Barcelona Puigcerdà

As first your RENFE train and then your bus thread their way skyward through the Catalan Pynenees, you wouldn’t be blamed for asking: what the heck could be all the way up here? The answer: heaven. Puigcerda is a sort of Spanish Vail: a backpacker or ski bum’s paradise that—thanks to its art galleries, hot-air ballooning, restaurants, and more—won’t disappoint unathletic types. Yet, it’s the outdoorsy who will certainly experience Puigcerda at its best—the town’s location on both the French and Andorran borders makes it a cheap base for hiking, biking, or skiing in three different countries.

Orientation And Practical Information

Puigcerdà’s center is at the top of a hill. The train station is at the foot of the western slope. Buses stop at the train station and then at 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 up the stairs immediately opposite the station itself. To save your legs, take the free cable car, which leaves from the top of these stairs (5:30am-midnight, July and Aug. 5:30am-1am). At the top, take the elevator (in front of you and to the left), up to Pl. Ajuntament. From the plaça, walk one block on C. Alfons I to Carrer Major. Turn left on C. Major to reach Plaça Santa María. You can get to Plaça Barcelona through the Plaça dels Herois, which is the end of Pl. Santa María farthest from the bell tower. Between September and July, note that most services and stores shut down on Monday and Sunday.

Accommodations And Camping

Many pensiones are located around Pl. Santa María in the old town.

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).

Sights And Slopes

Art Galleries. Within town, art enthusiasts will be pleased to find two galleries, both named Galeria Puigcerda, Sala d’Art, C. Major, 21 and Pl. Barcelona, in the Casino. (Open Tu-Th 4:30-8:30pm, F-Sa 10am-2pm and 4:30-8:30pm, Su 10am-2pm.)

Parc Schierbeck. This park offers a calm respite, as swans glide over reflections of the snow-covered mountains. (Just above the Pl. Barcelona. Follow the C. Pons i Gash.)

Slopes. Cercle Aventura offers a formidable list of outdoor activities in the summer and winter. (☎902 17 05 93; www.cercleaventure.com. Archery €15. Canyoneering €45-55. Rock climbing €65. Paintball €30. Canoe Rental €40. Snowshoe rental €10. Spelunking €30. Bike rental €12 per ½-day, €20 per day. Open daily 9am-2pm and 4-8pm.) 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 (☎972 89 20 31, ski school 978 89 21 57; www.lamolina.cat) and nearby Masella (☎972 14 40 00; www.masella.com), which offers the longest run in the eastern Pyrenees. For cross-country skiing, a close site is Guils-Fontanera (☎972 19 70 47; www.guils.com). Also try Lles (☎973 29 30 49, ski school 973 29 30 49; www.lles.net) or Aránsa (☎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. (☎972 88 23 98; iris.gpscerdanya.info/about. Bike rental €15 per ½-day, €20 per day. Open daily 9am-2pm and 4:30-8pm.) For horseback riding, call Hípica Sant Marc (C. de Sant Marc; ☎972 88 00 07). Try piloting or ballooning at Globus de Pirineu (☎972 14 08 52; www.globospi.com) or Cerdanya Globus (☎609 83 29 74; www.osonaglobus.com). Other adventure sports such as 4X4 and motorbike rental can be arranged with La Molina or Alp 2500 Viatges (☎972 89 20 29) and at Turing Cerdanya, Escoles Pies 19 (☎972 88 06 02; www.turingcerdanya.com). Those who prefer their sports less extreme can golf at the Club Golf Sant Marc (☎972 88 34 11; www.golfpuigcerda.com).Cadaques - 1 pg - Daytrips/Excursions next to Cadaques PI