A weekend in Vall de Núria and Vall de Camprodon
The Catalan Pyrenees is full of towns, landscapes and beautiful places. And two of the best areas to discover it are: the Camprodon Valley and the Núria Valley. Two very familiar destinations, ideal for spending a rural and charming weekend, combining excursions with cultural visits.
Both valleys are located in the Ripollès region (Girona) and are approximately two hours from Barcelona, going up the C-17 towards Ripoll. In this article, I help you choose which of the two valleys to choose to spend a weekend.
What to do in Camprodon Valley
The Camprodon Valley passes between the Ritort and Ter rivers; Both come together precisely in Camprodon, the commercial center of the valley. Around Camprodon, however, there are a whole series of villages and hiking routes of all levels.
Start the weekend by visiting Camprodon and enjoying its well-known stone bridge and the beautiful Maristany promenade. In Camprodon, sausages and Birba cookies are typical. The Pont 9 and Can Jan restaurants offer homemade menus and you will find them in the center, next to the bridge.
Above Camprodon, following the River Ter, towards the Vallter 2000 ski resort, you will find Setcases, one of the most picturesque towns in the Catalan Pyrenees. Stone houses and alleys well maintained and decorated to maintain that traditional flavor.
In Setcases you are at the foot of peaks close to a thousand meters, perfect for excursions: Bastiments, Pastiura, Gra de Fajol and Costabona, among others. Go up to the Vallter 2000 station, from where most of the walking routes leave.
If you don't want to put on your hiking boots, simply take in the views from some of the viewpoints in Setcases. You have three: the Forat de l'Olla (to see the highest peaks), the Mirador del Collet de Xuriguera (to see the Carlat valley) and the Badaina viewpoint (to contemplate Setcases and the peaks).
Towards the other side of the valley, you will discover other beautiful places such as Molló and Beget. Both are a little more complicated to access since they are on a road full of curves, but if you have never been there, they are worth it: they are beautiful!
On the one hand, Molló connects the Camprodon Valley with France through the old Coll de Ares pass, from where you can see a fantastic panoramic view of the neighboring country. Don't miss the church of Santa Cecilia.
And, if you go with children, you will find the Molló Parc, which is a mountain zoo where you will walk with deer, goats, foxes and bears, among other animals of the Pyrenees. For the more adventurous, there is also the Molló Parc Aventura, with four zip line circuits through the trees.
Further on, in Beget, you will discover a beautiful medieval village. Beget is a beloved village, well cared for and decorated with charm: stone houses with gabled roofs, medieval bridges, narrow stone alleys, ornate wooden balconies, pots of dried elm trunks...
In summer, the Camprodon Valley is full of pools where you can bathe.
Where to sleep in the Camprodon valley?
Take a look at the charming hotels where you can stay for a great stay:
Hotel La Coma *** (Setcases): located between Vallter 2000 and Camprodon, the hotel has a heated pool, jacuzzi, sauna and a huge garden.
Calitxó *** (Molló): mountain hotel surrounded by nature, with twelve spacious suites, in a quiet and family atmosphere. It also has a good restaurant.
Hotel Grèvol Spa **** (Llanars): wooden exteriors and very cozy interiors. At the Grèvol Spa hotel you will rest in its pool and jacuzzi, and you can enjoy the massages from the pressure showers.
Hotelet del Bac * (Camprodon) this small mountain hotel has nine rooms, all of them with spectacular views. The hotel is surrounded by gardens and forests, and Camprodon is just a five-minute walk away.
What to do in Vall de Núria
Vall de Núria is also a very family destination, which attracts many hikers and nature fans in general. One of the most mythical places in Catalonia where you will find several excursions to do on foot and enjoy the privileged environment of this Pyrenean valley.
Núria is a unique place surrounded by peaks three thousand meters high where you can reach it through a unique means of transportation: the rack railway. Its remote access through the steep mountains of the municipality of Queralbs makes the Núria Valley an adventure from start to finish.
The rack railway covers a route of 12.5 km and crosses a gradient of one thousand metres. You will have fabulous views but the most spectacular thing is undoubtedly the entrance to the valley, when you come out of the tunnel.
If you like hiking you can choose to reach Nuria on foot. The route begins in Queralbs and you must follow the signs for the GR11 trail, which will take you along the only access road to Núria before the construction of the rack railway (1931): the so-called old pilgrims' path or old path. Keep in mind that the difficulty of this route is high and lasts three hours.
A simpler and much more popular option is to take the old path down, from Núria towards Queralbs. This way, you will be able to enjoy the path with its fountains, waterfalls and panoramic views without getting too tired (even so, I warn you that it is a tough excursion, in which you will test your knees). For this option, go up the rack railway to Núria and walk down to Queralbs, where you can take the rack railway again towards Ribes or towards Núria.
In the Núria Valley itself, the options for hiking excursions are very wide and for all levels. Some of the best-known peaks: Puigmal, Taga, Bastiments, Pic de la Dona and Pic d'Eina. You can also do the Transpyrenean route and the Ter Route.
If you prefer a simpler and flatter excursion, don't worry, you also have several options in the Vall de Núria itself. From going around the lake (25 min) to exploring the Camino de las Cuevas, the options are wide and very beautiful.
Where to sleep near Nuria?
Take a look at the charming rural hotels near Ribes de Freser, where you can sleep and get on the rack railway to go to Núria.
Hotel Els Caçadors *** (Ribes de Freser): a gastronomic reference in the Pyrenees area. A cozy hotel with a lot of charm and very well prepared for families with children.
Hotel Cruells *** (Planoles): an 11th century farmhouse located in Planoles and converted into a beautiful and comfortable rural hotel, where young and old will be comfortable.
Créditos fotografías : Núria (Dani Armengol Garreta), 2011 Vall de Núria (Jose Gonzalvo Vivas),Vall de Núria (Jorge Franganillo), Compodron Excursión,Camprodon Maristany,Camprodon,Setcases (Roser Goula)
