Carenas lies on the Piedra River, near the La Tranquera Reservoir. The town combines a well-preserved historic centre with religious architecture, traces of history and a landscape that unfolds along the river. More than 200 underground wine cellars are also part of the town’s character: freestanding cellar entrances and ventilation openings can be seen along the streets.

Historic Centre and the History of Somet

Carenas has one of the best-preserved historic centres in the comarca. Those interested in the town’s history will also find a special connection to La Tranquera Reservoir: the historic settlement of Somet in Carenas has been uninhabited since the 16th century and disappeared beneath the reservoir’s waters around 1960. Somet Castle is classified as a Bien de Interés Cultural.

The wine cellars reveal another side of Carenas. Their entrances and ventilation openings are visible in the streetscape; with more than 200 cellars, they form a distinctive local feature. On a walk through the town, you can take in both the historic architecture and these visible traces of winegrowing as different aspects of its character.

Churches, Chapels and Art

The parish church of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción is a Baroque church with three naves and a choir at the rear. It preserves an important altarpiece, probably created by Jerónimo Cósida. Many of the surviving altarpieces come from the Monasterio de Piedra.

The Ermita de Santa Ana is located at Calle de Santa Ana 37. Its floor plan is in the shape of a Latin cross, with an elliptical dome rising above pendentives. Its furnishings include a main altarpiece and a carved figure called Cristo de la Langosta. The Ermita del Santo Sepulcro is partly built into the hillside. It was constructed in the 17th century and preserves a recumbent statue of Christ from the same century. Access is via a Way of the Cross with modern wrought-iron stations.

Smaller structures also add distinctive touches. The ruins of the Ermita de San Sebastián preserve three transverse arches. Two Peirones de San Sebastián stand in front of the chapel, one new and one old; the old masonry and rubble-stone peirón stands on a rock. The Peirones de la Virgen del Pilar el Viejo and el Nuevo are about 20 metres apart. The Peirón el Viejo is classified as an immovable cultural asset in the religious category and as a roadside devotional pillar.

The Ruta de los peirones de Carenas offers another way to find your bearings in the historic centre: it starts at the Iglesia-Plaza and loops around the centre. The Casa-palacio de la Señoría belonged to the Cistercian monks of the Monasterio de Piedra. Two phases can be distinguished in the building: an initial construction phase in the 13th century and a major renovation in the 17th century. The Casa de la Monjía has frescoes from the late 15th century showing angels carrying scrolls. Carenas also has a monument dedicated to Semana Santa that can be seen year-round.

Routes along the Piedra and through the municipal area

The Carenas–Nuévalos route follows the Piedra downstream from Carenas to Nuévalos. It passes through cultivated river meadows and by tuff cliffs. The Cabañera Transversal offers a different perspective: it was one of the comarca’s most important livestock drovers’ roads and crosses the municipal area of Carenas from north to south. A recommended section in Carenas is about six kilometres long, between La Cruceta and the boundary with Castejón.

If you plan to take one of these routes, check the current trail conditions in advance.

Find a hotel for your stay in Carenas

Then tailor your choice to the specific information provided for each hotel and what you need for your overnight stay.

Discover more destinations: Biel, Morata de Jiloca, Villafeliche, Leciñena, Mesones De Isuela, Luesia, Villalengua, Fuendetodos

For the main travel overview: Zaragoza.