Page 217 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Spain

C A T AL ONIA  215

3 Baqueira-Beret are Espot, to the east, and Boi, to
the west. Dotted around the park
Lleida. * 100. @ n Baqueira-Beret,
973 63 90 25. _ Romería de Nuestra are waterfalls and the sparkling,
Señora de Montgarri (2 Jul). clear waters of around 150 lakes
∑ baqueira.es and tarns which, in an earlier
era, were scoured by glaciers
This ski resort, one of Spain’s best, to depths of up to 50 m (164 ft).
is popular with both the public The finest scenery is around
and the Spanish royal family. Sant Maurici lake, which lies
There is reliable winter snow beneath the twin shards of the
cover and a choice of over 100 Serra dels Encantats (Mountains
pistes at altitudes from 1,520 m of the Enchanted). From here,
to 2,470 m (4,987 ft to 8,104 ft). there is a variety of walks,
Baqueira and Beret were particularly along the string
separate mountain villages of lakes that lead north to
before skiing became popular, The tall belfry of Sant Climent church at the towering peaks of Agulles
but now form a single resort. Taüll in the Vall de Boí d’Amitges. To the south is the
The Romans took full advan tage dramatic vista of Estany Negre,
of the thermal springs located 5 Parc Nacional the highest and deepest tarn
here; nowadays they are d’Aigüestortes in the park.
appreciated by tired skiers. Early summer in the lower
Lleida. £ La Pobla de Segur. @ Pont valleys is marked by a mass of
de Suert, La Pobla de Segur. n Boí, pink and red rhododendrons,
4 Vall de Boí 973 69 61 89; Espot, 973 62 40 36. while later in the year wild lilies
∑ parcsnaturals.gencat.cat/en/
Lleida. £ La Pobla de Segur. aiguestortes bloom in the forests of fir, beech
@ Pont de Suert. n Barruera, and silver birch.
973 69 40 00. ∑ vallboi.com The pristine mountain scen ery The park is also home to a
of Catalonia’s only national variety of wildlife. Chamois (also
This small valley on the edge of park (see pp34–5) is among the known as izards) live on moun-
the Parc Nacional d’Aigüestortes most spectacular to be seen in tain screes and in the meadows,
is dotted with tiny villages, the Pyrenees. while beavers and otters can be
many of which are built around Established in 1955, the park spotted by the lakes. Golden
Catalan Romanesque churches. covers an area of 102 sq km eagles nest on mountain ledges,
Dating from the 11th and (40 sq miles). Its full title is Parc and grouse and caper caillie are
12th centuries, these churches Nacional d’Aigüestortes i Estany found in the woods.
are distinguished by their tall de Sant Maurici, named after the During the summer the park
belfries, such as the Església lake (estany) of Sant Maurici in is popular with walkers, while
de Santa Eulàlia at Erill-la-Vall, the east and the Aigüestortes in winter, the snow-covered
which has six floors. (literally, “twisted waters”) area in mountains are ideal for cross-
The two churches at Taüll, the west. The main access towns country skiing.
Sant Climent (see p28) and
Santa Maria, have superb
frescoes. Between 1919 and
1923 the originals were taken
for safekeeping to the Museu
Nacional d’Art de Catalunya in
Barcelona (see p176) and rep licas
now stand in their place. You
can climb the towers of Sant
Climent for superb views of
the surrounding countryside.
Other churches in the area
worth visiting include those
at Coll, for its fine ironwork,
Barruera, and Durro, which
has another massive bell tower.
At the head of the valley is the
hamlet of Caldes de Boí, popular
for its thermal springs and the
nearby ski station, Boí-Taüll. It is
also a good base for exploring
the Parc Nacional d’Aigüestortes,
the entrance to which is only
5 km (3 miles) from here. Picturesque landscape in the Parc Nacional d’Aigüestortes

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