, and chimneys beginning to dispel smoke. This is when the towns start the mushroom and chestnut picking season. This is the most magnificent time for the gastronomy of the Alto Aragón region, and in Panticosa, Tramacastilla and El Pueyo de Jaca you will find restaurants that are sure to please you. Enjoy your holidays in Panticosa they are sure to be memorable, at any time of year. How to get to Panticosa Getting to the Panticosa ski resort is even easier than reaching the neighbouring Formigal ski resort, although the obvious difference is 14 kilometres and a small stretch of less than two kilometres that heads to the right. Leaving the A-136 national road, take the well-signposted exit for Panticosa- Pueyo de Jaca, and take the A-2606 road. On this short stretch, the maze of small, steep roads begins. These are flecked with small squares that form the towns of Panticosa and El Pueyo de Jaca, which are literally side by side. From the Panticosa resort to Huesca it is barely 85 kilometres. If you are making the trip in your own car or a rented vehicle, the journey will be on national highways and mountain roads that are easy to drive on, well-surfaced and signposted. It is a simple drive which is very appealing for its views and scenery that you will pass by. If your journey begins at Huesca, take the exit to Sabiñánigo, and head to Biescas from there, which then gives you direct access to Panticosa. If your point of origin is Madrid, the route is fairly similar: take the A-2 in the direction of Zaragoza, and from there, continue to Huesca and then follow the aforementioned route to the Panticosa ski resort. Madrid is 467 kilometres from Panticosa and Zaragoza, 153 kilometres. Another typical journey to Panicosa could be if your point of origin is from Barcelona, or if it is simply easier to get to Lleida instead of Zaragoza as an entrance channel to the Tena Valley. If this is the case, all you have to do is follow the signs on the motorway to Lleida, exit at Huesca, continue to Sabiñánigo, Biescas and finally, Panticosa. When travelling in your own car to the Panticosa ski resort from the north-east area of the country, for example from Bilbao which is only 313 kilometres from Panticosa, the shortest route is to head in the direction of Vitoria, then Pamplona, Jaca, then enter the Tena Valley You will arrive at Sabiñánigo, giving you access to Biescas and then finish the journey in Panticosa. If you prefer to travel by public transport to the Panticosa ski resort, you have various options, and although they are frequent, the journey takes a long time. The closest station to Panticosa is that at Sabiñánigo (30 kilometres away), or at Huesca (84 kilometres away). However, perhaps the best option would be to get to Lleida or Zaragoza (around 150 kilometres away) by AVE (high-speed train), and then take a short train trip to Sabiñánigo. From there, you can take a bus that goes to the Tena Valley approximately every two hours, stopping in Panticosa. Once there, you will not need transport to the pistes, given that there are different category hotels 300 metres from the char-lift.

3 Alosa, the bus company, manages the buses from Sabiñánigo to Panticosa. They have several routes at moderate prices. From the airports at Zaragoza or Pamplona, at a little more than 150 kilometres distance, there is also public transport that links to the Tena Valley, although Pau Airport (in France, 85 kilometres away) and the Huesca-Pyrenees Airport (91 kilometres away) are the nearest to Pueyo de Jaca and Panticosa. Once you are in Panticosa, moving around is easy and fun with the little train that the resort puts at the disposition of all its users who wish to reach the chair-lift. The Panticosa train is sponsored by Aramon, the public-private company that manages the Panticosa ski resort, and is free for users. Car parks at Panticosa The Panticosa ski resort is one of the most inviting and welcoming that there is in the Pyrenees. It has wonderful snow, perfect organisation, a cable car that is the best on cold days, and above all, the most comfortable thing is that you can arrive in your own car or rented vehicle. You will encounter few traffic jams on peak days and none on regular days, and you can park your car in any of the three car parks available for clients. The three car parks at Panticosa are completely free, and although they are not supervised, the area is very safe and quiet. Just before crossing the bridge, next to the apartments, you will find the first parking esplanade, and after crossing the bridge, on either side of the cable car are the other car parks that also belong to the Panticosa ski resort, managed by Aramon. There are many people who think that Aramon has forgotten about Panticosa, and that they have put all their efforts and interest into Formigal and Cerler. Perhaps it is this forgetfulness that has made Panticosa so endearing, and that can lead to your day or sports holidays being worry-free. In the car parks that are next to the cable car you will not have any problem parking, and you can enjoy the lack of hubbub or infuriating waits. Parking in the town of Panticosa is also relatively easy. Besides the (small) parking area that the town has, many of the hotels have small underground car parks for which it is better to reserve when you book your stay, or else there may not be any spaces left upon your arrival. However, parking in the parking areas of Panticosa will be easy and practical for you, enabling you to forget about the car and go from place to place on foot. Another facility that you will find at the Panticosa ski resort, related to transport and parking, is the fun tourist train, which is free and continues running throughout the town of Panticosa to the foot of the piste during the day, stopping at all points, including at both the ascent of the cable car and the Santa Cruz chair-lift. It also stops at the car park in the town of Panticosa, if you prefer to leave your car there and have a coffee or something in the town and then go to the Santa Cruz chair-lift or the Panticosa cable car. This enables you to avoid walking through the streets with the difficulty that ski boots create, or with the weight of ski equipment. Panticosa is the easiest, most economical and most practical option for winter holidays in the snow.

