Parc Natural de la Zona Volcànica de la Garrotxa
The green-clad volcanic-origin hills surrounding Olot make up the 150-sq-km Parc Natural de la Zona Volcànica de la Garrotxa (http://parcsnaturals.gencat.cat/garrotxa). Volcanic eruptions began here about 350,000 years ago, but the last one was 11,500 years ago. As the African and Eurasian tectonic plates nudge ever closer (at a rate of 2cm per year), the occasional mild earthquake still sends a shiver across La Garrotxa, and more than 100 small earthquakes set Catalonia trembling each year (most are barely perceptible). La Garrotxa’s volcanoes, however, have long snoozed under a blanket of meadows and oak forests.
The park has around 40 volcanic cones, up to 160m high and 1.5km wide. Together with the lush vegetation (resulting from fertile soils and a damp climate), these create a landscape of unique verdant beauty. The park’s most interesting area lies between Olot and the pretty village of Santa Pau, 10km southeast.
1Sights
Santa Pau VILLAGE
(GI524, Santa Pau)
With its tangle of slender cobbled lanes leading past flower-filled corners and pottery workshops to the attractive colonnaded Plaça Major, medieval Santa Pau is arguably La Garrotxa’s most ravishing village. A 13th-century castle looms over the main square.
Castellfollit de la Roca VILLAGE
(GI522, Castellfollit de la Roca)
Aside from the hills, one of La Garrotxa’s most remarkable geological sights is the town of Castellfollit de la Roca (10km northeast of Olot), teetering on the edge of a blackened basalt cliff face made up of two superposed lava flows. The best views are from the road beneath town, near Hostal Mont-Rock.
Monestir de Sant Joan les Fonts MONASTERY
(www.turismesantjoanlesfonts.com; Sant Joan les Fonts; 
hnoon-2pm Sat & Sun) 
F
Dating to the 12th century, this broad Romanesque riverside monastery is squirrelled away at the northern end of Sant Joan les Fonts, 6km northeast of Olot. Note the distinctive bulge, stone bell tower and pink-tinged local stone.
2Activities
There are 28 hiking routes within the natural park, most of which are clearly signposted. Olot’s Casal dels Volcans and tourist office provide maps, information and advice.
A number of easy walking trails lead directly from the car parks near Olot and Santa Pau to the volcanic cones. The basalt lava flows near Sant Joan les Fonts are an especially stunning place to walk; routes are signposted from the town’s tourist office. One of the park’s most popular hikes is up to the crater of the Volcà de Santa Margarida, where there’s a Romanesque chapel; the 2km trail begins from a signposted car park 3km west of Santa Pau on the GI524.
4Sleeping
Camping Ecològic Lava CAMPGROUND€
(
%972 68 03 58; www.campinglava.com; Carretera Olot-Santa Pau (GI524), Km 7; car & tent/adult/child €17/8/7; 
p
W
s)
Wrapped in greenery 6km southeast of Olot, this animated year-round campground inside La Garrotxa’s parc natural has solid amenities, including laundry facilities and hot showers, plus ample outdoor space, a pool (summer only), a restaurant and easy access to hiking trails and horse riding. There are also bungalows for four to 10 people (quad €90).
Cal Sastre BOUTIQUE HOTEL€€
(%972 68 00 95; www.calsastre.com; Plaça dels Balls, Santa Pau; d €120-160; 
aW)
Hidden across two exquisitely revamped 15th-century houses, behind medieval arches, Cal Sastre’s eight rooms have an air of updated old-world glamour, with gold-patterned bedheads and claw-foot baths set against sparkling modern bathrooms. It’s right opposite the castle in the heart of pretty little Sant Pau, attached to the family restaurant.
Mas La Ferreria BOUTIQUE HOTEL€€€
(%972 29 13 45; www.hotelmaslaferreria.com; Santa Margarida de Bianya; r incl breakfast €155-200; paWs)
A sparkling blend of historical charm, contemporary flair and personal service makes a boutique bijou of this stylishly converted 14th-century country house, 8km northwest of Olot. Six individually designed rooms (some with terraces, or four-poster beds) skilfully show off the building’s original architecture, between calming colours and exposed-stone walls. The tiny saltwater pool overlooks La Garrotxa’s volcanic wilds.
8Getting There & Away
TEISA (www.teisa-bus.com) runs buses from La Garrotxa’s main hub Olot to Girona (€7.25 to €8.50, one to 1½ hours, eight to 30 daily), some via Besalú (€3.90, 40 minutes, 12 to 25 daily), and Barcelona (€16 to €19, 1½ to 2½ hours, nine to 11 daily).
8Getting Around
La Garrotxa is best explored by car or bicycle, as public transport around the region is light.
TEISA (www.teisa-bus.com) runs buses from Olot to Castellfollit de la Roca (€1.70, 15 minutes, six to 23 daily) via Sant Joan de les Fonts (€1.70, 10 minutes).
Ripoll
POP 9270 / ELEV 691M
With an especially impressive monastery at its heart, and another 10km northeast in tiny Sant Joan de les Abadesses, otherwise unremarkable Ripoll is a worthy stopover for admirers of Romanesque art.
Ripoll can claim, with some justice, to be the birthplace of Catalonia. In the 9th century it was the power base from which local strongman Guifré el Pilós (Wilfred the Hairy) succeeded in uniting several counties of the Frankish March along the southern side of the Pyrenees. Guifré went on to become the first in a line of hereditary counts of Barcelona. To encourage repopulation of the Pyrenean valleys, he founded (and now lies buried in) the Monestir de Santa Maria, medieval Catalonia’s most powerful monastery.
Ripoll is well-positioned for rambling the vertiginous hiking and skiing terrain of the Vall de Núria, extending from 13km north, or the dormant volcanoes of La Garrotxa, 30km east.
oMonestir de Santa Maria MONASTERY
(www.monestirderipoll.cat; Plaça de l’Abat Oliba; adult/child €5.50/2.75; h10am-2pm & 4-7pm Apr-Sep, 10am-1.30pm & 3.30-6pm Mon-Sat, 10am-2pm Sun Oct-Mar)
Consecrated in AD 888, Ripoll’s monastery was Catalonia’s spiritual and cultural heart from the mid-10th to mid-11th century. The five-naved basilica was adorned in about 1100 with a stone portal that ranks among Spain’s most splendid Romanesque art; its well-restored interior contains admirable floor mosaics, a multi-language display on the Bibles of Ripoll (rare illustrated manuscripts created between 1008 and 1020), plus the tomb of Guifré el Pilós, who founded the monastery.
La Trobada HOTEL€€
(%972 70 23 53; www.latrobadahotel.com; Passeig del Compositor Honorat Vilamanyà 4; s €42-47, d €70-100, tr €88-98; pW)
Clean, simple and with polite, eager-to-please staff, La Trobada is Ripoll’s most comfortable accommodation choice, on the east edge of town. Rooms are plain but well maintained, many offering glimpses of the Monestir de Santa Maria; those in the front building are most stylish. The restaurant serves simple Catalan fare, specialising in carnes a la piedra (hot-rock-cooked meats).
8Information
Oficina de Turisme de Ripoll (%972 70 23 51; www.ripoll.cat/turisme; Plaça del Abat Oliba; h10am-2pm & 4-7pm Mon-Sat Apr-Sep, 10am-1.30pm & 3.3-6pm Mon-Sat Oct-Mar, 10am-2pm Sun year-round) Next to the Monestir de Santa Maria, with an interpretation centre on the history of the town and monastery.
8Getting There & Away
Daily rodalies (local) trains (line R3) run to/from Barcelona (€9, two hours, 11 to 17 daily) via Vic (€6.15, 40 minutes). North from Ripoll, trains reach Ribes de Freser (€2.50, 20 minutes, eight daily) and Puigcerdà (€5, one hour, six to seven daily).
