Catalonia (Winter)

There are not many places where winter offers the alternatives of skiing, bicycling and playing golf near the beach, but Catalonia’s location in the northeastern Spain means that it shares the Pyrenees mountains with bordering France and has beaches on the Mediterranean. Spain's largest ski resort, Baqueira Beret, is in the Aran Valley, on the northern side of the Pyrenees, and is named for the two small villages in the valley, Baqueira and Beret. Between them are more than 60 miles of trails and terrain at altitudes of 4,800 and 7,000 feet. Although they are farther south than the Alps and warmer, there is good snow-making coverage and the ...

There are not many places where winter offers the alternatives of skiing, bicycling and playing golf near the beach, but Catalonia’s location in the northeastern Spain means that it shares the Pyrenees mountains with bordering France and has beaches on the Mediterranean. Spain's largest ski resort, Baqueira Beret, is in the Aran Valley, on the northern side of the Pyrenees, and is named for the two small villages in the valley, Baqueira and Beret. Between them are more than 60 miles of trails and terrain at altitudes of 4,800 and 7,000 feet. Although they are farther south than the Alps and warmer, there is good snow-making coverage and the altitude keeps the snow conditions good. An added bonus is that this latitude gets longer daylight hours for skiing. The range of terrain is appropriate for all skill levels, with good beginning terrain and plenty of high altitude challenges – enough to make this the preferred practice area of the Spanish Ski Team. Coupled with a lively après-ski scene and prices that are far below other European resorts, Baqueira is a place that its devoted followers would prefer to keep a secret. For those who are not devoted entirely to snow sports, year-round golf courses and temperate weather of the Costa Brava are not far away.

About the Expert

Lura Seavey is the author of Fun with the Family in Vermont and New Hampshire and she has contributed to several Thomas Cook guidebooks, including Drive Around Catalonia, Travellers Mallorca, and Travellers Barcelona.