Valdelinares is considered the southernmost and most compact of all Spanish ski resorts belonging to the Aramon ski area. It is located at an altitude of just under 1700 meters above sea level, in the snow-capped Sierra da Guadari mountains. Valdelinares is considered one of the highest mountain villages in Spain.

Today, it is impossible to find noisy discos, crowded gastronomic centers or crowded hotels in this resort; against the background of similar ski resorts, Valdelinares is much less developed.

However, this settlement still attracts thousands of tourists from all over the world, because it is here that the majestic nature has been preserved in its original form. This place is filled with true silence, peace and tranquility, giving you the opportunity to relax from the hustle and bustle of the city. This resort has long been stormed by families with children, novice skiers and all those who are looking for a calm and measured rest in nature.

However, despite this, the ski complex itself is built and equipped with the latest technology, annually the employees of the ski complex update the equipment, monitor the latest innovations, and also provide for rent the newest and most modern equipment and other necessary equipment.

What is interesting to see in Valdelinares?

Since Valdelinares is a resort-type village, there are practically no monuments and memorable places on its territory. The most important, visited and interesting place is considered to be the resort area – the ski complex of the same name, which attracts tourists from all over the world.

Today, the sports ground has 14 tracks, the length of which is only 9 kilometers. In addition to this attraction, people come to Valdelinares for the opportunity to touch the untouched nature: many rivers, thermal springs, mountainous terrain, wild animals and rare plants – where else can you enjoy natural beauty so close?

As for architectural monuments, many visitors prefer to walk around the town square, where there are several shops and quite interesting sculptures in the form of skiers. At the exit from Valdelinares is the Chapel of Our Lady of Loreto.

It is closed on weekdays, but on weekends there is a service there, however, most often the ministers of this spiritual monastery are not used to following the schedule and can start or end the service in a completely free time schedule.

Valdelinares: excursions and events

Since there are practically no interesting places on the territory of the resort, sightseeing tours of the village are not held here. However, for anyone who wants to diversify their ski vacation, there are sightseeing tours to nearby large cities. The bus leaves Valdelinares at 5:00 in the morning from the Vicenta Hotel, where you sign up for the tour.

It is noteworthy that excursion buses from Valdelinares depart only if a full group is recruited. The cost of such a tour depends entirely on which city the group is going to, but does not exceed 45 euros;. From Valdelinares, excursion groups go to Zaragoza, Teruel and in very rare cases to Barcelona.

The largest events in Valdelinares take place on the opening days of the ski season (November 1-4) and on the closing days (March 29-April 2). That’s when a real field kitchen is organized in Valdelinares, prizes and gifts are given out, Spanish stars come to sing and dance on a small stage set up especially for them. On the last day of skiing, the visitors do not break tradition, they get on their skis in swimsuits and slide down the slope, which ends in a real swimming pool.

History of Valdelinares

The history of Valdelinares began three decades ago, when investors and ski enthusiasts decided to develop a sports complex on the territory of the Sierra de Guadare mountain. Its construction began at a fairly intensive pace and was completed by 1991. At the same time, the construction of small houses began, which were built for service personnel.

Until 1995, Valdelinares had several hotels, a pharmacy, a small doctor’s office, a couple of shops and a post office. Today, about 150 people permanently live in the village of Valdelinares, who are managers and owners of hotels and restaurants.

Every year, the resort is visited by about three hundred thousand people, many of whom have been coming to Valdelinares for several years. They note that the infrastructure of the sports complex itself is developing quite well: new equipment is being purchased, modern technologies are being introduced. However, the development of Valdelinares as a settlement is not planned, in any case, the construction of such socially important places as a hospital, kindergartens and schools is not even planned.

Climate in Valdelinares

The climate in Valdelinares is classified as temperate continental. A rather characteristic feature of the settlement is heavy fog, both in the morning and during the day. By the evening, the fog subsides. This feature is explained by the fact that both the ski complex itself and the resort with a residential area are located quite high above sea level.

The sun in Valdelinares can be seen every day, but it is almost always hidden behind clouds. During the tourist season, which lasts from November to the end of March, there is practically no precipitation in Valdelinares, while high humidity is felt. In the summer, fogs practically do not envelop the resort, however, from May to June there is almost a quarterly rate of precipitation, which is accompanied by sharp gusts of wind and thunderstorms.