WORTH A TRIP
SANT JOAN DE LES ABADESSES
Who gallops through the hills on stormy nights around Sant Joan de les Abadesses (10km northeast of Ripoll on the N260 towards Olot) on a horse engulfed in flames and accompanied by ravenous black dogs? If you believe the legends, it’s the cursed Count Arnau, whose association with the Romanesque Monestir de Sant Joan de les Abadesses (www.monestirsantjoanabadesses.cat; Plaça de l’Abadia; adult/child €3/free; h10am-7pm Jul & Aug, 10am-2pm & 4-7pm May, Jun & Sep, 10am-2pm & 4-6pm Oct, Mar & Apr, 10am-2pm Mon-Fri, 10am-2pm & 4-6pm Sat & Sun Nov-Feb) has bequeathed it a heritage of brooding fairy-tales alongside its centuries of spiritual activity. The monastery, founded in AD 887 by Guifré el Pilós, is notable for both its architectural treasures and the legend.
In the same building as Sant Joan’s tourist office (%972 72 05 99; www.santjoandelesabadesses.cat; Plaça de l’Abadia 9; h10am-2pm & 4-7pm Mon-Sat, 10am-2pm Sun), the monastery’s 14th-century Palau de l’Abadia houses a fascinating audiovisual exhibition (€2.50) tracing the source of the Count Arnau legend.
If you fancy stopping overnight in Sant Joan, Hotelet de St Joan (%872 59 96 99; www.hoteletdestjoan.com; Carrer del Mestre Josep Maria Andreu 3; r €75-95; aW) is a smartly minimalist, industrial-chic boutique find with good breakfasts (€8) and 10 rooms in calming greys.
TEISA (www.teisa-bus.com) operates buses at least hourly on weekdays and two-hourly at weekends to/from Ripoll (€2.20, 20 minutes).
Vall de Núria & Ribes de Freser
A trio of little towns populates the Vall de Ribes and Vall de Núria, southeast of Cerdanya and north of Ripoll. Here, pine forests, plummeting dales and spectacular rugged hills huddle between the Serra Cavallera and Serra de Montgrony, rippling north to the Capçaleres del Ter i del Freser mountains.
Sheltered within the Vall de Ribes is small, well-equipped Ribes de Freser, 13km north of Ripoll. Six kilometres further north lies the charming stone village of Queralbs (1180m), home to a 10th-century church with a beautiful Romanesque portico. Beyond, accessible only by cremallera (rack railway), are Núria (1960m) and its lofty valley. Núria holds the revered Santuari de la Mare de Déu, though in winter it draws as many winter-sports devotees as pilgrims. A trip to Núria by cremallera is worth it for the views alone as the train rattles past lichen-wrapped rubble, miniature waterfalls, patches of forest, and gaping valleys.
1Sights & Activities
In winter, Núria transforms into a small-scale ski resort (%972 73 20 20; www.valldenuria.cat/hivern; Núria; day pass incl train adult/child €30/23; hDec-Mar; 
c), while summer months lure energetic hikers.
The Vall de Núria has some lovely marked hiking trails; Nùria’s tourist office provides maps (€4). One of the best and most popular routes is the Camí Vell, which leads through the gorge from Núria to Queralbs (8km, two to three hours); allow double the time if making the ascent.
From Núria, you can also cap several 2700m to 2900m peaks on the main Pyrenees ridge in about 2½ to four hours’ walking (around 4km to 9km each one way). The most popular is Puigmal (2909m).
oSantuari de la Mare de Déu CHURCH
(www.valldenuria.cat; Núria; h8am-6pm) F
The region’s high point (literally and figuratively) is Núria’s strangely austere 1911 sanctuary, which sits incongruously in a building (now a hotel) that emits an unfortunate boarding-school vibe. A gold-trimmed pastel-painted passageway leads to its upper level, housing the Mare de Déu de Núria above the altar. Mary, with a regal expression, sits in star-spangled robes, clasping a grown-up Jesus. The icon is in 12th-century Romanesque style, despite believers insisting that Sant Gil sculpted it in AD 700.
The sanctuary’s austere feel initially underwhelms, after all those valley panoramas and brooding mountains on the journey to Núria. Nonetheless, the views, icon and accompanying folklore make this a worthy trip.
4Sleeping & Eating
Alberg Pic de l’Àliga HOSTEL€
(%972 73 20 48; www.xanascat.cat; Núria; dm under/over 30yr incl breakfast €21/25; hDec-Oct)
Fancy a cheap sleep 2120m above sea level? This youth hostel in a spacious lodge is perched at the top of the telecabina (cable car) whizzing up from Núria. Dorms sleep three to 18 people and it has a cafe, board games and a common room for mingling with other travellers. Check the website for seasonal closures.
oHotel Els Caçadors HOTEL€€
(%972 72 70 77; www.hotelsderibes.com; Carrer de Balandrau 24-26, Ribes de Freser; s/d from €70/88; hDec-Oct; aW)
Family-run since 1920, this local institution has 37 spacious rooms in three grades. ‘Bronze’ is decked with warm beige tones and wood fittings, while ‘silver’ ramps up the comfort with skylights, balconies or hydromassage baths; romantic ‘gold’ rooms and suites are most luxurious. There’s a top-floor lounge plus a terrace with a mountain-view hot tub.
The popular restaurant (%972 72 70 06; www.hotelsderibes.com; Carrer de Balandrau 24-26, Ribes de Freser; mains €14-19; h8-10.30am, 1-3.45pm & 8.30-10pm Mon-Sat, 8-10.30am & 1-3.45pm Sun Dec-Oct) dishes up excellent Catalan food, such as squid cannelloni or baked hake with prawns, and three-course weekday lunch menus (€17).
Hostal les Roquetes HOSTAL€€
(%972 72 73 69; www.hostalroquetes.com; Carretera de Ribes 5, Queralbs; s €38, d €68-78; pW)
This comforting stone guesthouse sits just above the train station in Queralbs, perfect for walking or day trips up to Núria via the cremallera. Rooms are sizeable, simple and spotless, some with a balcony and inspiring mountain views. The good-value restaurant emphasises hearty hiking fuel like botifarra (Catalan sausage), giant entrepans (filled rolls), and goat’s cheese salads (three-course menu €12).
8Information
Oficina de Turisme de Núria (%972 73 20 20; www.valldenuria.com; Núria; h9am-2pm & 3-4.45pm Mon-Fri, 9.15am-5.45pm Sat & Sun) Next to Núria’s Santuari.
Oficina de Turisme de Ribes de Freser (%972 72 77 28; www.vallderibes.cat; Carretera de Bruguera 2, Ribes de Freser; h10am-2pm & 4-6pm Tue-Thu, 10am-2pm & 4-7pm Fri & Sat, 10am-2pm Sun) At the southern entrance to town.
8Getting There & Away
There are two train stations in Ribes de Freser, both on the cremallera line to Núria (which isn’t reachable by car).
Ribes–Enllaç, at the south end of town, has rodalies trains to Barcelona (€10, two to 2½ hours, seven daily) and Ripoll (€2.50, 20 minutes, eight daily).
The central Ribes–Vila is a cremallera stop between Ribes–Enllaç and Queralbs. Cremallera (www.valldenuria.cat; Ribes de Freser–Núria return adult/child €25/15) trains run from Ribes de Freser to Núria (35 to 40 minutes) via Queralbs (15 to 20 minutes) every 50 minutes between 7.50am and 6.20pm in high season, operating a reduced schedule during low season. There are car parks at Ribes–Vila and Queralbs if you’re day-tripping to Núria via cremallera; they can be crammed in high season.
