☎ 972 Puigcerdà

Puigcerdá (pooh-chair-DAH; pop. 7000) lies in a broad valley surrounded by flourishing wheat fields and mountains decorated in snow. By bus or by train, the ride to Puigcerdà boasts some of the most awe-inspiring views in the Pyrenees. Puigcerdà’s location along both the French and Andorran borders also makes it a cheap base for hiking, biking, or skiing in three different countries.

Transportation

• Trains: RENFE (☎ www.renfe.es) sends trains to Barcelona (3hr.; 6 per day 5:49 am-6:13pm) and Ripoll (2hr., 6 per day 8:55am-8:53pm, €3.15).
• Buses: Alsina Graells (☎ 972 20 02 75) run to Girona (3 ½ hr.; M-F 6:05am, return at 4:15pm). Buses leave from Pl. Barcelona and then stop outside the train station; buy tickets onboard. Schedules are at Bar Estació, in the station and in Pl. Barcelona.
• Taxis: (☎ 972 88 00 11). Can be found on Pl. Cabrinetty.

Orientation And Practical Information

Puigcerdà’s center is at the top of the hill. The train station is at the foot of the western slope. Buses stop at the train station and then Pl. Barcelona; get off at the second stop if you wish to arrive within the town itself. To reach Plaça Ajuntament from the train station, walk past the stairs in the station’s plaça until you reach the first flight of stairs between two buildings. To save your legs, take the free cable car, which leaves from a station about 50m straight in front of the train station (runs 5:30 am-12am, July and Aug. 5:30am-1am). At the top, take the elevator (in front of the station and to the left), up to level 2, the Pl. Ajuntament. From the plaça, walk one block on C. Alfons I to Carrer Major. Turn left on C. Major to Pl. Santa María. Reach Pl. Barcelona through the Pl. dels Herois, the end of Pl. Santa María farthest from the bell tower. If you are traveling outside of the month of August, note that most services and stores shut down on M (and Su, as in much of Spain).

• Tourist Offices: C. Querol, 1 (☎ 972 88 05 42 or 14 15 22). Off Pl. Ajuntament, ahead and to the right as you step off the elevator. English, Spanish, and French are spoken. Open Tu-Sa 10am-1pm and 4-7pm. Regional Comarcal tourist office (☎ 972 14 06 65) on the junction of the N-152 and N-160, about a 10min. walk down the highway towards Barcelona from the train station. Turn right as you exit the station. Walk this route with caution, especially during times of heavy traffic, as parts of the road have no sidewalk. Open M-Sa 9am-1pm and 4-7pm, Su 10am-1pm.
• Bank: Banco Santander Central Hispano, on Pl. Cabrinetty, 15, has a 24hr. ATM (open M-F 8:30am-2pm, Sa 8:30am-1pm); other ATMs throughout the city.
• Police: Municipal police on Pl. Ajuntament, 1 (☎ 972 88 19 72).
• Hospital: Hospital de Puigcerdà in Pl. Santa María (☎ 972 88 01 50/54), behind the bell tower.
• Library: Pg. 10 d’Ábril, 2 (☎ 972 88 03 04). Next to Eglésia de Sant Domènech, around the back of the building. Free internet access, and lots of helpful tourist info. Open M, W, F 3:30-8:30pm, Tu 10am-1:30pm and 3:30-8:30, Th 10am-1:30pm.
• Internet Access: Locutorio Corami, Pl. Cabrinetty, 10 (☎ 972 14 16 72). Open daily 10:30am-1pm and 5-10:30pm; €2 per hr.
• Post Office: Av. Coronel Molera, 11, 1 block down from Pl. Barcelona. (☎ 972 88 08 14; open M-F 8:30am-2:30pm, Sa 9:30am-1pm.) Postal Code: 17520.

Accommodations 

Many pensiones can be found around Pl. Santa María in the old town.

• Hostal Cerdanya: C. Ramon Cosp, 7 (☎ 972 88 00 10). Has basic rooms with all the essentials, including a small TV. Friendly owner. Singles €19-34. Cash only.
• Hotel Alfonso: C. D’Espanya, 5 (☎ 972 88 02 46.). Main advantage is its location in the streets below Pl. Santa Maria. Singles €25; doubles €45; triples €60. Cash only.
• Mare de Déu de les Neu: Ctra. de Font Canaleta (☎ 934 83 83 63 for reservations). Not too far from the RENFE station and the slopes, and offers discounted dorms for patrons under 25 (€16.45-20.35), as well as dorms for those over 25 (€20.25-24.30).
• Camping Stel: (☎ 972 88 23 61). 2km from Puigcerdà on the road to Llivia, offers full-service camping with a chalet-style restaurant, bar, and lounge, as well as a supermarket. €5.50 per person, site with tent €11.50, with car €22.30. Open daily June 1- Sept. 28, weekends only during ski season. MC/V.

Food

Buy cheap produce at the weekly farmer’s market at Pl. 10 d’Ábril. (Open Su 6am-2pm.) Or grab groceries at Bonpreu, Av. Coronel Molera, 12, diagonally across from the post office. (Open M-Sa 9am-9pm, Su 10am-2:30pm. MC/V.)

• Central, Pl. Santa Maria, 6 (☎ 972 88 25 53). Serves a great selection of tapas and pizzas. Free Wi-Fi. Entrees €8. Open daily 10am-2:30am. MC/V.
• El Pati de la Tieta, C. Ferrers, 20 (☎ 972 88 01 56). Rustic and secluded. A good restaurant to visit with your special someone. Serves delicious fresh homemade pasta (€10-12) and pizzas (€8-12) within thick stone walls or out on their ivy-covered patio. Fish and meat entrees €15-22. 1pm-4:30pm, 8pm-midnight. MC/V.
• Kennedy Restaurant, Pl. Herois 2. Exemplifies the lingering Spanish affinity for the former American President. Offers large portions and an attentive waitstaff. Entrees €8-17, Kennedy Rib of Beef €29.50.

Sights And Slopes

Just above the Pl. Barcelona (follow the C. Pons Gash) the lake and the Parc Schierbeck offer a bit of calm respite, as swans glide over reflections of the snow-covered mountains. Cercle Aventura offers a formidable list of outdoor activities in the summer and winter. (☎ www.cercleaventure.com. Open daily 9am-2pm and 4-8pm. Canyoneering €45-55. Rock climbing €65. Paintball €30. Canoe Rental €30. Snowshoe rental €10. Bike rental €10 half-day, €16 full day.) Ski in your country of choice (Spain, France, or Andorra) at one of 19 ski areas within a 50km radius. The closest on the Spanish side is Alp 2500, a conglomerate of La Molina (☎ 973 29 30 51). In the spring and summer, the Puigcerdà area is also popular for biking; the tourist office has a map detailing several routes. The town of Llívia, a Spanish enclave surrounded by France, can make for a pleasant pastoral afternoon excursion. Some travelers also stop by Rìgolisa on the way back for a view of the wheat fields at sunset. Sports Iris, Av. de França, 16, rents bikes and skis. (☎ www.turingcerdanya.com).