As every year, The New York Times has published a guide with the best destinations to visit in the upcoming 12 months. In the 2025 article, the prestigious American newspaper has chosen 52 sites from around the world and has included two very close recommendations. On one hand, the mountain and monastery of Montserrat, which is celebrating its millenary this year.
But it also makes another proposal that is less known in our country, even though we have it close by. This is Canfranc, a town located in the Aragonese Pyrenees, just over two hours by car from Lleida. Located between Jaca and Candanchú, on the border territory with France, Canfranc “seems like a well-kept secret,” as noted by The New York Times.
Hidden in the Pyrenees, Canfranc is located on the border of the two most visited countries in the world, but it seems like a well-kept secret”
The area is ideal for skiing, hiking, mountain biking, or even exploring the Aragonese stretch of the Camino de Santiago. But the appeal of this Pyrenean enclave goes much further. It is home to the historic international train station of Canfranc. An impressive monumental building that has recently been revived after 50 years of inactivity.
Main entrance of Canfranc station, in the Pyrenees of Huesca
After meticulous rehabilitation and restoration, the station, inaugurated in 1928, now houses a five-star hotel and a Michelin-starred restaurant in a former train car. “It's as if a Wes Anderson creation came to life,” highlights the newspaper article.
The station has been reborn as a five-star hotel, with a lobby reminiscent of a cathedral”
Due to its location, Canfranc and its emblematic railway station have been strategic witnesses of the Spanish Civil War and World War II, serving both the Nazi army and the Jews fleeing from the Holocaust.
In addition, in 2025 it is planned to open the train line connecting Canfranc with Huesca, after being closed for almost two years due to improvement works. This will allow access to the Pyrenean enclave by rail from Zaragoza, passing through a “final stretch between cliffs that goes through 19 tunnels while ascending towards the mountain,” as highlighted by The New York Times.
This article was originally published on RAC1.