Cerdanya
Picturesque Cerdanya, along with French Cerdagne across the border, occupies a low-lying green basin between the higher reaches of the Pyrenees to its east and west. Although Cerdanya and Cerdagne, once a single Catalan county, were divided by the Treaty of the Pyrenees in 1659, Catalan is spoken on both sides of the border and Spain flows seamlessly into France. Hikers and mountain-bikers converge on Puigcerdà, the region’s main town, and pretty nearby Llívia in summer, while winter sees skiers and snowboarders hit the slopes of La Molina and Masella. Cerdanya also makes an excellent jumping-off point to ramble and rock climb the Serra del Cadí to the southwest.
Puigcerdà
POP 6800 / ELEV 1202M
Barely 2km south of France, Puigcerdà (puh-cher-da) dates back to the 12th century – not that you’d know it, since most of its historical buildings were obliterated during the civil war. Prior to that it was a favourite summer hangout for the Catalan bourgeoisie in the 19th century. Today, the town is essentially a way station, but it’s a jolly one, with good shops and restaurants, a friendly buzz and a pretty lake, used as a base by skiers during the winter season and teeming with hikers in summer. A dozen Spanish, Andorran and French ski resorts lie within 45km.
LOCAL KNOWLEDGE
DRAGONS, GIANTS & BIG-HEADS
Fire and fireworks play a big part in many Spanish festivals, but Catalonia adds its own special twist with the correfoc (fire-running), in which devil and dragon figures run through the streets spitting fireworks at the crowds.
Correfocs often happen during the festa major, a town or village’s main annual festival, usually in July or August. Parts of the festa major fun are the sardana (Catalonia’s national folk circle dance) and gegants, splendidly attired 5m-high giants that parade through the streets or dance in the squares. Almost every Catalonian town and village has its own pair of gegants (usually male-and-female duos), often up to six pairs. They’re accompanied by grotesque ‘dwarfs’ (capgrossos, or ‘big-heads’).
On La Nit de Sant Joan (23 June), Catalonia burns big bonfires in a combined midsummer and St John’s Eve celebration, and fireworks explode all night. Catalonia’s supreme fire festival is La Patum de Berga (www.lapatum.cat), held 30km west of Ripoll in Berga. An evening of dancing and firework-spitting angels, devils, mule-like monsters, dwarfs, giants and men covered in grass culminates in a mass frenzy of fire and smoke on Corpus Christi (the Thursday 60 days after Easter Sunday).
1Sights
Església de Santa Maria TOWER
(Plaça Santa Maria; tower adult/child €1.50/free; h9.30am-1pm & 4.30-7pm Mon-Fri, 10.15am-1pm & 5-7.30pm Sat, 10.15am-1pm Sun)
Though only the tower of the 17th-century Església de Santa Maria still stands, this stocky Romanesque structure dominates bustling Plaça Santa Maria. Steps within allow you to climb the tower.
4Sleeping & Eating
Sant Marc CASA RURAL€€
(%972 88 00 07; www.santmarc.es; Camí de Sant Marc 34; s/d incl breakfast €70/100; pWs)
Sprawling tree-lined grounds and plush beds greet you at this welcoming rural hideaway, 2km south of Puigcerdà’s centre. Spacious wood-floored rooms are elegantly styled in soothing creams, and there’s horse riding plus a lovely pool and plenty of outdoor space. Delicious fresh breakfasts come courtesy of the stone-walled restaurant, which specialises in winning dishes fuelled by local meats and cheeses.
Hotel Parada Puigcerdà BOUTIQUE HOTEL€€
(%972 14 03 00; www.hotelparadapuigcerda.com; Plaça de l’Estaciò; s/d €63/79; W)
Who knew railway stops could have so much style? Hidden within Puigcerdà’s 20th-century red-brick train station, this boutique pick preserves the attractive original architecture, combining it with thoroughly up-to-date interiors. The 28 crisp, stripped-back rooms are washed in moody greys and cool whites; top-floor rooms have slanted wood-beamed ceilings. Sassy features include a hot tub and, for some, in-room showers.
La Caixeta TAPAS, INTERNATIONAL€
(%619 202174; www.facebook.com/caixetabistro; Carrer Querol 22; dishes €5-14; h7.30pm-2am Tue-Fri, noon-4pm & 7.30pm-2am Sat & Sun; W
v)
All wood-block walls, mismatched furniture and arty decor, this buzzy cafe-bistro-bar criss-crosses the Spanish–French border with its beautifully presented creative tapas, from camembert, homemade guacamole and quiche of the day to salads, mini-burgers, torrades (topped toasts) and Catalan charcuterie. It also does cupcakes, cocktails and generous glasses of French wine.
TapaNyam CATALAN, TAPAS€€
(%972 88 23 60; http://tapanyam.es; Plaça de l’Alguer 2; tapas €4.50-13; h8am-midnight Wed-Sun)
Pair crisp Catalan wines with equally invigorating views at this friendly restaurant. Terrace diners can enjoy panoramas of Puigcerdà’s slate rooftops and green meadows stretching to the Pyrenees while feasting on local favourites like trinxat (potato and cabbage with a pork garnish), grilled snails and Girona entrecôte in green-pepper sauce, or tapas of mussels, octopus and mountain cheeses.
8Information
Oficina de Turisme de la Cerdanya (%972 14 06 65; N260; h9am-1pm & 3.30-7pm Mon-Sat, 10am-1pm Sun) On the main road, 1km southwest of the centre.
Oficina de Turisme de Puigcerdà (%972 88 05 42; Plaça Santa Maria; h9.30am-1.30pm & 4.30-7.30pm Mon-Fri, 10am-1.30pm & 5-8pm Sat, 10am-1.30pm Sun) Within a historical tower in central Puigcerdà.
8Getting There & Away
ALSA (www.alsa.es) buses run to/from Barcelona (€20, 3¼ hours, one or two daily) and La Seu d’Urgell (€6.90, one hour, four to six daily), stopping at Plaça de l’Estació, next to the train station just southwest of central Puigcerdà, as well as Plaça Barcelona.
Rodalies trains link Puigcerdà with Barcelona (€12, three hours, six daily) via Ribes de Freser (45 minutes), Ripoll (one hour) and Vic (1¾ hours). Four continue across the border to Latour-de-Carol (Catalan: Lo Tor de Querol), where you can connect to the French network.
From Barcelona, the C16 approaches Puigcerdà through the Túnel del Cadí (€11). Puigcerdà is also reachable via the picturesque N260 from Ribes de Freser, to the southeast. The main crossing into France is at Bourg-Madame, 1km east of central Puigcerdà.
Llívia
POP 1400 / ELEV 1224M
Glance carefully at your map of the Spain–France border. Just 6km northeast of Puigcerdà, amid verdant meadows and little French villages, is Llívia, a tiny slate-roofed bastion of Catalonia beyond the main border between France and Spain. Under the 1659 Treaty of the Pyrenees, Spain ceded 33 villages to France, but Llívia was a vila (town), so, together with the 13 sq km of its municipality, it remained a Spanish possession. Much more than just a cartographical oddity, this small town has a gorgeous medieval centre, a couple of worthwhile hotels and more excellent restaurants than you’d expect for its size. Most visitors arrive to hike the hills during summer or access winter ski resorts in the Spanish and French Pyrenees.
1Sights
Llívia’s few sights lie in its tiny medieval nucleus at the top (east end) of town.
Castell de Llívia CASTLE
(h24hr) F
Though little more than walls remain of Llívia’s ruined hilltop castle, it’s worth the hefty 15-minute climb for the fabulously beautiful wraparound views across the French countryside. Restoration works have unearthed parts of the fortress dating as far back as the 9th century.
Església de Mare de Déu dels Àngels CHURCH
(hhours vary)
Llívia’s 16th-century, late-Gothic church is encircled by three defensive towers and contains a Romanesque baptismal font.
