Ski tourism. One of the winter tourist attractions.

Snow sports are consolidating their position as one of the main attractions, with an infinite number of ways to have fun.

The Pyrenees Mountain system accounts for 61.2% of visitors to ski resorts. The 2021-2022 season got off to a good start with good expectations after the first snowfalls at the beginning of December. After a Christmas period with very variable weather in which not 100% of the available slopes and lifts were in operation due to lack of snow, good expectations have been generated this January due to the new snowfall forecasts, which should help to recover the level of visitors and skiers from before the pandemic.

Ski tourism has become one of the main resources for the winter season and is particularly significant in the Girona Pyrenees, which has five ski resorts offering more than 200 kilometres of slopes and first-rate facilities and equipment. Alpine skiing, snowshoeing, Nordic skiing, sledging… there are many activities available. Due to their location, tradition, conditions and services, the counties of Ripollès and Cerdanya offer an enormous range of possibilities and have become a natural territory for all those who want to make the most of the snow and this sport. They are very family-oriented ski resorts and work to link skiing with sport and leisure in a natural way. Their range of activities is so extensive that you will need days to enjoy them all. La Molina, Masella, Vallter 2000 and Vall de Núria are the benchmark for alpine skiing, and Guils Fontanera is the favourite resort for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing enthusiasts.

The five resorts have become a point of reference, especially for the quality of their facilities and services. In addition, the connection between La Molina and Masella, with more than 135 kilometres of ski slopes, forms the most important ski area in the Pyrenees, while Vallter 2000 and Vall de Núria are the paradigm of family ski resorts, which perfectly combine attention to their users with careful preparation of their ski slopes and complementary activities. And Guils Fontanera, for its part, is highly appreciated by its skiers, who know how to appreciate the exceptional nature of a unique area that allows them to enjoy the snow in a different way, with more contact with nature and at a more leisurely pace.

Thanks to their proximity to the Costa Brava, the ski resorts of the Girona Pyrenees enjoy a mild climate and mostly clear, sunny skies, a circumstance that makes them unique in Europe and constitutes a real added value for the most comfortable skiing, and now also with all the necessary safety measures to ensure that this winter you can breathe nature safely.

Due to their uniqueness and ease of access, Girona’s ski resorts are also the venue for international competitions, such as the World Ski Championships, and are a training centre for many athletes who find in this mountain range the ideal place to prepare in the best conditions for the demanding races on the competitive calendar.

More than a century of history and the future in your hands

At the beginning of the 20th century, skiing became a new leisure and sporting activity, and La Molina has been one of the great protagonists of these one hundred years, being the oldest ski resort in Spain. This has been followed by the other resorts in Girona, which have always worked to innovate and improve the services they offer, and to provide mountain tourism with added value. Today, the ski resorts of the Girona Pyrenees have modern mobile applications that allow users to keep up to date and be well informed about everything there is to do, and there is no shortage of things to do.  We’re not just talking about weather information and the state of the slopes, but also about the endless possibilities for fun in the different ski resorts in the Girona Pyrenees.

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Active and Nature Tourism Activities During the Winter Season

When winter arrives, a significant part of tourism in Catalonia shifts to the snow-covered areas. During this time, the Pyrenees region offers a wide variety of activities. The extensive network of ski resorts in the northern part of the country becomes the driving force behind a multitude of options for all types of visitors.

In winter, snow-related activities thrive in places like the Núria Valley, where there is a flurry of activity among hikers exploring the surroundings of Puigmal Peak, practicing ski mountaineering, or walking with snowshoes. Similar activities can also be enjoyed in the Camprodon Valley, surrounded by peaks that approach 3,000 meters in height, such as Gra de Fajol, Pic de Bastiments, Coll de la Geganta, or Pic de la Dona.

In the Cerdanya region, trails that are popular with hikers during the summer can also be explored with snowshoes, ski mountaineering, or snowmobiles, provided there is sufficient snowfall. Additionally, in Cerdanya, you will find a variety of trails perfect for Nordic skiing at various ski resorts nestled among black pine forests, offering stunning views of the Cadí mountain range.

It is also possible to engage in other activities, such as nighttime snowmobile rides along well-marked mountain trails or sleeping in a tipi at the Espot camp, located at an altitude of 2,000 meters. Outdoor snow adventures combine various activities like snowshoe hiking, horseback riding on snow, igloo building, high-altitude orientation courses, and using the ARVA device for locating individuals.

Overall, the entire Catalan Pyrenees mountain range offers a wide range of activities suitable for all audiences and all seasons. These diverse offerings highlight nature and cultural heritage, allowing visitors to enjoy natural spaces alongside Romanesque architecture, thermal baths, and traditional gastronomy tailored to each season. However, winter sees the highest concentration of visitors and athletes eager to enjoy snow tourism and skiing in its many forms.

The rich biodiversity of the Catalan landscape extends the tourist season beyond winter sports. Activities such as rafting, sailing on the sea or rivers, canyoning, hang gliding, hot air ballooning, and climbing are popular during the rest of the year. Catalonia has become a privileged destination for nature tourism and ecotourism. This includes exploring its two biosphere reserves, Terres de l’Ebre and Montseny, which offer unique ecological experiences.

In Catalonia, various entities and associations promote activities in close contact with nature. Recently, Nordic walking has gained significant popularity due to the growing number of participants in recent years. Several companies and organizations now offer leisure activities and training sessions to improve Nordic walking techniques.

This sport originated with Finnish skiers who used cross-country skiing techniques during the summer to train and stay in peak condition for the winter season. Recognized as one of the most beneficial sports for health, its main focus is walking, enhanced by specially designed poles that help increase speed and activate almost 90% of the body’s muscles. Since proper technique is essential for maximizing both the activity’s effectiveness and its health benefits, it is advisable to take classes or attend technical workshops with a qualified and accredited instructor to gain the necessary knowledge.

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Through EBusinessCars , you can enhance your activity proposal with high-quality, personalized, and tailored transportation to complement these sports, leisure, or business programs, whether for groups or families.

We can complete the Pyrenean experience by enjoying renowned culinary offerings such as those from Cerdanya or Aran, while also indulging in the relaxation and wellness provided by the thermal waters of the Caldes de Boí spa and thermal station.

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