The Cueva de Chaves, in the foothills of the Sierra de Guara in Huesca, was one of the most important Neolithic sites in the Iberian Peninsula, with deposits showing some of the earliest farming and herding in north-eastern Spain. In 2007, in an act that caused outrage, the landowner bulldozed the cave's floor deposits, destroying much of the archaeological record, and the case went to court. Rock art shelters in the area, including Chaves I and others in the Vero river valley, survive and are part of the Rock Art of the Mediterranean Basin listing, with paintings ranging from Palaeolithic to schematic art.
The Sierra de Guara is famous for its canyons, deep limestone gorges carved by rivers, which attract canyoning enthusiasts from all over Europe. The village of Alquézar, perched on a rock above the Vero gorge with a castle and collegiate church at the top, is one of the most beautiful in Aragon, and the walkways through the gorge below offer spectacular views. The Somontano, to the south, is a wine region producing excellent reds and whites, and the town of Barbastro is its centre.
The roads around the Sierra de Guara are a joy, narrow and winding, with spectacular views over the canyons and the Pyrenees to the north. The road from Huesca through the foothills to Alquézar and on to Barbastro is a favourite, and the roads north into the Pyrenees, through Aínsa and towards the Ordesa valley, are among the best in Spain. Surfaces are generally good, but watch out for gravel and cyclists, and in summer, the heat can be intense.
Huesca, twenty-four kilometres away, is the provincial capital with fuel and everything else, and Barbastro has services too. Alquézar has restaurants and hotels, and the Somontano wineries welcome visitors. Try the local wines with ternasco, roast lamb, and the pastries of Huesca.