In the very center of the Pyrenees is the Aran Valley, right halfway between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean Sea. You can get there only by car or by bus, overcoming mountain roads that are surrounded by ravines and waterfalls. In this valley is the ski resort of Baqueira-Beret, which is called the largest and most famous in the Pyrenees. The royal family and the president of the country also rest here.

Baqueira Beret

The Spaniards themselves really like to relax here.

For a long period, this valley was better connected with neighboring France than with Spain. The local language, Aranese, has been preserved here, which is taught in schools and spoken by local authorities, and the resort’s cuisine has experienced the influence of both countries, it is for its restaurants that this valley is famous.

European skiers and snowboarders have long made Baqueira-Beret their Mecca. The most demanding tourists, including the Spanish royal family, the President of Spain and their entourage, have highly appreciated not only the quality of the local snow, but also the variety of services that Baqueira-Beret offers to tourists. Here you will find slopes of various levels of difficulty, both for beginners and for aces, modern powerful lifts, rental of necessary equipment, the best ski schools, medical centers, ice rinks, heated swimming pools, hotels and apartments. Gourmets can enjoy excellent restaurants and cozy cafes, and in your free time from skiing you will not be bored with shops for every taste, discos, cinemas and other components of a modern youth sports resort.

How to get there

The resort of Baqueira-Bere is located in the east of the Aran Valley. You can get here from the nearest airports in Toulouse (France) – 166 km, about 2 hours drive, and from Barcelona – about 350 km, then about 4 hours by car. There is a bus from Barcelona to Viel 3 times a day, travel time – 6 hours. You can also get there via Biarritz, although its airport is located further from Barcelona in distance, it is less time-consuming.

Resorts in Spain – Baqueira-Beret

Climate in Baqueira-Beret

The ski season at the resort lasts from December to April. The snow in the mountains lies until the end of April. And when spring is already blooming in the valleys with bright colors, many people still ski in the mountains, on the ski slopes. The proximity of the Atlantic Ocean provides a stable snow cover, which is supported by a developed network of artificial snow guns, more than 500 of them are installed here.

Historical information about Baqueira-Beret

The Aran Valley, where the resort is located, was so isolated from the outside world in the recent past that its own language, Aran, was formed and preserved among its inhabitants. However, most often it is considered by experts to be a dialect of Catalan. Today, Aran is still used in schools, and is also used in everyday speech by local authorities.

For a long time, the valley had a stronger connection with France than with Spain. However, the local cuisine, recognized worldwide, was influenced by both Spain and France.

Skiing in Baqueira-Beret

There are enough slopes to ski for a week, and if there is snowfall, then for two: the resort has a large off-piste skiing area.

A 6-day ski pass costs about 90 euros, but the price of the ski pass is included in the price of accommodation at the hotel.

There is a half-pipe for snowboarders, but it is better to just ski off-piste.

The Baqueira-Beret ski resort is located on Mount Leydi, in the Aran Valley. The resort consists of 3 large parts:

Baqueira is a starting point for skiing with ideal conditions for skiing. There are classic slopes of all levels of difficulty. Baqueira has five prepared steep “black” slopes and almost vertical couloirs. The Manaud slope is of greatest interest. The very popular off-piste slope “Escornacrabes” will appeal to strong and intermediate skiers. The slopes “Luis Arias” and “Tubo Nere” are steep and hilly, and are where the Spanish moguls team trains.

The training slopes “Rabad” and “Pastores” are located in the Baqueira sector, but you have to take the lifts to get to them.

Beret offers ideal conditions on wide slopes. Tourists can enjoy trails of all levels for group skiing, parachuting, cross-country skiing and dog sledding.

In Bonaigua there is the Teso de la Mina complex. It is located on another slope of Baqueira-Beret. It provides excellent conditions for both experienced and novice skiers, as well as for families with children. There are freestyle slopes and all levels of difficulty for ski touring. In Bonaigua there are two wonderful “blue” slopes, quite steep for their category – “Llanza” and “Argulls Bis”, from which a magnificent view of the Aran Valley opens. However, the views here are beautiful everywhere: on the wide and long “red” slopes of Baqueira there is also where to take pictures.

The resort has 77 km of prepared slopes: 9% of them are difficult, 48% are intermediate and 43% are intended for beginners.

24 lifts have a high capacity and serve 31 thousand people per hour.