Hotel and apartments

There are about a dozen hotels in Valdelinares. Almost all of them have four or five stars, which is why the quality of service, cleanliness, service and other living conditions are almost identical to each other.

The only obvious difference is the landscape that opens from the hotel windows. Almost half of the hotels are built so that all the windows overlook the ski slopes, while guests of the second half of the hotels admire the simple mountainous terrain from their windows.

However, the cost of almost any room, regardless of the view from the windows, is 40-60 euros.

Hotel La Vega 3-star hotel

Hotel La Vega is located in Alcalá de la Selva, in the Serra de Guadari Mountains. It offers free parking, a small outdoor pool and a spa with a Turkish bath, hot tub and sauna.

This charming, country-style hotel offers rooms with a private balcony, satellite TV and a minibar. All heated rooms have a private bathroom with toiletries.

Free Wi-Fi is available in public areas of La Vega. Guests can visit the café, play billiards in the disco pub or relax on the summer terrace under the shade of poplar trees.

The hotel’s à la carte restaurant serves local cuisine. You can try local specialities such as Aragonese lamb and Teruel ham, as well as a range of wines.

La Vega is just 7 km from Valdelinares Ski Resort. The Maestrasgo Natural Area is also nearby.

Hotel Esther 3-star hotel

This charming hotel is located in a picturesque location in the town of La Virgen de la Vega. It offers rustic-style rooms and a restaurant serving traditional regional cuisine.

It offers individually decorated rooms with views of the surrounding countryside. Each room has a flat-screen TV and a private bathroom.

At Hotel Esther, guests can relax in the communal TV lounge or in the café-bar.

Teruel is 55 km from the hotel. The nearest ski slopes are just 8 km away.

Hotel La Trufa Negra 4-star hotel

This cozy and modern hotel is located in the heart of the Sierra de Guadari mountains, near the Valdelinares ski resort.

This recently built and luxuriously decorated hotel offers a full range of services. The spa offers state-of-the-art treatments. In the evening, the restaurant serves delicious dishes, many of which are prepared using truffles. The hotel is ideal for a healthy holiday.

Hotel Spa Balfagon 4-star hotel

Balfagon Hotel & Spa is located in the mountain village of Cantavieja, in the province of Teruel. It offers free Wi-Fi, a spa with personalised treatments and a fine restaurant with a wine cellar.

The hotel combines stylish modern décor with original features such as beamed ceilings and stone arches.

Guests can enjoy a buffet breakfast and there is also a café on site.

All rooms at Balfagón Hotel & Spa are centrally heated and air conditioned. They also have a TV and hairdryer, and some have a private balcony.

Cantavieja’s Plaza de Cristo Rey is a 5-minute walk from Balfagón Hotel. The village is easily accessible via the A-226 motorway, which connects Teruel and Alcañiz.

Apartahotel Sierra de Gudar 5-star hotel

Sierra de Gudar is located in Gudar. It features a restaurant, a bar and free WiFi. The accommodation offers family rooms.

The rooms at the hotel are equipped with a flat-screen TV and a kitchenette.

A continental breakfast is available every morning at Sierra de Gudar.

Mora de Rubielos is 27 km from the hotel, while Rubielos de Mora is 39 km away.

Restaurants in Valdelinares

Casa Vicenta

The Casa Vicenta restaurant is located on the first floor of the hotel of the same name. Despite the fact that this establishment is the “property” of the apartments, even those who are not their guests are allowed there. The restaurant is located in the central part of the resort village.

They serve fish, seafood, meat, first courses and side dishes.

Casa Vicenta has a wine list, in which anyone can find cocktails to their liking. The interior of the establishment is quite pleasant, however, there is no highlight in it – it is a complete continuation of the design of the hotel itself.

The average check is 40 euros.

Casa Damian

Casa Damian is the only “independent” gastronomic establishment in the Valdelinares resort. It does not belong to a hotel and is located on the town square. Its pleasant interior, friendly atmosphere and friendly staff are the highlight of the restaurant.