Museu Municipal MUSEUM
(Carrer dels Forns 10; adult/child €3.50/1; h10am-8pm mid-Jul–Aug, 10am-2pm & 4-6pm Tue-Fri, 11am-2pm & 4-8pm Sat & Sun Sep–mid-Jul)
Proudly occupying what’s alleged to be Europe’s oldest pharmacy (dating to 1415, it operated until 1926), this multi-language, multimedia museum explores the region’s history from Paleolithic times to modern day.
4Sleeping & Eating
oSet Terres BOUTIQUE HOTEL€€
(%972 89 64 99; www.setterres.com; Carrer Puigcerdà 8; r incl breakfast €90-170; W)
A keen husband-and-wife team has transformed the stables of the 1772 family home into an exquisite boutique hideaway. There are just seven rooms, each different, designed with pared-back yet homey country-chic style, incorporating open-stone walls, crisp white decor and, for three top-floor rooms, sloping ceilings. It’s a special, romantic place, with breakfast a lovingly prepared local-produce buffet.
oCan Ventura CATALAN, FUSION€€
(%972 89 61 78; www.canventura.com; Plaça Major 1; mains €14-20; h1.30-3.30pm & 8-10.30pm, closed Sun dinner, Mon & Thu approx Sep-Jun)
Skilfully updated Catalan cuisine pulls diners to this excellent modern-rustic restaurant set inside a 1791 building. Traditional Catalan flavours take pride of place, like grilled octopus, slow-cooked lamb and smoky trinxat (dish with potato, cabbage and pork), but you’ll also find hints of Asian fusion and whispers of French flair. Desserts like silky yoghurt mousse with berries, or steamy gluten-free chocolate fondant, make an irresistible finish.
8Information
Oficina de Turisme (%972 89 63 13; www.llivia.org; Carrer dels Forns 10; h10am-8pm mid-Jul–Aug, 10am-2pm & 4-6pm Tue-Fri, 11am-2pm & 4-8pm Sat & Sun Sep–mid-Jul) Inside the Museu Municipal.
8Getting There & Away
ALSA (www.alsa.es) buses run from Puigcerdà to Llívia (€1.70, 20 minutes, four to eight daily).
La Molina & Masella
The twin ski resorts of La Molina and Masella lie either side of Tosa d’Alp (2537m), 15km south of Puigcerdà, linked by the Alp 2500 lift. The site provides a combined total of 141km of runs of all grades, at altitudes of 1600m to over 2500m. Rental equipment and ski schools are available at both resorts, with La Molina a better choice for beginners. Lift passes cover the whole area.
La Molina is Spain’s oldest ski resort, with its origins in the 1940s; in summer, it caters to activity lovers with its mountain-bike park, quad-biking, canyoning, open-air yoga and more.
4Sleeping & Eating
Hotel Adserà HOTEL€€
(%972 89 20 01; www.hoteladsera.com; Carrer Pere Adserà, La Molina; s/d/tr/q incl breakfast €78/130/162/195; hDec-Easter & Jul–mid-Sep; pWs)
Unlike many of the region’s resorts, this homey hotel in a stone building offers a personal touch and a dash of historical charm. Just 2.5km below the slopes, it’s an excellent choice for families with its rotating daily kids’ activities, plus a games room, garden, pool and restaurant. Rooms are plain, old-fashioned and perfectly comfy, and staff are full of tips.
8Getting There & Away
In ski season, there’s a weekend-only bus between La Molina’s telecabina (cable car) and Llívia (1¼ hours) via Puigcerdà (one hour), departing Llívia at 7.40am and returning at 2.30pm. There are also half-hourly or hourly buses between La Molina town and the slopes (€2), connecting with rodalies trains from Puigcerdà (20 minutes, six daily).
OFF THE BEATEN TRACK
SERRA DEL CADÍ
The spectacular Serra del Cadí comprises a string of charming stone villages and rugged mountains that offer excellent walking for those suitably equipped and experienced. Pedraforca (‘Stone Pitchfork’; 2506m) is the most legendary peak in the range, offering the most challenging rock-climbing in Catalonia. The main Cadí range is part of the 410-sq-km Parc Natural Cadí-Moixeró (http://parcsnaturals.gencat.cat/ca/cadi), and hosts a number of staffed refugis in the park for serious multiday hikes.
The villages used as jumping-off points for exploring the area are strung along the picturesque B400 and C563, between the C16 to Puigcerdà and the C14 to La Seu d’Urgell. These include Saldes (a popular hiking base in the shadow of Pedraforca), Gósol (topped by a ruined 11th-century castle), Josa de Cadí and Tuixent. The best information points are Bagà’s Centre del Parc Natural del Cadí-Moixeró (%938 24 41 51; http://parcsnaturals.gencat.cat/cadi; Carrer de la Vinya 1, Bagà; h9am-1pm & 4-7pm Mon-Sat, 9am-1pm Sun Jul-Sep, 8am-3pm Mon-Thu, 8am-3pm & 4-6.30pm Fri, 9am-1pm & 4-8.30pm Sat, 9am-1pm Sun Oct-Jun) and Saldes’ tourist office (%938 25 80 05; www.elbergueda.cat; Saldes; h9am-2pm Tue, 9am-2pm & 4-7pm Wed-Sun), both on the eastern side of the Serra. The valley makes an exquisite drive: a longer, super-scenic route between Puigcerdà and La Seu d’Urgell.
La Seu d’Urgell
POP 10,930 / ELEV 691M
The lively valley town of La Seu d’Urgell (la se-u dur-zhey) is Spain’s gateway to Andorra, 10km north. La Seu has an attractive medieval centre full of arcaded stone streets, watched over by a beautiful Romanesque cathedral. When the Franks evicted the Muslims from this part of the Pyrenees in the early 9th century, they made La Seu a bishopric and capital of the counts of Urgell; it remains an important market and cathedral town.
1Sights
oCatedral de Santa Maria & Museu Diocesà CATHEDRAL
(Plaça dels Oms; adult/child €4/free; h10am-1.30pm & 4-7pm Mon-Sat Jun-Sep, 10am-1.30pm & 4-6pm Mon-Sat Oct-May)
Dominating La Seu d’Urgell’s old town is the 12th-century, pale sandstone Santa Maria cathedral – one of Catalonia’s outstanding Romanesque buildings. Its neat cloister, with three original galleries, is rich in characterful carved capitals depicting mythical beasts and grimacing gargoyles. The superb museum within exhibits a wealth of Romanesque frescoes from various churches, and one of just 25 famous medieval illustrated Beatus manuscripts still in existence.
Next to the cloister is the 11th-century Romanesque Església de Sant Miquel, rougher-hewn and pleasantly unembellished; its 13th-century murals now live in Barcelona’s Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya.
4Sleeping & Eating
Groc Rooms APARTMENT, GUESTHOUSE€€
(%644 966034; Carrer Major 59; d €65-77, tr €85-135, q €143; pW)
Vintage mirrors, antique fireplaces and original-period tiled floors meet colourful, contemporary styling at these four ‘boutique apartments’ in a gorgeously revamped old-town house. The massive kitchen-equipped Loft apartment sleeps four to eight, while others are more like cosy-chic rooms; the Suite features an in-room bath tub. Helpful staff meet you on arrival.
Parador de La Seu d’Urgell HERITAGE HOTEL€€
(%973 35 20 00; www.parador.es; Carrer de Sant Domènec 6; r €75-125; pWs)
While not as palatial as some of Spain’s other paradores, this pleasing hotel has plain, modern rooms surrounding an elegant Renaissance cloister, which now hosts a cafe-bar between stone archways. Corridors are illuminated in colour at night, there’s a good restaurant (three-course menu €29) and indoor pool, and you’re just down the street from La Seu d’Urgell’s cathedral.
