Catalonia is one of the most visited autonomous communities in Spain. And it is no wonder since, geographically, culturally, gastronomically and artistically, it is very rich and complete. However, when one thinks of Catalonia, the imagination tends to travel directly to Barcelona or the Costa Brava. And sometimes such wonderful provinces as Lleida and its surroundings are forgotten.
From the most famous ski resorts to small mountain villages full of charm, here is a list of some of the best destinations in Lleida. Read on to find out everything you need to know for your next trip, as well as some practical tips.
Baqueira-Beret
The ski resort of Baqueira-Beret, in the Aran Valley, is one of the places that receives the most visitors in Lleida and its surroundings throughout the year, especially during the ski season, which usually runs from mid-November to the end of April.
Whether you’re an expert skier or you’ve never been on skis before, Baqueira-Beret is an ideal destination to spend a few days doing sport or simply enjoying the snow and the wonderful views of the Pyrenees. In its 162 km, in this ski resort you will find a total of 114 slopes of different levels: 5 green slopes, 46 red slopes, 43 blue slopes and 17 black slopes. So you can choose the one that best suits your level and ski in safety. And if you don’t have your own ski equipment, don’t worry, you can rent it at the resort.
The resort also has a wide range of catering services, from huts where you can take a break with a coffee and a sandwich, to luxurious restaurants such as the Moët Winter Lounge. And if you want to stay at the resort, you can do so in one of its many hotels and rental houses. Although, as you can imagine, prices can be a bit steep if you don’t book well in advance.
Travel Tip: To organize your trip we recommend using Passporter totally free. You can be inspired by the experiences of other travelers, choose the places that interest you most, create the travel route with a geolocated map, upload all important documents such as reservations and invite your friends so that everyone can participate in the organization of the trip.
Valley of Aran
The region of Val d’Aran, apart from the famous ski resort, deserves its own section, as it has some of the most spectacular villages in Catalonia.
An example of this is its capital, Vielha. It is a town with a magical charm that looks like something out of a Christmas film. Divided in two by the river Nere, Vielha is home to a beautiful old town with an important vestige of Aranese Gothic, its Church of San Miguel.
Another village that stands out in the Val d’Aran is the striking Bausen, with its fairy-tale stone houses. Here you can follow the route of the Carlac Enchanted Forest. Explore a 6.5 km trail through a magical-looking thousand-year-old beech forest.
But of course, they are not the only ones worth visiting. So we invite you to continue discovering the Val d’Aran and its many interesting destinations such as Bossot, Les or Montgarri, among others.
To organize your trip we recommend using the website or app de Passporter where you can get inspired by the experiences of other travellers and choose the places that interest you most to add them to your route map.
Taüll, a charming village in the outskirts of Lleida
Located in the municipality of Valle de Bohí, in the Catalan Pyrenees, is Taüll. A small village, where less than 280 people live, is considered one of the most beautiful around Lleida.
This small community, in addition to its pretty little streets with their stone houses and slate roofs, is home to important Romanesque buildings declared World Heritage Site. The Church of Sant Climent de Taüll is one of the best preserved representations of Romanesque architecture in Spain and houses some wonderful paintings inside. And as if this were not enough, there is also the Santa Maria de Taüll Church in the centre of the village.
In addition, Taüll is not only beautiful in itself, but also because of the magnificent natural environment in which it is set, the Aigüestortes National Park, which we will talk about next.
National Park of Aigüestortes and Sant Maurici Lake
Catalonia is undoubtedly home to many absolutely majestic parks and natural environments. But none like Aigüestortes and Sant Maurici Lake National Park. This park, the only national park in Catalonia, is a space of 141 km² of living and wild nature, where the green of the vegetation and the blue of the water invade everything.
This park is the area of the Pyrenees with the highest density of lakes, more than 150 and which, together with the ponds, total more than 200. Moreover, this park with its high mountain landscape also stands out for its metamorphic rocks and its impressive summits.
You can visit the park both in summer and winter and enjoy it in different ways. In winter there is the possibility of hiking routes of high mountain and winter sports such as rock climbing or ice climbing, snowshoeing, etc. And in summer, you can go on beautiful routes and spend a wonderful day contemplating the lakes and the nature.
