Streets and Townscape

In the Barrio alto, Somaén’s upper quarter, you can stroll along narrow, cobbled streets between reddish houses. Somaén retains a medieval town layout, with noble houses and earthen houses. A town layout refers to the arrangement of streets and buildings; in Somaén, the term can therefore be connected to a tangible townscape. For your walk, both streets and houses are in focus, not just individual buildings.

Church and Castle

Somaén’s monumental heritage includes the church of Nuestra Señora de la Visitación and the Ermita de la Soledad, which lies on the edge of the town. A report from December 2025 describes how volunteers have been setting up a Nativity scene in the parish church for many years. If the Nativity scene is relevant to your trip, check in advance whether it will be on display during your stay. This lets you take its seasonal nature into account when planning.

The Castillo de Somaén also connects the town’s history with specific architectural details. It was built in the 14th century on the orders of the Count of Medinaceli, using ashlar, lime and rubble stone. Today, only an elongated tower with a pentagonal ground plan remains. The construction period and what survives today belong to different periods: the 14th century refers to when the castle was built, while the tower is the surviving remnant. Together with the medieval town layout, this offers a view of different aspects of the built heritage.

Routes on Foot and by Bike

Since the A2 was built outside the gorge, the old national road through the Jalón Gorge offers a route for motor vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists. You can therefore consider the route according to your preferred means of transport; it includes more than one way of travelling through the gorge.

A 2020 mountain biking description gives a route through the town centre and describes houses on the hillside there. Another mountain biking route reaches Somaén via a track that partly follows the GR-86 Sendero Ibérico Soriano. The descriptions focus on different aspects: one highlights the route through the town and the hillside houses, while the other focuses on the approach via a track that partly follows the GR-86. When choosing a bike ride, you can take these different route features into account.

The route through the Barranco del Avenales is rated easy and follows a path signposted as GR86. The difficulty rating answers a different question from the trail marking: the easy rating describes the level of challenge, while GR86 refers to the signposting. Both can help you choose a hiking route to suit your preferences.

Nature Watching

Birds of prey can occasionally be spotted in the Gargantas del Jalón. For nature lovers, this adds another topic to the area’s architectural history and routes. Include a possible sighting in your plans as a nature-watching opportunity, not as a fixed part of the day’s itinerary.

For the broader travel overview: Arcos De Jalón.