4 Nurseries at Panticosa Although Panticosa is a very welcoming, family resort, we have to say that it does not exactly provide the best childcare services. The Panticosa snow garden has a total capacity of 40 children. For this reason it is recommended to reserve your space well in advance if you wish to leave your children in the care of technical experts. The Panticosa ski resort nursery only accepts children between the ages of 2 and 7. In the event that your children are not within this age range, you can enquire as to whether they are willing to make an exception at the particular time of year you will be visiting: it all depends on the occupancy. The nursery is open from 9.30am until 4.30pm. We recommend to parents that their children take sunglasses, gloves and a hat, in addition to indoor and outdoor shoes, if they wish their child to enjoy games indoors and in the outdoor snow garden at Panticosa. For the safety of the children, no adult is allowed access to the enclosed children\'s zone. Although the childcare options at Panticosa are not the most wide-ranging, the ski resort, along with the Hotel Continental-Balneario de Panticosa and Imaginarium, have created a special package for the enjoyment of families: children will be able to enjoy educational and fun activities, organised by Imaginarium, both at the piste and in the hotel. These packages are available on certain dates, at the weekend or during the week, and consist of a stay at the Continental-Balneario, full-board with drinks included, transport to the Panticosa pistes. In addition to transport, hotel accommodation and meals, the special, unique Imaginarium Package for the Panticosa ski resort includes a 2 hour ski course for children. What to do after skiing / Après ski at Panticosa As a ski resort, Panticosa offers a quite relaxed après ski, courtesy of Aramon, the public-private company that manages the resort. They offer different activities in the Quemadillo Ice zone, right next to the cable car in the Cobaxo area. Every day, they organise games at the Panticosa resort, such as bingo. Another of the options that Aramon organises is the sledding zone. This area has a belt, called Selva Verde, that will take you up in a small snowplough, to the enjoyment of everyone. You can hire the sledges there. There is a wide variety to choose from, and they cost approximately 1 for 15 minutes. In the Cobaxo Zone, there is also an area of little ski cars that are pedal-operated, and will make the children really tired by the day\'s end. Also, for those who have enjoyed a week at Panticosa, on Thursday evenings they have a small goodbye party where they show photos from the whole week on the pistes and play music: fun assured for young and old. If you prefer, the town of Panticosa also has other activities available, such as the La Paul Spa where children can enjoy the heated swimming pool or the sports activities, and adults can relax with the Turkish baths, the jacuzzi, the sauna, and even the heated pool, after a long day. If you do not wish to ski every day and you would prefer to relax, or have a quick visit after a few hours skiing, the town of Piedrafita is just 10 kilometres from Panticosa. Once you pass Tramacastilla de Tena, in Piedrafita you will find the Lacuniacha Natural Park where you will be able to take a trip that will allow you to get to know the Pyrenees better. You will encounter Eurasian lynxes, Iberian goats, ibexes, Przewalski horses, wolves, and the impressive European

5 bison. It is an unforgettable place, for both children and adults, that will transport you by helicopter to times gone by. A bit further, 20 kilometres from Panticosa, there is the Centro de Interpretación de Glaciares (Centre of the Study of Glaciers) where both adults and children will be able to understand the nature of glaciers here. The area was declared a Natural Monument, being such a rarity, and it is called the Glaciares Pirenaicos (the Pyrenean Glaciers). You can enjoy both of these options throughout the whole year. Just next to Panticosa, only eight kilometres to the west following the spa road, there is the magnificent, historic thermal waters resort the Panticosa Thermal Waters Spa which houses one of the oldest and most reputable spas in Spain. It is the very spa that Ramón y Cajal himself used. Today, the Hotel Continental manages a fantastic spa that will delight young and old. If you go to Panticosa to ski, and you finish the day at the spa, Panticosa will have conquered you. We cannot leave out the small taverns, restaurants and inns that Panticosa, El Pueyo de Jaca, Tramacastilla, and the small, Pyrenean style settlements in the surroundings, and what they have on offer. They are places that are