The 10 best holiday apartments in Aínsa

Aínsa, in the heart of the Sobrarbe, is an excellent base for exploring the Aragonese Pyrenees without giving up a town with life. In the HotelsCasa listing you'll find 35 holiday apartments, with an average price of 146 euros per night and the cheapest from 105. The offer is concentrated in two clearly differentiated areas: the historic centre, on the hill, and the modern expansion that descends towards the Cinca river. Staying in the upper part places you next to the plaza Mayor, the collegiate church and the arcades, with a more touristy atmosphere and cobbled streets that can be uncomfortable if you travel with large suitcases or a baby stroller. The lower part, around avenida Sobrarbe and the new streets, has easier parking, supermarkets nearby and direct access to the road, although you lose the charm of waking up looking at medieval façades.

The practical difference between the two areas is noise and parking. In the old town, many apartments are in buildings without a lift and you'll have to leave the car in a public car park five to ten minutes' walk away. In the lower area, most of the accommodations have a lift and some include a garage space, which slightly raises the price. If you come in high season (July, August and Easter), the price difference between one area and the other shrinks, and it's worth booking months in advance. On the other hand, in May, June, September or October, prices drop noticeably and you'll find apartments below average, especially midweek. Bank holiday weekends are also expensive, so if your schedule is flexible, aim for mid-October or late April.

Getting to Aínsa is simple: by road, from Huesca it takes a little over an hour via the A-23 and the A-1604, and from Barbastro about forty minutes. There is no train station or nearby airport, so a car is almost essential to get around the villages of the valley, such as Boltaña, Labuerda or Escalona, and to go up to Ordesa or the Añisclo canyon. Within the town, everything can be covered on foot in ten minutes, but if you stay in the old town, be prepared for slopes. Before booking, check whether the apartment has heating (essential in winter), whether the kitchen is fully equipped for cooking, and whether the building has a lift. It's also worth confirming whether the price includes bed linen and towels, because some apartments charge for them separately. And look at recent reviews about sound insulation: in August, the festivities and the nightlife atmosphere in the square can be a problem if you're looking for total rest.