The park can be accessed from different areas, but the main towns that give access to the park are Boí and Espot. There are car parks where you can leave your car. As it is a protected area, motorized vehicles are not allowed to enter. Except for vehicles for people with reduced mobility. In this case, you will have to ask for an accreditation. It is advisable to go early as the car parks can fill up very fast due to the large number of visitors.
La Seu d’Urgell
La Seu d’Ugell or Seo de Urgel in Spanish is a small town in the north of Lleida and the capital of the Alto Urgel region. Neighbouring Andorra, La Seu d’Urgell is one of the most beautiful towns you can visit around Lleida and one of the best destinations in Spain in which to taste its delicious varieties of cheese.
The main protagonist of La Seu d’Urgell is its Cathedral of Santa Maria. It is one of the most valuable examples of Romanesque architecture in Catalonia and in the whole of Spain. And its cloister is a real gem for lovers of art history. But this is not the only building of note in La Seu d’Urgell; the Church of Sant Miquel, also in Romanesque style, and the Conciliar Seminary are also worth a visit.
Aitona in bloom
In the province of Lleida, there is a village that for a few days is dyed pink. We are talking about Aitona where, for 11 years, the “Aitona in flower” initiative has been carried out, bringing a spectacle of nature to 18,000 visitors every season. Aitona is famous for its plantations of peach trees. What not many people know is that from late February to early March these fruit trees blossom, creating a magical landscape that has nothing to envy to the Japanese cherry trees.
You can visit the peach blossom fields on a number of different routes. But it is necessary to book a place in advance. You can also take the opportunity to visit the village of Aitona and its cultural heritage, such as the Castle of Aitona, of Muslim origin, of which only the ruins now remain, but which is very interesting to visit.
What do I need to know before travelling around Lleida?
- Catalonia is a very safe area. However, watch out for pickpocketing and pickpocketing in crowded areas
- There are two official languages in Catalonia: Spanish and Catalan. However, in the more touristy areas you’ll have no problem communicating in English.
- Emergency cover: Travel insured.
- Care for the environment and respect the natural surroundings on your trip around Lleida
- Book well in advance if you are travelling in high season.
- If you’re travelling in summer, in addition to cool clothes and sunscreen, bring something warmer for the evenings. Temperatures cool down.
- Don’t forget your sunscreen if you’re travelling in the summer or going skiing.
- Use the Passporter app to create your itinerary around Lleida.
How to organize a trip through the most beautiful villages of Catalonia?
Register or download the Passporter App and discover all its possibilities.
- Get inspired by the experiences of other travellers
- Create your own itinerary and add suggestions from the app to it.
- Add the stops you’re most interested in, as well as the restaurants and bars where you want to eat (you can use the points of interest listed in this post as a reference).
- Organize your itinerary by route days according to their location on the map (you can take inspiration from the routes we present in the post)
- Check out the travel budget that the app calculates for you based on your travel stops, restaurants, and leisure activities.
- Make any modifications you need to make, and you’re all set for your trip.
- Share your experience. Upload photos of the places you have visited on your trip to the app and recommend other travellers what to see in the Basque Country
If you have any doubts about how to do this, you can check our post: How to create a travel itinerary in Passporter.
Frequently asked questions about a trip around Lleida
Communications in Catalonia are generally very good. The region has a good transport network, and the larger towns are well-connected to the provincial capitals by bus. However, if you want to get around the different towns in Catalonia without depending on timetables, the best way to get around is by car, as sometimes the frequency of buses is not very high.
Of course, this depends on what you are looking for. If you want to go skiing in the Pyrenees, the months of November-April are certainly the most suitable. If, on the other hand, you are looking for more pleasant temperatures to be able to stroll around the beautiful villages around Lleida, the ideal months are April, May, June and September. In July and August, depending on the area, it can be too hot.
As it is an inland province and very close to the Pyrenees, temperatures in Lleida are quite cold in winter, especially in the mountain villages. Summer in the capital is quite hot, with average temperatures of 32ºC in July and August, and quite a bit cooler in the mountains, around 21ºC.
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