small, romantic, and genuinely Pyrenean. The houses have huge stone walls and slate roofs, and all have smoking chimneys: it is quite an incredible sight to see from 10 kilometres away. To the north on the A-136 road, which takes you to Sallent de Gallego, or a bit further to Formigal, you will find everything you need (like you would if you were in a big city) if you feel like long nights and relaxed drinks and dancing. In the Tena Valley, you will find everything that you are looking for, given that in both Formigal and Panticosa, there are two different atmospheres that accommodate all types of guests. Come and enjoy yourself in the heart of the Pyrenees. It won\'t fail to surprise you. Equipment hire at Panticosa At the Panticosa ski resort, practically everything is an advantage. Hiring ski equipment will be much more well-priced than in other resorts. Aramon has the hire of ski equipment packages available to skiers and snowboarders. The rental stall is located next to the Panticosa cable car, across the bridge. Once you are there, you will be able to see the wide range of equipment that they have for both adults and children. Additionally, Panticosa offers different types of equipment according to the ski or snowboarding level of the user. Hiring ski or snowboard equipment at Panticosa costs about 26, and according to the number of days for which you use it, you will have certain discounts. Panticosa also usually launches promotions with substantial discounts for large families, novice skiers or professionals, that they update as the season progresses. The snowblades equipment are even more economical than the traditional equipment, for those who like to do pirouettes and practise all kinds of jumps. Classes and rental stores at Panticosa You can also find several private shops that offer both ski lessons and equipment hire in the town of Panticosa. Depending on the offer that Aramon Panticosa currently has available, it can be more convenient pricing in the private shops. If you are staying in one of the hotels in the town of Panticosa, it is worth asking for the hire services and classes that they have available in the majority of cases. The same hotel establishments

6 have equipment at good prices, or deals with private stores that benefit quite a lot from the Panticosa hotel guests. Aramon, the public-private company that manages the Panticosa winter resort has classes for the learning and perfection of techniques available for skiers and snowboarders, in the Escuela de Esqui de Panticosa, created in 1970 when the resort opened its pistes for the first time. At the Escuela de Esqui de Panticosa you will be able to choose different types of courses, suitable for entire weeks, weekends, or done in groups. They also have individual classes available, all kinds of alpine skiing, snowboarding or special courses for children. All the instructors are qualified and experienced so that their classes are the most efficient possible, and so that you can make the most of your time in Panticosa. Panticosa is known for being a winter resort devoted to family activities. It is also known as a resort with very good pistes on where you can start out in the winter sport par excellence. Where to stay at Panticosa Perhaps one of the marvels that Panticosa and its surrounding towns hides is that the big hotel chains have still not reached the area. The result is that you can find real family hotels that have maintained all the charm of the Pyrenees in addition to exquisite cuisine, typical of the Tena Valley being made of stone and wood, and where you can have a comfortable stay. Although it sounds easy in this description, it is far from it. One must make special mention of the Hotel Privilegio de Tena, an independent, surprisingly romantic, family hotel, which has services in 5 star territory, with the four it already has not doing it justice. It offers loft suites with designer decoration that contrast with thick stone walls, a renovated medieval abbey, and its restaurant offers a combination of the traditional and the modern. It is the perfect paradise for the most refined guests. Another of the big secrets that Panticosa hides is the Hotel Continental, of new construction and with all services. It is a modern, young hotel with all the charm that the Roman baths spa offers, given that it is located at the foot of these. Many of the establishments offer a very useful heated swimming pool service for children, or a spa for adults. Surprisingly, the majority of hotels in Panticosa, in contrast with the rest of the peninsula, allow pets. This can be a great relief for those who refuse to go on holidays without their pets. For those who do not agree with these acceptance measures, it must be noted