The Pineta valley is the gentlest of the four main sectors of Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park — a broad glacial trough opening north beneath Monte Perdido, its head sealed by a massive cirque of rock and snow. The parador at the valley end is a useful base, though it fills up quickly in summer.
The walk to the Circo de Pineta — the great semicircle of cliffs at the valley head — takes about four hours return from the parador and involves a serious climb. The views back down the valley, with the beech forest below and the limestone walls above, are among the finest in the Pyrenees. Shorter, flatter walks along the valley floor are suitable for anyone.
The valley is accessed via Bielsa, about 55 km from Aínsa by road, making it feasible as a day trip with an early start.