Val d'Aran & Vall de Boí

High valleys of the Catalan Pyrenees: the Val d'Aran is home to the Baqueira ski resort, while across the tunnel the Vall de Boí offers Romanesque churches and Aigüestortes National Park, each with its own charm.

The Val d'Aran and Vall de Boí lie in the Pyrenees in the northwest of Lleida province, Catalonia, Spain, linked by the Vielha Tunnel. The Val d'Aran is the only north-facing valley in the Pyrenees draining to the Atlantic and is Occitan-speaking; its capital is Vielha, and stone villages line the Garonne River. At its eastern end, Baqueira-Beret is Spain's largest ski resort; in summer you can hike in the Artiga de Lin valley, to the Pish waterfall, the Colomèrs cirque lakes and the Sanctuary of Montgarri. South of the tunnel, the Vall de Boí holds nine World Heritage Romanesque churches, including Sant Climent de Taüll, Santa Maria de Taüll, Sant Joan de Boí, Erill la Vall and Durro, which can all be seen in a day; at the valley's northern end are the Caldes de Boí spa and the entrance to Aigüestortes National Park. Crossing the Bonaigua Pass leads to Espot on the park's east side, for Lake Sant Maurici and the twin Encantats peaks. Best seasons: Dec–Apr for skiing, Jun–Oct for hiking and lakes, with fall foliage in autumn. There is no railway; it is about 4 hours by bus or car from Barcelona, or about 2.5 hours by car from Toulouse in France. Base yourself in Vielha or Taüll and allow 3–5 days; private cars are banned from the national park's core zone, so take a 4x4 taxi.

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