The menu at Casa Damian is quite diverse, they serve meat, soups and desserts.

The signature dish of this establishment is grilled lamb, quite often the restaurant arranges promotions for this dish. The establishment does not play live music, in the morning they play simple local radio, and closer to the evening they turn on jazz and classical music.

The average bill at the establishment is low and is only 25 euros.

Valdelinares: entertainment, sports and active recreation

Man Plowing Snow with Skis ca. 2001 Colorado, USA

You can play sports and spend your time actively on the territory of the ski complex located in Valdelinares. Today, this sports area has about ten slopes designed for people with different levels of training. 3 of them are designed for beginners, 5 for visitors with an average level of training and 2 slopes for real professionals.

On the territory of the Valdelinares ski resort there is a professional ski school, where teachers teach children and adults of any age the basics of skiing and snowboarding. Lessons with a private instructor will help beginners to quickly get used to the mountain slope, improve their technique or learn to ski from scratch. You can also take private skiing lessons right on the slope, combining theory and practice. Due to the high demand for lessons with an instructor, we recommend booking lessons in advance on the resort’s website to better plan your visit. The ski school in Valdelinares offers both individual and group lessons for participants of all ages and levels of training. In addition, you can purchase passes for 5 and 10 hours of skiing at the box office or online. It should also be remembered that tickets for the ski resort in Valdelinares can be purchased directly at the box office upon arrival, without prior booking. Skiing for people with disabilities: both children and adults with varying degrees of disability can also practice skiing thanks to a large selection of specially adapted skis for people with disabilities.

In the summer, the flow of tourists to Valdelinares decreases noticeably, however, even at this time of year, active recreation can be enjoyed in the resort and its surroundings.

Наприклад, сплавитися на байдарці або каное по численних річках, викупатися в термальних джерелах, які розташовані за Вальделінаресом або підкорити гори за допомогою альпійської екіпіровки. Тут варто відзначити, що влітку в околицях гірськолижного курорту дійсно збирається багато альпіністів, однак, спеціальний інвентар та одяг в селищі взяти на прокат або купити просто неможливо, саме тому, якщо ви вирішили урізноманітнити свій відпочинок таким чином, не забудьте завітати в більш велике місто і придбати все необхідне там.

Транспортні особливості Вальделінарес

Вальделинарес досить компактний населений пункт – дійти від однієї частини курорту до іншої можна за півгодини, тому громадський транспорт на його території не курсує. У більшості місцевих жителів немає автомобілів, вони вважають за краще пересуватися на велосипедах або пішки. З іншими містами Вельделінарес з’єднує таксі та приміські автобуси.

Примітно, що на території селища дійсно розташована компанія, що надає послуги таксі. У своєму парку вона має чотири машини. Кожна з них пофарбована в білий колір і має червону смугу. Однак, таксисти не їздять по території селища, замовлення приймаються тільки на значні відстані.

Наприклад, добратися з Вельделінаресу в Сарагосу. Вартість такої поїздки складе близько 90 euro;, при цьому час, витрачений у дорозі складе близько 2 годин.

Сувеніри Вальделинаресу

Вальделинарес не може похвалитися сувенірними лавками або магнітами на касах продуктових магазинів. Єдине місце в цьому населеному пункті звідки турист може призвести сувенір – гірськолижний комплекс. Саме там розташувався невеликий острівець, який наповнений магнітами, брелоками, чашками і тарілками з символікою країни. Там же можна придбати полароїдні фотографії, на яких зображені неймовірні природні краси.

Взагалі, туристи рідко купують щось пам’ятне в Вальделінаресі, в основному, вони воліють купувати сувеніри у більш великих містах і торгових точках. Однак, варто зазначити, що цей гірськолижний курорт теж може запам’ятатися його гостям.

В кожному магазині цього селища можна знайти безліч місцевих вин, оливкових олій і плодів з яких його вичавлюють. Їх вартість мінімальна, а різноманітність настільки велика, що йому позаздрить будь-який гурман. Наприклад, купуючи вино в Мадриді, вам доведеться заплатити за пляшку близько 10-12 euro;, а от купуючи його в Вальделінаресі, ви заплатите всього 7-8 euro.