The resort is considered to have one of the best ski schools in Spain. More than two hundred instructors teach people of different age groups and levels of skiing.

There are 3 children’s parks in Baqueira-Beret. In Baqueira, the park is designed to train 45 children at a time. In Beret, the park is located next to the control center and is designed to train 30 children. And in Bonaigua, the park is located opposite the service center, and training is conducted for 8 children at a time. Training is conducted in a playful way, starting from the age of 2.

Sights in Baqueira-Beret and the surrounding area

Walking along the trails of the Baqueira-Beret resort, you cannot help but drop by the local chapels and basilicas of the early Christian era. These sights, undeservedly overlooked by guidebooks, hold amazing surprises for the observant and curious traveler. The vaults and inner walls of these buildings are decorated with many beautiful and unique frescoes, not damaged by the various conquerors who passed by Baqueira-Beret. At a time when there were no newspapers, no television, and even less the Internet, the frescoes served as a means of providing information, thanks to which the local mountain population actually mastered the world around them.

Modern residents of the resort organize and support several museums, including the Museum of Alpine Skiing. The museum offers an opportunity to learn about its origins, formation and development, as well as listen to a story about different types of ski equipment, gear and equipment.

Built on the Garonne River, the city of Vielha is the capital of the Aran region. The beauty of the streets and buildings, especially in the old part of the city, makes Vielha an ideal place to relax.

Excursions and all the possibilities for active recreation in Baqueira-Beret

The slopes of the mountains in the resort are gentle, so it is good to ski here. It is pleasant to walk on snowshoes, as well as ride dog sleds or snowmobiles. Skiers have excellent opportunities for freeriding, half-pipe, heli-skiing and snowboarding.

Ski Baqueira Bereta

The ski station is located on a mountain called Lady, it consists of three fairly large parts. Baqueira can be called the starting point for skiing, as here you will find slopes of any level of difficulty. Excellent conditions await skiers on the wide slopes of Bereta. Here tourists can ski in groups, as well as organize parachute skiing, dog sledding or use flat skis. Teso de Mina is a complex located in Bonaigua. This complex is located on the opposite slope of Baqueira-Beret. It is a pleasant place to relax for families with children, beginners in skiing, and professionals.

In total, there are about 77 kilometers of prepared slopes, of which about 9% are the most difficult, 48% of the slopes are designed for intermediates, and 43% for beginners. There are 24 lifts here, they have a good capacity, the lifts serve 31,000 skiers per hour.

In this resort, you can study at one of the best Spanish ski schools. More than 200 instructors are at your disposal, they will put you on skis regardless of your age and skiing experience.

Recreation at a ski resort

Paragliding is popular here all year round. In the summer, the resort is usually visited by mountain bikers, horse riders, kayakers, rafters, rock climbers and mountaineers. Hiking enthusiasts enjoy mountain lakes, rivers and waterfalls. There are also opportunities for golfing.

The resort has an ice rink, swimming pool, bowling alley and sports centre. Prices are generally higher here than in nearby resorts.

Hotel pools

Mountain lakes with clear water, rivers with waterfalls attract hiking enthusiasts here. The clear air, filled with flowering herbs, firs and pines, makes walks along mountain trails healing for health.

If desired, active recreation in the mountains is replaced by leisurely and aristocratic golf. The fact that the golf courses are not empty is partly to blame for the many sports teams that hold training sessions, competitions and cup meetings here.

Among other things, vacationers are provided with a nursery for children from 3 months. The resort area has an ice rink, a sports center, a swimming pool, and a bowling alley.

Car and housing rental

You can rent a car if you want to drive to the resort on your own upon arrival in Barcelona. Then you can take the car you need at the airport, the average cost will be from 200 hryvnias per day. It is very convenient to book a car in advance via the Internet, then with a higher probability you will rent exactly the car you need, you can also get an additional discount of about 10%. To book, you need to enter your data and a voucher will come to the specified email address. This voucher must be presented at the rental point, as well as a passport and an international driver’s license, a credit card.

The resort is popular, and the prices there are higher than in neighboring resorts.

The resort offers vacationers accommodation in 2 * -5 * hotels and apartments.

Resort hotels

Baqueira Beret Hotels

Rafaelhoteles By La Pleta 5-star hotel

Hotel La Pleta is an exclusive hotel and spa. It is located in the Baqueira-Beret ski resort in Lleida. It offers luxurious rooms with views of the Pyrenees.