PKtus CATALAN€€
(%973 35 08 46; Carrer de la Creu 14; dishes €10-16; h1-3.30pm & 8.30-10.30pm Tue-Sat; W)
Les Tres Portes CATALAN€€
(%973 35 56 58; restaurantlestresportes@gmail.com; Avinguda Joan Garriga i Massó 7; mains €10-20; h1.30-3.30pm & 8.30-10.30pm Mon-Sat, 1.30-3.30pm Sun)
Delight in fresh seasonal flavours, small tasting plates of Andalucian squid, patatas bravas (potatoes in a spicy tomato sauce), Galician octopus and percebes (goose barnacles), or a hearty range of Catalan favourites like grilled rabbit. The warm restaurant interior is cheerfully decorated, while the tranquil garden is perfect for summer dining. There’s also a three-course set menu (€19).
8Information
Turisme La Seu (%973 35 15 11; www.turismeseu.com; Carrer Major 8; h10am-2pm & 4-7pm Mon-Sat, 10am-1pm Sun, closed Sun approx Oct-Mar) Helpful office across the street from the cathedral offering maps for historical walks and displays on local history.
8Getting There & Away
The bus station (Carrer Mont) is on the northern edge of the old town. ALSA (www.alsa.es) runs buses to Barcelona (€28, three to 3½ hours, eight to nine daily), Puigcerdá (€6.90, one hour, four to six daily) and Lleida (€19, 2¼ hours, three to seven daily).
WORTH A TRIP
ANDORRA
If you’re on the lookout for outstanding hiking or skiing, fancy stocking up on duty-free booze, smokes, cosmetics or electronics, or just want to say you’ve been to another country, then the curious nation of Andorra (population 78,260), 10km north of La Seu d’Urgell, is worth a spin across the border. At only 468 sq km, it’s one of Europe’s smallest countries. Though it has its own democratic parliament, the nominal heads of state are two co-princes: the bishop of Urgell in Spain, and the French president. Catalan is the official language, though Spanish, French and, due to a large immigrant workforce, Portuguese are widely spoken. Beyond the duty-free shops, busy capital Andorra la Vella has a couple of intriguing sights, most notably the small, cobbled Barri Antic and its 16th-century Casa de la Vall, until 2011 home to the Consell General d’Andorra.
Hourly (less on Sunday) Montmantell (www.montmantell.com) buses link La Seu d’Urgell with Andorra la Vella (€3.10, 45 minutes). If driving, fuel up in Andorra; it’s significantly cheaper. There’s rarely any passport control, but you may be stopped by customs on the way back into Spain, so don’t go over the duty-free limit. Although Andorra isn’t part of the EU, it uses the euro.
Pallars Sobirà
The Riu Noguera Pallaresa tumbles south from the heights of the Val d’Aran, with the pristine scenery of the Pallars Sobirà area extending from both sides. West of the river lies the majestic Parc Nacional Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici; to its east, the vast 698-sq-km Parc Natural de l’Alt Pirineu (http://parcsnaturals.gencat.cat/ca/alt-pirineu), sprinkled with lonely Romanesque churches among which weave hiking trails.
The river itself draws whitewater rafters and other adventure-sports enthusiasts to the small towns along its banks, principally (from north to south) Llavorsí, Rialp and Sort. Each of these towns is well-equipped with accommodation, cafes and restaurants, though outside the March-to-October season things are very quiet.
2Activities
Beyond whitewater rafting, this valley packs in an astounding range of summer adventure activities, including kayaking, canyoning, stand-up paddleboarding, horse riding, rock-climbing, canoeing and guided hikes, plus wintertime skiing higher up. There are good independent hikes in the Parc Natural de l’Alt Pirineu; tourist offices in Llavorsí (Carrer de la Riba, Llavorsí; h9am-3pm Mon-Fri, 9.30am-5.30pm Sat, 9am-2pm Sun) and Sort provide details.
The Riu Noguera Pallaresa’s grade IV drops attract a constant stream of whitewater fans between mid-March and mid-October. Conditions are best in May and June, when the snow melts off the surrounding mountains.
The finest stretch is the 12km from Llavorsí to Rialp, on which standard two-hour raft outings cost €40 to €45 per person. Longer rides to Sort and beyond cost more. Sort is the jumping-off point for the river’s tougher grade IV rapids. There’s usually a four-person minimum, but outfitters can combine smaller groups. Llavorsí has several reliable rafting operators, including Roc Roi (%973 62 20 35; www.rocroi.com; Plaça Biuse 8, Llavorsí; 2hr rafting from €45; hmid-Mar–mid-Oct) and Rafting Llavorsí (%973 62 21 58; http://raftingllavorsi.cat; Carrer Vilanova, Llavorsí; 2hr rafting €41; happrox Mar-Sep); in Sort, LA Rafting Company (%973 62 14 62; www.laraftingcompany.com; Plaça Caterina Albert 2, Sort; 2hr rafting €45-50; hmid-Mar–mid-Oct) is a popular choice.
4Sleeping & Eating
Hostal Noguera HOSTAL€
(%973 62 20 12; www.hostalnoguera.info; Carretera Vall d’Aran, Llavorsí; s/d incl breakfast €36/68; hMar-Dec; pW)
This stone building on the southern edge of town has 15 pleasant rooms, nine with balconies overlooking the rushing river. The three wood-beamed top-floor rooms have a dash more charm, while the downstairs restaurant serves filling local specialities like grilled meats and fried eggs swimming in ratatouille.
Hotel Pessets SPA HOTEL€€
(%973 62 00 00; www.hotelpessets.com; Avinguda de la Diputació 3, Sort; d incl breakfast from €101; aWs)
8Information
Oficina de Turisme del Pallars Sobirà (%973 62 10 02; http://turisme.pallarssobira.cat; Camí de la Cabanera, Sort; h9am-3pm & 4-7pm Mon-Sat, 9am-3pm Sun late Jun–mid-Sep, 10am-2pm Mon-Thu & Sun, 10am-2pm & 4-7pm Fri & Sat mid-Sep–early Jun) The area’s main tourist office, crammed with maps and walking info supplied by multilingual staff. Also has displays on local history and culture.
8Getting There & Away
ALSA (www.alsa.es) runs buses to Llavorsí via Sort and Rialp from Barcelona (€36, one daily, five hours) and Lleida (€12, one to two daily, three hours). On-demand transport runs between La Seu d’Urgell and Sort (€4, 11.15am and 7.30pm, one hour) with Viatges Matí (%689 495777); book a day ahead.
Parc Nacional d’Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici & Around
Catalonia’s only national park extends 20km east to west, and just 9km north to south. But the rugged mountain terrain within this small area sparkles with over 200 lakes and countless streams and waterfalls, combined with pine and fir forests, and open bush and grassland, decked with springtime wildflowers or fringed with scarlet autumn leaves.
Created by glacial action over two million years, the park comprises two east–west valleys at 1600m to 2000m altitudes framed by jagged 2600m to 2900m peaks of granite and slate.
The national park lies at the core of a wider wilderness area. The outer limit, the zona periférica, includes some magnificent high country north and south.
The main approaches are Espot, 4km east of the park and 8km from Estany de Sant Maurici, and the Vall de Boí, to the west. July and (especially) August are peak hiking season, but quieter September and October appeal more.
Private vehicles cannot enter the park. Wild camping is not allowed, nor are swimming or other ‘aquatic activities’ in lakes and rivers. The best map of the park is produced by Editorial Alpina (www.editorialalpina.com).
8Getting Around
The closest you can drive to the eastern side of the park is a car park 4km west of Espot; on the west side, it’s a car park 3km north of Boí.
