Come and discover the Pyrenees in Catalonia, a place full of magical places..
This region is perfect for enjoying the pleasures of the mountain: villages with a long tradition and a proud cultural heritage, lush forested valleys, streams and an extraordinary nature, peaks of great beauty, ski resorts, the Valley of Núria, routes and excursions, etc...
Environmental tourism resources:
Vall de Núria: Located at 2,000 meters high and surrounded by high mountains, this valley is one of the most important and famous tourist destinations in Catalonia thanks to its superb landscape and to house the shrine of Núria, place of pilgrimage since the twelfth century . The rivers, springs, paths and mountains invite us to enjoy this peaceful space throughout the year. In winter you can ski, in summer there are plenty of activities for the whole family: horseback riding, mini golf, fun park, picnic area, etc. Access to the valley is made by the rack which has a distance of 12.5 km and a vertical drop of 1000 meters. We can take the train in the station of Ribes-Enllaç, Ribes-Vila and Queralbs all of them with free parking.
Space of natural interest Alta Garrotxa: this great prePyrenean natural area is accessible from different points, for example from the town of St. Pau de Seguries, in the Eastern part of the region. Is a territory of great extension barely populated. It basically presents steep landscapes with a mass forest of Holm oaks and Oaks. We also find a great amount of cultural patrimony that makes this park an ideal area to make trips or to enjoy the rural tourism.
Cultural Resources:
Romanesque Route: the region offers a wealth of Roman ruins scattered throughout its territory and different routes that allow us to know the best way. Highlight the route of the great monasteries that passes through Ripoll, St.. Joan de les Abadesses and Camprodon.
In Ripoll we can find the famous Benedictine monastery of Santa Maria de Ripoll, founded in 880 by the count “Guifré el Pelós”. This is one of the most important monastic centers of Catalonia's medieval and Renaissance patriotic symbol.
In Sant Joan de les Abadesses we can find a femenine former Benedictine monastery dating from the year 885 and stresses its XII century Romanesque church and a Gothic cloister of the XV century. Finally in Camprodon we find the monastery of Sant Pere, founded in the mid tenth century by the grandson of “Guifré el Pelós” with a church dating from the twelfth century being the only element that remains of that time.
Beget: This is very well preserved and wonderful village in the mountains. Their houses are perched on the river with a magnificent medieval bridge that crosses it. We can find the magnificent Romanesque church of Sant Cristòfol of Beget (XII century) with a beautiful Romanesque sculpture and several gothic and baroque remains. Declared National Monument. On the outskirts of the village there are some natural pools formed by the river, an ideal place to spend a swimming day.
Traditional Festivals:
Cattle Fair, Espinavell: on October 13, St. Edward Day, the town celebrates a fair also called “Tria de Mulats”, a traditional and a very important tradition for Camprodón Valley where farmers and buyers of horses make their transactions. It's a perfect day for the whole family to see how the wild horses come down from the mountains after spending the summer.
International sheepdog skill contest, Ribes de Freser: the first weekend of September, the town attracts the best international shepherds from France, Basque Country, Andorra, Catalonia and Castelló. The competition is distributed over the two days, where there are exhibitions with dogs and different animals.
Active tourism
The region offers a wide range of possibilities with a privileged relief and environment. You can enjoy the mountain in all its senses: there are plenty of excursions for all ages and levels, being Taga (2040m) and Puigmal (2913m) the most famous thanks to the stunning views they offer. Another important trekking is the path that links Ull de Ter-Núria or Queralbs-Núria.
Mountain Bike Center in St.. Joan de les Abadesses, where we will find a welcoming spot with information and services, and more than a hundred km of signposted walks all freely available.
Ter Route: cycling and hiking route that follows the course of the river Ter from the Pyrenees to the coast, passing through different regions of northeastern Catalonia. The initial part of the route has several stages in Ripollès.
Iron Trail: it is a journey of about 12 km, which follows the old railway line that linked with Ogassa Ripoll. It is a smooth ride, not exceeding 1% slope in any of its stages.
Ski resorts: El Ripollès is the origin of the ski in Catalonia. in this region you can enjoy skiing stations of the Vall de Núria, La Molina, Vallter 2000.
In autumn it is an ideal area to search mushrooms and in winter you can enjoy the ski slopes of Vallter 2000 and Núria. They are ideal areas for the whole family to enjoy the snow and nature.
Near the Ripoillès ...
Natural Park of the Garrotxa Volcanic Zone: a large protected area of a 15.000h, considered one of the best examples of volcanic landscape of the Iberian Peninsula and one of the most important in Europe. In this park we can find up to 40 volcanic cones in a very good state and more than 20 basaltic lava flows. The rich soil and climate in this area encourage growth of a unique vegetation, such Jordà Fageda. There are 28 trails, most of them marked.
Jordà Fageda: it is one of 26 nature reserves of the Natural Park of Volcanic Zone of the Garrotxa. We have access from the area of Can Serra, where there is a point of information and a car park. This is a beech forest unique because it grows on the side of the volcano's lava flow of Croscat in a humid area, with a hilly terrain. A well-signposted route 1.5 km allows us across this place that inspired the writer Joan Maragall to write one of his works.
Olot: the capital of region Garrotxa, also called the city of volcanoes, is located in the Natural Park of the Garrotxa Volcanic Zone. The volcano Montsacopa with the church of San Francisco rounds out the villa, and offers wonderful views of the area. Olot offers a vibrant cultural heritage, highlighting the modernist landmarks such as Casa Solà-Morales, Lluis Domenech i Montaner, the house bidder, Casa Noguer, etc. On the other hand also emphasize the church of St.. Esteve with baroque or the square of the clearing.
Festival of Tura, Olot: during the second week of September the town celebrates a centenary celebration in honor of the Virgen del Tura. This is the most important holiday in the region and was declared Traditional Festival of National Interest since 1996. Noted for its tradition and popular events, attended by giants, dwarves, heads, etc.. This also has all kinds of events such as dances, concerts, correfocs ...