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Catalunya Pyrenees
Baqueira Beret - Founded in 1964 by Spanish champion ski racer Luis Arias, Baqueira Beret has grown to become Spain's largest resort. The modern lift infrastructure serves terrain generally regarded as some of the most challenging in the Pyrenees mountains, and most of it is above the treeline. The resort is purpose built but done tastefully using wood and stone rather than concrete. Baqueira's southerly latitude gives an hour more daylight for skiing than in the Alps, and it's warmer too. But the 350+ snow guns ensure adequate snow cover on the lower slopes which face north or north west.
There is skiing for all abilities in this large area including five tough blacks, excellent off-piste powder and near vertical couloirs. The 'Scornacrabes' is particularly well known and has the literal translation of "the place where the goats die". The Louis Arias and Tubo Nere runs are famed as steep mogul trails. The Spanish Ski frequently trains here.
Baqueira Beret is well laid out, has a modern lift infrastructure and a lively and varied apres ski scene. And international visitors appreciate the relatively reasonable Spanish prices.
 Masella - The ski resort of Masella is located in the Catalunya Pyrenees. It's the second biggest resort in the Spanish Pyrenees, after Baqueira-Beret, with its own microclimate which gives it the distinct advantage of receiving more sunshine hours than any of the other Pyrenean ski centres (its name means "more sun" in Catalan). It's an ideal family resort and is popular among Catalonians who make day and weekend trips here from Barcelona and the other towns and villages in this north east corner of Spain.
The resort is immediately to the south east of the independent state of Andorra, 175 kilometres from Barcelona's international airport. It lies between the towns of Alp, Das and Urus in an area known as the Oriental Pyrenees.
You don't come here to mingle with the rich and famous but there's a good range of ski-ing to suit all abilities and you'll find the resort incredibly good value compared with the more exclusive winter playgrounds of the Swiss and French Alps. Catalunya Pyrenees has much to offer the international visitor so you could combine a tour of this beautiful region with a few days ski-ing at Masella and the 20 or more ski stations within a 30-kilometre radius of it.
The 37 pistes of Masella cover 57 kilometres and consist of six green runs, 15 blues, 10 reds and six blacks. About 80% of the pistes run through the forest of this spectacular area which is often compared with the Rocky Mountains in the USA. Queues are kept to a minimum thanks to a lift system capable of transporting 7,360 skiers per hour. Five chair lifts (four and six seaters) and eight drag lifts serve the pistes which are kept open even in periods of little snowfall thanks to the resort's 290 snow cannons. There are also specially adapted areas and a half-pipe for snowboarders.
The resort's two ski schools have 65 instructors who provide individual and group lessons for skiers of all levels. The schools also organise mountain excursions.
There are bars and cafes in the resort but no nightlife to speak of although the only hotel here, the three-star Alp Hotel, has a disco, billiards and games room. It tends to get over-run with parties of Spanish school children so it's not the place for singles or couples seeking a sophisticated evening of dining and dancing. There's a good choice of hotel accommodation in the nearby villages of La Molina, Alp and Puigcerda and you'll also find many self-catering apartments in the area. One of the most sumptuous places to bed down for the night is the elegant Hotel Torre del Remei at Bolvir, a former summer palace near Puigcerda.
La Molina - The ski resort of La Molina is located in the Catalunya Pyrenees. It's the oldest ski resort in Spain but boasts thoroughly modern facilities which are continually being developed and improved. Skiers have been coming here for nearly a century, attracted by the stunning scenery and ideal ski-ing conditions provided by the pine-covered slopes of the Vall de Nuria. The scenery is just as beautiful today but much has changed since 1909 when the men skied in jackets and ties and female skiers struggled valiantly in long skirts!
The resort is immediately to the south east of the independent state of Andorra, 175 kilometres from Barcelona's international airport. The larger resort of Masella is nearby and the two ski centres between them provide more than 100 kilometres of marked runs. There's a train service from Barcelona (travelling time is around three and a half hours) and a regular bus service between the station at La Molina and the resort.
The first hotel for skiers opened here in 1925 and in 1943 La Molina was the first ski resort in Spain to install a drag lift. Today the resort's 13 lifts - a telecabin, six chairlifts and six drag lifts - are capable of transporting nearly 16,000 skiers an hour. The 40 pistes cover 50 kilometres and consist of seven green runs, 12 blue runs, 15 red runs and six black runs. Artificial snow, pumped out by no less than 326 cannons, guarantees ski-ing on 20 kilometres of the marked runs. There's a permanent competition track and four ski jumps to challenge more advanced skiers and snowboarders are catered for with a half pipe, ramps and jumps. There are also three kilometres of cross-country trails through the forests.