There are 4WD-taxi services between Espot and Estany de Sant Maurici (€5.25 each way) – with services available to some higher lakes and refuges – and between Boí and Aigüestortes (€5.25 each way), saving you, respectively, an 8km and 10km walk. Services run from outside the park information offices in Espot and Boí (9am to 7pm July to September, less frequent outside summer and in bad weather).
From mid-June to September, ALSA (www.alsa.es) buses run twice daily (in each direction) between Espot and Taüll (€12, 2½ hours), via Boí and Erill la Vall, enabling hikers to walk across the park and return by bus the same/next day.
Espot
POP 300 / ELEV 1300M
Scenic little Espot is the main eastern gateway for the Parc Nacional d’Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici; the park begins 4km west of town. Espot makes an excellent, well-equipped base, with plenty of hotels, restaurants and charming stone buildings, while its mountain views will have you keen to lace up your hiking boots.
4Sleeping & Eating
Camping Voraparc CAMPGROUND€
(%973 62 41 08; www.voraparc.com; Prat del Vedat; tent/car/adult €6/6/6, glamping tent €58-90; hEaster–mid-Oct; pWs)
This shady riverside campground, 1.5km northwest of town, is Espot’s best. It has a cafe-bar, games room, play area, minimarket and pleasant swimming pool. If you don’t have your own tent, there are some already set up, including three glamping ones. There are also three cosy glamping huts for two (€68 to €82) or four (€87 to €112).
oRoca Blanca HOTEL€€
(%973 62 41 56; www.hotelrocablanca.com; Carrer Església; incl breakfast d €80-90, ste €120-125; pW)
From the 16 gleaming, impressively spacious rooms with modern bathrooms to the polished lounge with fireplace, this cheerful hotel is one of the region’s most welcoming and inviting. Contemporary art adorns the walls, service is attentive and personal, and breakfast is a feast. Extra touches include a gym, sauna and gorgeous garden – plus a dopey resident St Bernard called Homer Simpson.
Cafè & Bistro È Bo CATALAN, FRENCH€€
(Plaça Doctor Benavent 3; dishes €6-15; h9am-10pm Aug, 10.30am-10pm Sep-Jul; v)
With tables dotting the pavement, this laid-back cafe-restaurant is a buzzy spot to fuel up on tasty, uncomplicated Catalan-French food. Lively staff serve an attractive menu of salads, fondues, burgers (including a tofu option) and crepes (sweet or savoury). Try the delicious ‘bistro-style’ potatoes, drizzled with creamy mushroom sauce.
WALKING: PARC NACIONAL D’AIGÜESTORTES I ESTANY DE SANT MAURICI
The park is criss-crossed by walking paths, ranging from well marked to unmarked; hear expert advice at the Casa del Parc in either Espot or Boí. There are also downloadable walking routes on Spain’s official national parks website (www.mapama.gob.es/es/red-parques-nacionales), often in Spanish only.
East–West Traverse
It’s perfectly possible to walk right across the park in one day. The full Espot–Boí (or vice versa) walk is about 30km and takes about 9½ hours plus stops, but you can shorten this by using 4WD-taxis to/from Estany de Sant Maurici or Aigüestortes (4km southwest of Estany Llong) or both. Espot (1300m) to Estany de Sant Maurici (1950m) is 8km (two hours). A path then climbs to the Portarró d’Espot pass (2427m; around two hours), where there are spectacular views over both of the park’s main valleys. From the pass you descend to Estany Llong (1985m; about 3½ hours from Estany de Sant Maurici) and Aigüestortes (1820m; 4½ hours from Estany de Sant Maurici). Then it’s 3.5km to the park entrance, 4km to the L500 and 2.5km south to Boí (1250m) – a total of around three hours. It’s best to walk the route east to west, and start with a 4WD-taxi (€5.25) from Espot to Estany de Sant Maurici to avoid the initial 8km uphill: this way you end up 700m lower than you started. Wear suitable clothing for a high-mountain trek.
Carros de Foc
The Carros de Foc (www.carrosdefoc.com) – a circular 55km trek linking nine of the park’s refugis – incorporates the best of the national park’s glorious mountainscapes, at altitudes between 1885m and 2395m. You spend five to seven nights in the park, starting from whichever refugi you fancy.
Shorter Walks
Numerous good walks of three to five hours return take you up into majestic side valleys from Estany de Sant Maurici or Aigüestortes.
From the eastern end of Estany de Sant Maurici, a path heads 2.5km south up the Monestero valley to Estany de Monestero (2171m; 1½ hours), passing the two peaks of Els Encantats. Another trail climbs 3km northwest via Estany de Ratera (2190m; 45 minutes) and Estany d’Obagues de Ratera to Estany Gran d’Amitges (2350m; 1¾ hours).
Espot’s 4WD-taxis run to several points further into the park than Estany de Sant Maurici, enabling walks beginning from Estany Gran d’Amitges, Estany de Ratera and Estany Negre (in the park’s Peguera valley).
On the west side, from Planell Gran (1850m), 1km northeast up the Sant Nicolau valley from Aigüestortes, a path climbs 2.5km southeast to Estany de Dellui (2370m). You can descend to Estany Llong (1985m); it’s about 5.5km, or four hours, total from Aigüestortes to Estany Llong.
Mountain-Refuge Accommodation
Serious walkers are catered for by a dozen refugis (mountain refuges) in and around the park. Most have large dorms with bunk beds (bring your own sleeping bag or sheet), and tend to be staffed over Easter and from early or mid-June to September, plus some weeks in the first half of the year for skiers. At other times, several leave a section open where you can stay overnight. Check details and book ahead (crucial in summer) online through La Central de Refugis (%973 64 16 81; www.lacentralderefugis.com). Most charge €20 to €25 per person (including breakfast), and provide lunches, dinners and picnics (sometimes also for day-hikers passing through).
8Information
Casa del Parc d’Espot (%973 62 40 36; www.gencat.cat/parcs/aiguestortes; Carrer de Sant Maurici 5; h9am-2pm & 3.30-5.45pm, closed Sun afternoon Sep-Jun) Maps, hiking tips, transport advice, weather forecasts and more from Espot’s national park office.
8Getting There & Away
ALSA (www.alsa.es) buses from Barcelona (€39, five hours, daily) and Lleida (€13, three hours, one to two daily) to Esterri d’Áneu stop at the Espot turn-off on the C13. From there, it’s a 7km uphill walk west to Espot along the LV5004.
8Getting Around
Visit the Parc Nacional d’Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici with a little help from a fleet of 4WDs (%973 62 41 05; www.taxisespot.com; Carrer de Sant Maurici; 1-way Espot–Estany de Sant Maurici adult/child €5.25/3.25; h9am-7pm) offering fixed-rate trips to various drop-off points within the park. Usually you have to wait until there are at least four people and operating hours depend on weather conditions.
Boí
POP 220 / ELEV 1250M
The delightful valley location of petite Boí, 3km northwest of Taüll, draws hikers and winter-sports lovers, while its church bell tower is one of the jewels of the Vall de Boí’s Catalan Romanesque architecture.
Sant Joan de Boí CHURCH
(www.centreromanic.com; Plaça del Treio, Boí; €2; h10am-2pm & 4-7pm Sep-Jun, to 8pm Jul & Aug)
Boí’s 11th-century church gives the village an air of romance with its angular five-storey stone bell tower, which was restored after a major fire in the 13th century and can now be climbed (all 75 steps of it). The wall paintings that brighten the interior are copies of Romanesque originals, preserved in Barcelona’s Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya.
Santa Eulàlia d’Erill la Vall CHURCH
(Erill la Vall; €2; h10am-2pm & 4-7pm Sep-Jun, to 8pm Jul & Aug)
The slender six-storey, 12th-century tower of Santa Eulàlia d’Erill la Vall, once used for communications and valley surveillance, is thought to be the most elegant in the area. The church interior is decorated by copies of seven Romanesque poplar-wood sculptures depicting the Descent from the Cross; the originals are split between Barcelona’s Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya and Vic’s Museu Episcopal.
