Pyrenees routes
Pyrenees routes
Pyrenees route I
Nature – 7 nights
The scenery on this route takes your breath away. Start your journey on the Costa Brava between its beautiful beaches, bays, and fishing villages, continue with a visit to the Casserres Monastery and you will end up in the mountains. A visit to the Romanesque route will bring the last touch to an unforgettable journey.
Days 1-2 (Sun-Mon), Parador de Aiguablava
This Parador is in the heart of the Costa Brava, in a beautiful location amidst pine trees that descend to the sea, beaches and bays. From Blanes to Portbou; suggestions for places worth visiting: Cap de Creus Natural Parks, Monastery of Sant Pere de Rodes and the City of Cadaqués, Monastery of Aiguamolls de l’Empordà and Illes Medes, or unique places such as the Bay of Roses, the Ruins of Empúries, Lighthouses of Begur, Palafrugelli and Sant Sebastià, the Gardens of Cap Roig, Vila Vella or the old town of Tossa de Mar or the Botanical Gardens of Santa Clotilde, Pinya de Rosa and Marimurtra. Along the way, you can also find places such as Peralada Castle and Casino, Figueres with the Salvador Dalí Museum, and medieval centers such as Pals, Peratallada, Púbol, or the city of Girona.
Day 3 (Tue), Parador de Vic-Sau
In this Parador we can enjoy peace and quiet in a unique environment surrounded by mountains and beautiful views of Lake Sau. From the Parador itself, you can head to the surrounding walks. One not to be missed is the Convent of San Pere de Casserres. Casserres was an old castle, and the viscounts of Osona-Cardona founded the monastery around 1005. The nearby town of Vic also offers interesting visits such as the Episcopal Museum of Vic, the Clock Tower and the Cathedral Crypt, Queralt Bridge, Montcada Castle, Sant Sixt and Alberguer. Walking through the old town is also a fantastic way to explore the place.
Days 4-5 (Wed-Thu), Parador de La Seu d’Urgell
In Seu you can visit the Cathedral of Santa Maria d’Urgell and the Diocesan Museum. Don’t forget to visit Calle Canonges, where you will find arcades and shops. Segre Olympic Park in Seu is a sports and recreational area where you can enjoy sports such as kayaking and rafting. Those venues were the scene of the 1992 Olympics and are still in active use.
The Cadí-Moixero Natural Park offers unparalleled places to explore the natural heritage of these lands on foot. You can also take advantage of these days and go to visit nearby Andorra. Here you can enjoy shopping or visit Caldea, the largest spa in southern Europe, with 25,000 m2 available for relaxation. Have fun for your health.
Days 6-7 (Fri-Sat), Parador de Artíes
On our way from Seu to Vielha we encounter the beauty of the Pyrenees mountains. A popular destination in the Arán Valley is the Romanesque route and recommendations for places to visit such as the Bossòst, Era Mair de Diu dera Purificación, Salardú, the Church Sant Andrèu and Santa Maria. The Aigüestortes and the Estany de SanT Maurice National Parks are full of beauty and majesty all year round. Don’t forget to visit the Parador’s own spa, where you can relax on your trip.
Pyrenees Route II
Nature – 3 nights
Forests, rivers, fascinating landscapes, and rugged mountain peaks. Nature in its purest form. A 3-day tour of the Pyrenees via La Seu d’Urgell, Vielha and Bielsa.
Day 1 (Sun), Parador de La Seu d’Urgell
This route runs from east to west through the national and natural parks in the north of Spain and stops at countless places with a lot of natural beauty and historical past. In La Seu d’Urgell you can discover the Romanesque cathedral, its best-preserved treasure and monumental nature in an open environment. Be sure to visit the Diocesan Museum, the Romanesque Church of Sant Miguel, or the Casa de la Ciudad, where the town hall is located, and walk through the old quarter with its arched streets and old mansions, such as the commercial Calle Canonges with its magical arcades.
The Segre Olympic Park, which hosted the 1992 Olympics, is a place for sports such as kayaking and rafting. But golf, mountain biking, hiking, and skiing are also part of the wide range of selection that these places offer. The Cadí-Moixero and Alt Pirineu Natural Parks offer unparalleled places to explore the natural heritage of these areas on foot. Take advantage of your stay and taste the tasty artisan cheeses of the Pyrenees.