Facilities within the resort include a ski school with 200 instructors, several snack bars and cafes, a kindergarten for infants and a snow garden for older children. As an alternative to ski-ing, you can explore the mountains on a snow-shoe hike or take a sled ride with a team of huskies. At the nearby town of Alp, eight kilometres from the resort, you can take to the skies in a hot air balloon, microlight or light aircraft to enjoy breathtaking views of the Pyrenees. There are several hotels and self-catering apartments in the resort which can accommodate more than 2,000 guests. You'll find a wider choice of hotels and cheaper hostals in the surrounding villages such as Alp, Puigcerda and Berga. If you feel like spoiling yourself (and you can afford to!) head for the luxurious Hotel Torre del Remei at Bolvir, near Puigcerda a short drive north of the resort. This former summer palace is set in an eight-acre forest and provides 11 sumptuous guest rooms, including seven suites, with magnificent mountain views.
 Boi Taull - The Boi Taull ski resort is set deep in the heart of the Boi Valley, in the Catalunya Pyrenees.
Here you will find the ideal combination of natural surroundings - situated next to Aigüestortes National Park - and services offered at this mountain resort. Its architecture employing stone, wood and slate, is typically Pyrenean and blends perfectly into the environment. All our staff members are warm, friendly and , attentive. We want you to feel right at home. The Boi Taull inhabitants are renowned for their friendliness, making the area a popular destination with families.
Forty one slopes are broken down into eight green, seven blue, 19 red, and seven black, covered by 15 lifts. A lift pass costs 25 euros per day, and access to the slopes is fast and efficient. There are two ski schools, each with 40 instructors; classes cost between 25 euros and 26 euros per person per hour. Seven establishments offer a total of 1,376 beds, and for those in need of a little apres-ski luxury, there are two three-star hotels with all the usual amenities, plus saunas and spas. Ski gear can be hired from a shop located only metres from the foot of the slopes.
 Espot - The ski resort of Espot is located in a well-known beauty corner of huge natural value of the Catalunya Pyrenees, set deep within the Parc Nacional d’Aiguestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici, the only national park of Catalunya. Espot, the best access road to the Parc Nacional d’Aiguestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici, is one of the most beautiful and emblematic villages within the region of the Pallars Sobira, with a long tradition in receiving its visitors and sharing the calm beauty of its mountains, its rivers and its lakes.
Last season Espot embarked upon a programme of infrastructure renovations with view to improving both safety levels and quality. These included the addition of more snow cannons - it now has a total of 96 - and a new "boardercross" run. In addition to skiing and snowboarding, other activities offered include snowmobile rental, snowshoe hire and dog sledding. There is also a ski school featuring 70 teachers. The resorts 31 trails are gathered around a single ski station located at 2.000m.
 Vallter 2000 -Located on the eastern extreme of the Pyrenees, Vallter 2000 offers a beautiful setting for skiing and from its peaks the Bay of Roses and Costa Brava are visible. It offers a total of 12 pistes - two green, four blue, four red and two black accessed mainly by drag lifts. Ski lessons are available from the 28 instructors. A day's lift pass costs 19 to 21 euros.
 Port Del Comte -Located at the foot of the mountain range with which it shares its name, the Lleida resort of Port Del Comte lies within one of Spain most beautiful forested regions. To the north west of Barcelona, it is easily accessible from all the major Catalonian cities. The ski station itself, a total of 34 pistes covered by 79 snowmaking cannons, comprises three main areas - El Hostal, El Sucre and El Estivella, which is linked to the other sections by the Prat de Botons chairlift. There are 30 instructors at the local ski school. Resort facilities include a cafeteria, restaurant, phones and medical services, while car parking space is mainly located at El Sucre.
Port Aine -Opened in 1986, Port Aine is situated in the Pallars Sobira region of the Pyrenees. The resort has a total of 30 slopes spread over 43.5 kilometres: seven green, three blue, 13 red, and seven black covered by nine lifts.
Limited accommodation is available at the resort, and equipment can be hired in the village. Ski classes cost 22.80 euros an hour.
 Tavascan -Tavascan ski resort is located in the Cardos Valley, at the top of the Pallars Sobirà. It is an area surrounded by high peaks, which houses many lakes that provide access to the French Pyrenees. It is a location of great natural beauty and is representative of a new style of high-mountain resort that offers a complete range of skiing activities. all the ski modalities. Tavascan offers a wide variety of mountain activities: Alpine and Nordic skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, ski treekking and a mountain retreat with sleeping accommodation. At the Pleta del Prat retreat it is possible to enjoy mountain activities all year round and great care has been taken to make these compatible with the conservation of the natural environment. The valley is rich in Romanesque heritage and offers routes through various different villages and the opportunity to enjoy their culture and gastronomy.
Vall de Nuria - Tucked away in the eastern Pyrenees just north of Barcelona, Vall de Nuria is a small resort accessible by funicular railway. Although there are only 10 pistes - which include both easy and hard runs - the station offers a good day out for families and there's a special children's centre which coordinates a range of activities for kiddies. Four chair and drag lifts and service the mountain, with 47 snow cannons helping maintain good coverage. Ski lessons and equipment hire are available. Lift pass options include combination lift and furnicular passes. An adult day lift pass costs 19.40 euros at the weekend and 15.50 euros during the week.
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