Erill la Vall is a 2.5km walk or drive west of Boí.
Hotel-Hostal Pey HOTEL, HOSTAL€€
(%973 69 60 36; www.hotelpey.com; Plaça del Treio 3; incl breakfast d €72-98, tr €100, q €120; W)
This mellow, popular two-part hotel in the heart of teeny Boí features comfy, home-style rooms and a decent restaurant (mains €9 to €14), plus ski storage, staff brimming with local advice and a lovely shop crammed with handmade Pyrenean soaps and Catalan wines. The smartest, most contemporary rooms live in the hotel half. Book ahead.
8Information
Casa del Parc de Boí (%973 69 61 89; Carrer de les Graieres 2; h9am-2pm & 3.30-5.45pm, closed Sun afternoon Sep-Jun) Pick up trekking and winter-sports information.
8Getting There & Away
ALSA (www.alsa) buses from Barcelona (€31, four to five hours, four to six daily) and Lleida (€10, two to 2¼ hours, six to 10 daily) to Vielha stop year-round at El Pont de Suert, 19km southwest of Boí. From here, there may be irregular services to Boí.
8Getting Around
Nine-person taxis (%973 69 63 14; www.taxisvalldeboi.com; Plaça del Treio 3, Boí; 1-way Boí–Estany de Sant Maurici adult/child €5.25/3.25; h9am-7pm) spin between Boí and Aigüestortes (€5.25), 10km northeast in the Parc Nacional d’Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici; operating hours vary with the weather.
Taüll
POP 250 / ELEV 1500M
Three kilometres southeast (uphill) from Boí, Taüll is by far the most picturesque place to stay on the west side of the Parc Nacional d’Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici. It’s also home to two outstanding, Unesco-listed Catalan Romanesque churches.
1Sights
oSant Climent de Taüll CHURCH
(www.centreromanic.com; Taüll; €5; h10am-2pm & 4-7pm Sep-Jun, to 8pm Jul & Aug)
On Taüll’s fringes, this 12th-century Romanesque church is a gem not only for its elegant, simple lines and slender six-storey bell tower (which you can climb), but also for the art that once graced its interior. The central apse contains a copy of a famous 1123 mural that now resides in Barcelona’s Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya ; at its centre is a Pantocrator, whose rich Mozarabic-influenced colours and expressive but superhuman features have become an emblem of Catalan Romanesque art.
Santa Maria de Taüll CHURCH
(www.centreromanic.com; Taüll; h10am-7pm Sep-Jun, to 8pm Jul & Aug) F
Up in Taüll’s old centre, at the northwestern end of town, the 12th-century Romanesque Santa Maria church is crowned by a five-storey tower. As with many churches in the Vall de Boí, its original artwork has been whisked away to Barcelona.
DON’T MISS
CATALAN ROMANESQUE CHURCHES IN THE VALL DE BOÍ
On the west side of the Parc Nacional d’Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici, the Vall de Boí is dotted with some of Catalonia’s finest Romanesque churches – elegant, unadorned stone structures sitting in the crisp alpine air. Together, these 11th- to 14th-century constructions were declared a Unesco World Heritage site in 2000.
Some of the loveliest churches are in Boí, Taüll and Erill la Vall ; other finds are Sant Feliu in Barruera and La Nativitat in Durro. Explore their history, book guided tours and pick up combined tickets (three churches €7) at Erill la Vall’s Centre del Romànic de la Vall de Boí (%973 69 67 15; www.centreromanic.com; Carrer del Batalló 5, Erill la Vall; €2; h9am-2pm & 5-7pm Apr-Dec).
4Sleeping & Eating
oAlberg Taüll HOSTEL€
(%645 750600; www.alberguetaull.com; Avinguda Feixanes 5-7, Taüll; dm/d/ste incl breakfast €28/45/100; pW)
This is everything a hostel should be: stylish rooms for two to seven guests feature large beds with orthopaedic mattresses, the suite has a hot tub, there’s underfloor heating for crisp mornings, and the lounge includes a large park map for planning hikes. Families are welcome and you’ll get great walking advice. Sheets and a towel cost €4.50. Cheaper midweek.
Hotel Santa Maria Relax BOUTIQUE HOTEL€€
(%973 69 62 50; www.taull.com; Plaça Cap del Riu 3, Taüll; r incl breakfast €80-110; hpossibly closed Nov; pW
#)
A grand stone archway leads into the hushed courtyard of this cosy country haven with a rose-draped balcony and friendly hosts. The four rooms and three apartments are tastefully furnished with antiques and a sprinkle of boutique style, while the ancient building is all stonework with a timber-and-slate roof. Sunbeds and a hot tub with mountain views adorn the garden.
Sedona INTERNATIONAL€
(%973 69 62 54; Les Feixes 2, Taüll; mains €8.50-13; h1-4pm & 8-11pm; Wv)
Torrades (topped toasts), salads, mixed tapas, Tex-Mex (quesadillas, nachos) and flavoursome veggie-friendly delights like wok-fried vegetable rice and asparagus with caramelised goat’s cheese unleash a parade of world flavours at this après-ski hangout.
8Getting There & Away
Year-round ALSA (www.alsa.es) buses from Barcelona (€31, four to five hours, four to six daily) and Lleida (€10, two to 2¼ hours, six to 10 daily) stop at El Pont de Suert, from where irregular local buses reach Taüll.
Val d’Aran
Catalonia’s northernmost region, famous for its plunging valleys, stone-and-slate villages, Romanesque churches and snowy peaks huddled up against the French border, is an adventure playground. The Baqueira-Beret-Bonaigua pistes and Arties’ luxe hotels lure the winter-sports jet set, while charming villages like Salardú enchant hikers with views of cloud-scraping mountains. Walkers can head over the mountains in any direction, notably southward to the Parc Nacional d’Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici.
The Val d’Aran was inaccessible until the 1948 completion of a 5km tunnel connecting its main town, Vielha, to the rest of Spain. Thanks in part to its geography, the native language is not Catalan but Aranese (Aranés), a dialect of Occitan or the langue d’oc, the old Romance language of southern France.
Vielha
POP 3490 / ELEV 974M
A sprawl of stone-and-slate houses, outdoor-gear shops and holiday apartments make up hectic Vielha, ‘capital’ of the Val d’Aran. The tiny town centre, anchored by the distinctive spire of the Gothic Sant Miquèu church, is packed with rustic restaurants, especially along the gushing Riu Garona. While Vielha doesn’t have the charisma of the Val d’Aran’s smaller towns, its shops, supermarkets, lively dining scene and varied accommodation make it a popular base for hiking, skiing and other adventures around the valley. It’s best to have your own wheels: the Vall de Boí’s hiking terrain is 20km south, while the Baqueira-Beret-Bonaigua ski pistes lie 15km east.
4Sleeping & Eating
oHotel El Ciervo BOUTIQUE HOTEL€€
(%973 64 01 65; www.hotelelciervo.net; Plaça de Sant Orenç 3; s/d incl breakfast €45/70; hmid-Dec–Easter & mid-Jun–mid-Oct; W)
Super-central, family-owned and exceptionally welcoming, El Ciervo is a real departure from the mundane ski-town norm. With a facade covered in paintings of forest creatures and a delightfully cosy interior crammed with florals, pastels, check-prints and other decorative touches, it feels like a Pyrenean fairy tale. Each lovely room is different, and breakfast spreads are fantastic. Excellent value.