Day 2 (Mon), Parador de Vielha
On the way from Seu to Vielha you will think about the breathtaking beauty of the Pyrenees. In the Arán Valley it`s recommended to take a Romanesque route and to visit places such as the Bossòst, the Era Mair de Diu dera Purificación, Salardú, the Church Sant Andrèu and Santa María, and Artíes. The Aigüestortes and the Estany de SanT Maurice National Parks are full of beauty and majesty all year round.
In the snowy season, you can’t miss the opportunity to ski on the nearby slopes of Baqueira-Beret or go dog sledding and then relax in the Parador’s own spa. Vielha is alive both in winter and summer and on the streets you will find beautiful houses, charming little craft shops, delicatessens and numerous bars and restaurants with a varied culinary offer. Don’t forget to try the Aran pot or, out of curiosity, the local caviar made at a nearby production facility, which you can also visit.
Day 3 (Tue), Parador de Bielsa
Our final destination is Bielsa. A place in the mountains where nature reaches its maximum expression, and it feels like being on this planet is something truly magical. A livestock and tourist village with around 300 inhabitants, Bielsa retains a traditional world flavor without forgetting its current facilities.
The deep and rich glacial valleys at the gates of Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, provide us with extremely beautiful scenery in the shadow of three thousand steep peaks and eternal white snow. A wild area with beautiful waterfalls and woods, with unforgettable moments, colors, scents, and scenery in every season.
It is recommended to visit the Ethnological Museum of Bielsa or the nearby medieval village of Aínsa, one of the most beautiful villages in Spain. And if you want to visit several charming villages full of Romanesque architecture, you can take the route of Tellan, Bestuen, Fanlon, Valles de Gistain and Plan.
Nature provides a great setting for sports. The rivers meander through rocky gorges that are a paradise for paddlers and rafters. Mountain bike or hiking trails are another attractive option, for example the scenery offered by the Cinca Waterfall Trail or the Marboré Lake Trail is stunning. As a farewell to this route, try roast lamb or a good wild boar stew that can be rinsed down with Somontano wines.
Parador-Accommodation prices:
Route prices starting at 315€ for 3 days, and 7 days 715€/2 persons (breakfast is included in the price, dinner 50€/day/2 persons). Flights and car rental to be booked separately. When making a reservation, a booking fee of 100e/person (+flights) will be charged, and the outstanding ammount needs to be paid no later than 15 days before the trip.
Nature in national parks
Nature in natural parks
Nature combines the wild beauty of the mountains Palentina and Picos de Europa on this route
Route I 3days: Cervera de Pisuerga – Fuente Dé
Days 1-2 (Sun-Mon), Parador de Cervera de Pisuerga
With the waters of the Ruesga basin at the foot and the steep peaks in the background, Parador de Cervera is an ideal base for immersing yourself in the mountains of Cantabria and the stunning scenery of the Fuentes Carrionas and Fuente Cobre Natural Parks. These wild landscapes are a paradise for nature lovers and especially for lovers of hunting and fishing.
Explore the surroundings on a route, such as Roblón de Estalaya, where you will see “El Abuelo,” an exceptionally long-lived oak tree; La Tejada de Tosande, with old 5-6-meter-high berry spruces; or the beautiful path of the Fossil Forest, which is estimated to have forest stands and tree trunks that existed 300 million years ago. A more relaxed option is to take a tourist boat trip on the Canal de Castilla, and try the El Robledal del Oso adventure park, which has fun routes through the woods.
There are also more than a hundred Romanesque temples nearby, from large monasteries to small chapels integrated into the landscape, such as the Santa María la Real Monastery and Museum, the Aguilar de Campoo “galletera”, the Cave Church of Olleros de Pisuerga or the Church of San Juan de Moarés de Ojeda. The Roman villa of La Olmeda, just over 50 kilometers to the south, is also worth a visit.