that strict cleaning techniques are used in the majority of the hotels, and many of them even have special rooms available for those who suffer from allergies. If you wish a comfortable place to sleep in which is ideal for families, and which has a pure Pyrenean service, in the town of Panticosa (very close to the pistes) the Casa Morlans could be considered as one of your preferred accommodation options. Equally, if you are an independent traveller and what you prefer are tourist apartments, you will also find these in both Panticosa and Pueyo de Jaca. Additionally, if you are travelling with your caravan, at the entrance to Panticosa there is a camp site which is very useful in which to park and enjoy a comfortable stay. In the Tena Valley, you will come across all kinds of establishments, and at times it is difficult to express the diversity of them all. They cover the hospitality and economic requirements of all

7 guests. This chain of towns that crosses the Pyrenees before reaching France, was, at its time, one of the busiest and most popular main, Spanish tourism destinations, even more so than the east coast or the Mediterranean coast. In winter, the heart, the fun, the peace, and everything that you are looking for in your holidays, is gathered around barely 30 kilometres of roads that join Sabiñánigo to Formigal. Here, in the wonderful Tena Valley, you will be able to live the warmest winter, or the longest spring. Technical information at Panticosa In contrast to other Pyrenean resorts, Panticosa can boast having the best prices and constant offers that encourage visits to the resort. What\'s more, at this resort children younger than 6 years old do not need to pay to access the pistes if they are accompanied by an adult skier or snowboarder. At the same time, veterans (those between 65 and 71 years old) at Panticosa enjoy privileged discounts, and those older than 71 years old ski for free. Prices for consecutive days always begin on Mondays. One of the offers that the Panticosa ski resort has available is the large family discount. By showing a document that confirms the family union, such as a family record book or ID card, the family will be able to enjoy a discount of 20% off the Panticosa ski passes, in addition to 20% discount on the ski equipment at the Panticosa ski resort, and 20% off the official price at Skitty Panticosa (a children\'s play park). The Panticosa resort continually updates its offers, and one that they usually have in force, depending on the week and season, is the five, consecutive day ski pass where you not only benefit from the incredible price, but you can also enjoy Sunday evening for free. You can buy Panticosa ski passes in both Huesca and Zaragoza, in addition to the ticket offices next to the cable car. If you want to avoid the queues, you can buy your ski passes for Panticosa over the phone if you have an Aramon card. The following prices that are shown for the Panticosa lifts do not include insurance. If you do not have annual or private piste accident insurance, don\'t hesitate to purchase the rescue and first aid piste service, which also includes health assistance insurance at the Panticosa resort, and clinic transfer (both at the Panticosa winter resort and the nearest hospital, in the event that were necessary). Piste rescue insurance at Panticosa costs 3 a day. If you are there for three or more days, discounts are applied, with the price for three days insurance being 8, four days being 10, and five consecutive or non-consecutive days, 12. After acquiring this five day insurance, you will be covered to enjoy the five Aramon resorts. With a total of 41 skiable pistes, Panticosa has a total of 35 kilometres where you can ski. There are seven green pistes which are wide and gently sloping for beginners and children who are starting to ski; 14 blue pistes for those who like to enjoy average speeds; 16 red pistes with a steep slope suitable for expert skiers; and four black pistes that will delight expert skiers and snowboarders who visit Panticosa. It has incredible views of the valley. Although Panticosa does not have hundreds of skiable kilometres, it offers an excellent quality of snow thanks to its orientation. It also offers welldistributed, mechanical lifts that make getting to the highest points easy, without forgetting about the cable car with a capacity for eight people.

8 During the days of extreme cold you will be grateful for it providing another way in which to climb the pistes. The area of lakes will be great for the most experienced people. Below this, we provide tables where you will be able to see exactly the names, inclines and all other characteristics that the pistes at the Panticosa ski resort have. PISTE MAP