Parador de Vielha HOTEL€€
(%973 64 01 00; www.parador.es; Carretera del Túnel; r €80-130; hearly Dec–mid-Oct; ps)
Looming above town, Vielha’s sprawling (roadside) parador makes a supremely comfortable place to lay your head after a hard day’s hiking or skiing. Earthy creams and warm pastels dress the 118 smart rooms, scattered around a family-friendly complex that also features a pool, restaurant, garden and spa. Splash out on a ‘superior’ room, with balcony and valley or mountain views.
Woolloomooloo INTERNATIONAL€
(%654 788327; rennyhut@hotmail.com; Carrèr Major 8; dishes €5-12; h3pm-2am Thu-Tue)
Quite the Vielha-centre surprise, purple-walled, Australian-Italian owned Woolloomooloo whips up a globetrotting rustic-modern menu of (mostly) Catalan, Italian and Aussie bites served at tree-trunk tables. From grilled prawns, patatas bravas (potatoes in spicy tomato sauce) and spinach-mushroom croquettes to Aussie-style patties and homemade-falafel salad coated in tzatziki, it’s all brilliantly tasty.
Era Móla CATALAN, FRENCH€€
(Restaurant Gustavo i María José; %973 64 24 19; www.facebook.com/eramolavielha; Carrèr de Marrèc 14; mains €15-20; h8-11pm Mon-Fri, 1-3.30pm & 8-11pm Sat & Sun)
One of the top restaurants in town, Era Móla is known for its carefully prepared local cooking with a heavy French hand, plated up inside a handsome stone building hidden down an alley in central Vielha. Savour the solomillo de cerdo al Calvados (pork fillet bathed in calvados), and one of the artistically arranged desserts.
8Information
Oficina d’Informació Turística Val d’Aran (%973 64 01 10; www.visitvaldaran.com; Carrèr de Sarriulèra 10; h10am-1.30pm & 4-8pm, closed Sun mid-Sep–Dec) Near Vielha’s Sant Miquèu church.
8Getting There & Away
From Vielha’s bus stop (Carretera N230) on the northwest edge of town, ALSA (www.alsa.es) serves Barcelona (€35, five to six hours, five to seven daily) and Lleida (€14, 2¾ hours, eight to 10 daily), and runs east up the valley to Baqueira (€1.10, 10 to 15 times daily) via Arties (€1.10, 10 minutes) and Salardú (€1.10, 15 minutes).
Most travellers explore the Val d’Aran by driving, though parking can be a problem. There’s a massive free car park at the southeast end of town, a two-minute walk from the centre.
The N230 from Lleida and El Pont de Suert reaches the Val d’Aran through the 5km Túnel de Vielha. From the Pallars Sobirà region, the C28 tracks northwest across the Port de la Bonaigua pass (2072m) into the upper Aran valley, meeting the N230 at Vielha.
Arties
POP 400 / ELEV 1143M
The fetching village of Arties sits astride the confluence of the Rius Garona and Valarties, 7km east of Vielha. Its proximity to the upmarket Baqueira-Beret-Bonaigua ski area (6km east) has allowed upmarket hotels to flourish. Arties snoozes outside peak summer and winter seasons, but remains a pretty stop year-round, with geraniums overflowing from the balconies of its handsome houses.
1Sights & Activities
Esglèsia de Santa Maria CHURCH
(hhours vary)
This 12th- to 13th-century Romanesque church, with its three-storey belfry and triple apse, stands proudly in the midst of Arties’ flower-festooned houses.
Banys d’Arties THERMAL BATHS
(C28 Km 28; 1hr session adult/child €3/free; h10.30am-2.30pm & 4.30-8pm Tue-Sun Jul & Aug, 10am-5pm Tue-Sun Sep-Jun, hours vary)
Soothe those all-hiked-out limbs with an open-air soak in these two thermal pools (one adults-only). From the west end of Arties, follow a path west for 700m; if driving, take the 1.4km dirt track signposted off the C28 at Garòs, 2.5km west of Arties.
WORTH A TRIP
TOP SKIING: BAQUEIRA-BERET-BONAIGUA
Catalonia’s premier ski resort (www.baqueira.es; day pass adult/child €51/34; hlate Nov-early Apr) is formed by Baqueira, 3km east of Salardú; Beret, 8km north of Baqueira; and Bonaigua, at the top of the 2072m pass of the same name (9km southeast of Baqueira). These gleaming slopes lure an upmarket crowd (the Spanish royals are regulars) and lodgings tend to be luxe. A quality lift system gives access to pistes totalling 156km (larger than any other Spanish resort), between 1500m and 2510m.
ALSA (www.alsa.es) buses reach Baqueira from Vielha (€1.10, 25 minutes, 10 to 15 daily), via Arties (€1.10, 10 minutes) and Salardú (€1.10, five minutes).
4Sleeping & Eating
Casa Irene SPA HOTEL€€
(%973 64 43 64; www.hotelcasairene.com; Carrer Major 22; r €75-150; hDec-Easter & Jul-Sep; paWs)
Expect exposed wooden beams, marble bathrooms and colourful throws on king-sized beds at this 22-room property. The lounge nails the rustic-chic balance, rooms are huge and stylish, some suites have hydromassage baths, and the two attic-like duplexes are perfect for families. On-site muscle soothers range from hammam to sauna and hot tub. The upmarket restaurant (mains €24 to €28) serves updated Catalan favourites.
Urtau CATALAN, BASQUE€
(www.facebook.com/urtau; Plaça Urtau 12; tapas €4.50-11; h8am-midnight)
Overlooking Arties’ main square, this self-styled mountain tavern is forever popular for its grilled meats, hearty breakfasts (bacon omelettes, ham-and-cheese scrambles) and Val d’Aran cheese platters. But the real culinary stars are the 70-odd varieties of pintxos (Basque tapas) that take over the bar from noon.
8Getting There & Away
ALSA (www.alsa.es) buses reach Arties from Vielha (€1.10, 20 minutes, 10 to 15 daily).
Salardú
POP 500 / ELEV 1267M
Glamorous Arties lies 3km to its west, chic ski area Baqueira looms 3km east, yet pint-sized Salardú retains its own rugged, outdoorsy ambience, welcoming hikers with its decent budget and midrange digs. The even dinkier, flower-filled village of Bagergue, 2km northeast, is a tranquil spot for solitary treks and glorious mountain views.
Església de Sant Andrèu CHURCH
(Plaça Pica; h10am-2pm & 4-7pm) F
Within the remarkably colourful frescoed walls of this 12th- and 13th-century church, gaze upon the haunting Romanesque form of the Crist de Salardú. This gaunt wooden sculpture of Jesus on the cross dates to the 13th century, while the Renaissance frescoes lay hidden until the 20th century. Sant Andrèu’s sturdy bell tower was a castle keep until 1649, though only the church and some ruined castle walls remain today.
Refugi Rosta HOSTEL€
(%973 64 53 08; www.refugirosta.com; Plaça Major 3; dm/d incl breakfast €27/73; pW)
Pyrenean mountain refugis are special, convivial places, and this creaky old building (going strong since 1858!) is one of the most characterful. There are no luxuries, but there’s plenty of good cheer. Dormitories, with typical side-by-side sleeping, are comfortable enough. Bring a sleeping bag or hire sheets and towels. The restaurant serves hearty set menus.
Hotel Seixes HOTEL€€
(%973 64 54 06; www.hotelseixes.com; Bagergue; s/d/tr/q €55/80/115/150; hDec-Mar & Jun-Oct; pW)
This efficiently run hikers’ favourite is perched within tinkling distance of the pealing bell of Sant Feliu church in tiny Bagergue, 2km northeast of Salardú. Its 17 rooms are comfortable though simple, sleeping one to five people, and the location will appeal to nature lovers and seclusion seekers. Ask staff for tips on local hikes.
8Getting There & Away
ALSA (www.alsa.es) buses reach Salardú from Vielha (€1.10, 15 minutes, 10 to 15 daily).
Cambril de la Mare de Déu
S
m