Day 3 (Tue), Parador de Fuente Dé
There are many opportunities to travel from Cervera to Fuente Dé, all of which guarantee stunning scenery on a winding route of some 80 kilometers. The splendor of the Picos de Europa got that name because it was the first thing the Nordic people who moved to America saw when they returned by boat – one of the most spectacular and beautiful on the Iberian Peninsula – and it impressed travelers.
With an excellent location, the Parador is a great base for exploring this unparalleled natural park. Through the Fuente Dé cable car next to the Parador, we can comfortably ascend the vantage point. There are numerous and varied routes to enjoy the surroundings and small mountain villages such as Mogrovejo. It is also interesting to visit Potes, a village of bridges and towers famous for its own liqueur “orujo”. Lebaniego stew is a great way to recharge your energy when you return from excursions, and you can’t miss the special cave-cured Picón Bejes-Tresviso cheese either.
And if you like adventure sports, then here you can do everything: kayaking, rafting, climbing, mountaineering, snowshoeing, Naranco de Bulnes climbing, horseback riding trails… What do you want to take part in?
An enchanting journey through the history and natural heritage of Extremadura in Cáceres, Plasencia and Jarandilla
Route II 3days: Cáceres – Plasencia – Jarandilla de la Vera
Nature – 3 nights
Day 1 (Sun), Parador de Cáceres
We start this journey from the city of Cáceres. A unique architectural city that forms one of the most important monumental complexes of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance in the world.
No matter which direction you head for the labyrinth of cobbled streets, there are fortress houses, churches, palaces, or its Roman and Arabic walls. And you’ll be surprised at the Plaza de Santa María, surrounded by Renaissance palaces, or discovering gems such as the Provincial Museum, the Bujaco Tower, the Old Jewish Quarter and Santa María Cathedral. Cáceres is called the “happy city” – its nightlife is famous, and the atmosphere is wonderful. Many places still have a free tapas in practice.
Day 2 (Mon), Parador de Plasencia
The next stop is Plasencia, located in the fertile valley of the Valle del Jerte. The strategic area of Ruta de la Plata (former silver transport route) is a real gift. You will find the remains of a medieval wall, its towers (21 of the original 71 have survived) and its gates. As you walk through Plaza Mayor, the city’s nerve center, and in the town hall tower, you’ll find Abuelo Mayorgan the automatized bell machine built in the 13th century, one of the city’s symbols.
In addition, you will find one of the most representative monumental complexes in the area, consisting of an old cathedral, Romanesque design, and a new cathedral with Gothic and Renaissance elements in beautiful surroundings. The medieval aqueduct of San Antón, the bishop’s palace, the palaces of Mirabel, Carvajal-Girón and Torres, and the convent of San Vicente Ferrer are other places of interest in the city.
Monfragüe National Park and its biosphere reserve, which undoubtedly has a valuable natural heritage, are only about 20 km away. The area between the Tajo and Tiétar rivers is one of the most representative and best-preserved areas of Mediterranean forests and shrubs.
In this wonderful environment, among many other species, there are e.g., the eastern imperial eagle, the black vulture, the forest hawk, the owl eagle, the black heron, and the great griffon vultures.
Likewise, Plasencia is a great base for exploring the Hurdes, Sierra de Gata or Valle del Jerte in the spring, when the cherry blossoms turn the valley white.
Day 3 (Tue), Parador de Jarandilla de la Vera
We head east towards the La Vera region and its special microclimate. The unique Parador de Jarandilla has a special starting point to explore places such as the Monastery of Yuste, where Emperor Carlos V. spent his last days. If you like nature, you can visit wonderful places like Garganta del Jaranda or Garganta de la Olla, where you can take a bath in the natural pools. You can also visit the nearby towns of Valverde and Villanueva.
Lovers of good food can’t leave without trying Torta del Casar, probably the best cheese in the world, a good pata negra ham fed with acorns and red gold: peppers.
Parador-Accommodation prices:
Route prices starting at 315€ for 3 days, and 7 days 715€/2 persons (breakfast is included in the price, dinner 50€/day/2 persons). Flights and car rental to be booked separately. When making a reservation, a booking fee of 100e/person (+flights) will be charged, and the outstanding ammount needs to be paid no later than 15 days before the trip.