The bright rooms at Rafaelhoteles by La Pleta feature a plasma-screen satellite TV and a DVD player. Each room includes free toiletries, a bathrobe and slippers.

Hotel La Pleta features a spa offering a range of massages and beauty treatments, a gym and an indoor pool. The hotel has 3 restaurants, several cafés and a bar with a terrace.

La Pleta has an on-site ski shop and can arrange ski shuttles and ski equipment rental. Concierge services are also available, including organising various cultural and leisure activities. Lleida is less than 3 hours’ drive away. Toulouse is less than 2.5 hours’ drive away.

Hotel Val de Neu G.L. 5-star hotel

Hotel Val de Neu G.L. is located in the first-class ski resort of Baqueira-Beret, 50 metres from the ski lift. It offers free ski storage and luxurious rooms/suites with views of the ski slopes.

The hotel has 4 restaurants: La Fondue (traditional mountain cuisine), El Bosque (international cuisine), El Bistro (light dishes) and La Nonna (Italian cuisine).

There is a lounge area with a fireplace and sofas. Massages, beauty and thermal treatments can be booked at the luxurious Sisley spa. There is an outdoor hot tub.

The children’s area includes a swimming pool, mini club and children’s restaurant. Babysitting services are available. Guests can take skiing lessons, rent ski equipment and buy ski passes.

All rooms and suites feature spacious layouts and stylish décor. The Royal Suites feature luxurious décor elements, including Swarovski diamonds. Amenities include a minibar, coffee maker, free Wi-Fi and a pillow menu.

Tuc Blanc 3-star hotel

The Tuc Blanc is located next to the Baqueira-Beret ski slopes. Guests can enjoy free ski lessons with experienced instructors. The hotel is located in the scenic Aran Valley, just 14 km from Viel.

The Tuc Blanc’s convenient location, right in front of the ski slopes, makes it ideal for winter sports.

The hotel also has an indoor swimming pool and hot tub. The spa offers beauty treatments and physiotherapy. Guests can also enjoy a sauna and a Turkish bath.

Guests can enjoy a varied breakfast, including orange juice.

The Tuc Blanc also has ski rental and a hairdresser.

Eira Ski Lodge 4-star hotel

Готель Eira Ski Lodge з прямим доступом до лижних схилів розташований в селищі Бакейра-Берет. До послуг гостей тераса, загальний лаундж і безкоштовний Wi-Fi. Готель розташований в 3,7 км від гірськолижного курорту Бакейра-Берет, в 100 м від Ескіроса і в 200 м від Мірадору. У готелі працює пункт продажу скі-пасів.

Щоранку подається повний англійський сніданок. В лижний сезон в вартість проживання входить 6 раз в тиждень вечері з 3 страв. У літню пору сервірується тільки сніданок.

В околицях можна зайнятися різними видами активного відпочинку, в тому числі лижним спортом, велоспортом і пішим туризмом.

Відстань від готелю до району Ера Кабана становить 200 м, а до району Ла Чоза – 200 м.

Розваги та нічне життя

На курорті можна не тільки активно провести час, але і здорово повеселитися. Тут ви можете відвідати будь-яку з чотирьох дискотек або взагалі всі, а також в містечку побудували 7 ресторанів і 18 барів. В цілому, вся долина популярна саме ресторанами.

Символ Аранської кухні – навариста «Аранська юшка» з горохом нут, кількома видами м’яса і ковбас – і цілющою силою для продовження подвигів на схилах. Її – і інші місцеві страви – подають у всіх ресторанах на горі: Кап дель Порт, Ла Борда де Лобато, Альтитьюд 1800 і Тиколет. До кращих ресторанів також входить найдорожчий у країні ресторан Каса Ірене, який росташований у Артьесі. Саме в цьому ресторані любить трапезувати королівська родина. У Тих Таро ви можете спробувати місцеву та інтернаціональну кухні, кухню басків спробуйте у Ла Саль Горда або в Парадорі.

Інтер’єр ресторану

Ресторан Левантино-Вулкано

Ресторани Бакейра Берет

Висновок

Бакейра-Берет – це сучасний гірськолижний курорт. На його схилах можна зустріти класичних лижників, сноубордистів, шанувальників фрістайлу, екстремалів, які висаджуються на цілинні схили з вертольотів і юних лижників з соскою в роті.