The Vall de Núria (Nuria Valley) is one of the most beautiful valleys of the Catalan Pyrenees. In summer it is a true paradise for hikers, while in winter it is one of the favorite places for skiers. There is a lot to see in the Vall de Nuria: high mountain landscapes, spectacular hiking trails, a sanctuary located at 2,000 meters with a lot of history and many other wonders. The rack railway that goes up to Vall de Nuria is a true institution in Catalonia (the only rack trains in Spain are this one and the one in Montserrat). It is one of our favorite places in Catalonia and here we tell you the best things to do in Vall de Núria.
The history of the Vall de Núria and its sanctuary
The Vall de Núria, besides being one of the beautiful valleys of the Catalan Pyrenees, has a very interesting history and is an important part of Catalan culture. It is said that Saint Giles was the first inhabitant of the valley who lived here for a few years in the 8th century, before having to flee from the Arabs who had conquered most of the Iberian Peninsula. Legend has it that St. Giles carved a portrait of the Virgin and hid it in a cave. In the 11th century, Amadeo (a pilgrim), following a divine revelation, came to the valley from Dalmatia in search of the portrait and in the place where he found it, he built a chapel.
On the site of the chapel the Sanctuary of Núria was founded and next to it was alsobuilt a shelter that served as a refuge for the shepherds of the area. These buildings were destroyed by an earthquake and both the chapel and the shelter were rebuilt several times. The new sanctuary that you can visit today was inaugurated at the beginning of the last century with the image of the Virgin inside that during the Civil War had to be rescued and hidden in Switzerland. A hotel was built next to the church that still receives visitors and in this same building the first Statute of Autonomy of Catalonia was drafted in 1931.
How to get to Vall de Núria
The only way to get to the Vall de Núria by transport is by the rack railway that connects Ribes de Freser and Queralbs with the Sanctuary of Nuria. If you want, you could book your Vall de Núria rack train ticket here. Here you can check the timetables and prices of the rack railway.
The best excursions to do in Vall de Núria
1. Ascent to Puigmal
One of the most impressive and also the most demanding excursions you can do in Vall de Núria is to climb Puigmal, which with its 2,913 meters of altitude is the most emblematic mountain of this area and is the fourth highest peak in the Catalan Pyrenees. If you stay in the Vall de Nuria, you will start from almost 2,000 meters above sea level, which allows you not to have to overcome so much slope to conquer the summit.
To climb, you have two options or you can go up the Coma del Embut on the northern slope, which is the fastest and most direct way or you can make a circular hike up the slope of Fontalba and down the Coma del Embut. We have done the first version.
After leaving the campsite of Nuria you take a track that follows the stream of Finestrelles and then most of the route follows the torrent of Coma de l’Embut. The trail first crosses some large green meadows where you will often see horses or even wild animals of the area such as mountain deer, while further on the vegetation disappears and in the last stretch you will climb a rough path between large stones. Reaching the top will compensate you for the effort, because the views are spectacular.
Distance: 9.3 km, Accumulated difference in altitude: 950 m
2. Queralbs – Vall de Nuria
One of the most popular routes to do in Vall de Nuria is the same excursion that serves to get there from Queralbs. The starting point is the nearest village of Vall de Nuria, from where you can access the valley either by rack railway or on foot. We advise you to walk up as the excursion on foot following the GR 11 signs is very cool and not very difficult.
The path follows the line of the rack railway and in the first stretch the route climbs quite gently through a lush forest of black pine. Further on the climb becomes steeper with more rocky scenery. The scenery really is wonderful with views of the deep gorge of the Freser, the main river that runs through the valley. You will also cross the picturesque Cremal bridge. The main attraction of the route are the different waterfalls you will see: first the Sastre waterfall and further up from the Sant Pere pool you will be able to see the beautiful waterfall called Cola de Caballo.
Before reaching the sanctuary, the landscape becomes a high mountain scenery and when you reach the Creu d’en Riba, the panoramic view of the Vall Núria will appear before your eyes. Goose bumps! The hike can be done in about 3-4 hours and then you can decide whether to walk down the same path, by rack railway, or choose the best thing to do, which is to sleep in this fabulous environment.
Distance: 8 km, Accumulated difference in altitude: 932 m
3. Follow the GR-11 to Planoles
In addition to the two classic routes in the Vall de Núria, you will find other interesting excursions to do. For example the GR Transpirinenca (GR-11 ) passes through the Vall de Núria and you can do a section of this great route to Planoles or you can even continue to Puigcerdà. The first part of this route is to do it from the Sanctuary of Nuria to Queralbs (do route 1 backwards) where you will have to go up the valley of the Tosa River, climb up to the Barraques pass and go down a pleasant route in the forest to Planoles.
Other things to see and do in Vall de Núria
In summer
Besides hiking and enjoying the wonderful excursions that you can do in the Vall de Núria, this natural paradise offers you other activities as well. You can for example take a canoe ride on the artificial lake next to the sanctuary, but there is also room for horseback riding and horseback riding routes in the valley of Nuria. There are also other activities less connected to nature such as playing mini-golf or trying archery. There are also activities for children such as a playground where they can ride ponies or see animals in a farm.
In winter
Vall de Núria also has a small ski resort with about ten slopes. It is especially popular with families, as there is a wide variety of quite affordable slopes where children can practice. In addition, this is the only ski resort really well connected to Barcelona by public transport and thanks to the extended timetable of the rack railway, you can take advantage of the whole day to ski even if you don’t want to stay overnight. There are also many other activities you can do in winter from sledding to snowshoeing. And if you are looking for something special, you can also dive under the ice in the artificial lake of Vall de Núria. Anyway, as you can see, visiting the Vall de Núria is a perfect weekend getaway to Catalonia both in summer and winter.
Where to sleep in the Vall de Núria
The most popular option for visitors is the Hotel Vall de Núria, which is the most comfortable, but also the Vall de Nuria Apartments, which are very close by, are also a good choice. A little further up is the Pic de l’Àliga that offers the best views of the Vall de Núria. If you are looking for cheap accommodation and you like camping, next to the Hotel Vall de Núria there is a fairly large campsite. Of course, we haven’t been spared the rain at night once, so you’ll need to bring a good waterproof tent.
Here we end our post with the best things to do in Vall de Núria: the best excursions and many other curiosities. We hope we can help you organize your trip to this magical valley of Catalonia.
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