Hiking in Vall de Núria – a day trip from Barcelona
Looking to escape the hustle and bustle of Barcelona – even for just a few hours? Then do I ever have a fantastic day trip idea for you. Go hiking in Vall de Núria.
Vall de Núria is located in the valley of the eastern Pyrenees mountains within the municipal area of Queralbs. It sits above one of the highest points of the Ribes Valley and is surrounded by peaks of almost 3,000 meters (or 10,000 ft). What makes this so incredibly special is the only way to get there is by rack railway or by foot (a 3 hour hike up the old pilgrim’s road). Either way you decide to get there you will be graced with some amazing views of deep narrow gorges, rock, river and trees. Sounds amazing right?
The Shrine of Núria
Vall de Núria has a fascinating legendary tale, and here’s how the story goes. San Gil (Saint Giles in English) arrived in this area from Athens around 700 AD. He lived the life of a hermit, living in caves and spending his time with the local shepherds. He was thought to have carved the painted image of the Virgin Mary. For safe keeping he hid the carving in a cave when he had to flee from prosecution.
In 1072, some would say by divine inspiration, a pilgrim named Amadeu was called to this area to help build a chapel and search for the Virgin Mary. He and the local shepherds discovered the image and carried it to Queralbs. However, many believed it needed to remain in Núria. So, a procession was organized to bring the carving back to Núria. Thus, this is how the Shrine of Núria came to be.
How to get to Vall de Núria
Instead of the 3 hour hike, we opted for the rack railway. It brings you to the location of the original church sanctuary and hostel to house the Pilgrims from centuries ago. Today what stands is a large building that includes a hotel, restaurant, information center and gift shop. Immediately you are taken aback by such a large complex, in this remote high valley of the Pyrenees. It’s an incredibly scenic area – framed by the mountains with a large grassy area and small lake in the foreground. Today, hiking and skiing are the two major draws to this area.
You can catch the rack railway to Vall de Núria from one of 3 places: Ribes-Enlaac, Ribes-Vila or Queralbs. For us, we joined a private tour (with 3 other couples), leaving from Barcelona and driving to Queralbs, with a stop along the way in Vic, a historic and picturesque village.
This rack railway covers 12.5 km (or 8 miles) and takes you up an incline of over 1,000 meters (or 3,200 ft) through unspoiled mountain landscape views.
Hiking in Vall de Núria
There are so many hiking trails you can choose from, all starting at Vall de Núria. Clear descriptions of distance, altitude, estimated walking time and experience level are clearly marked.
The Shrine of Núria, a popular pilgrimage route, is the same path that the Pilgrims took from the town of Queralbs to Núria. Here, you will find stone crosses, churches and artifacts littering the route. This was our starting point, before branching off to another route, Cami de les Coves, which reached a maximum altitude of 2,134 meters (or 7,600 ft).
Here were some of our views along the way…
We also did Cami del Bosc which started from the cable car, which we took to the summit of 2,122 meters and walked down.
Here were some of the views. along this trail…
Many of the trails have connecting points with the Santiago el Camino, the famous pilgrimage route. The flag signifies a main intersection and marker for hikers.
This is the high Pyrenees, close to the border with France, and you can see the path that people used during the Spanish civil war to pass from France to Spain.
As a holidaymaker…
Vall de Núria is a peaceful place. Whether you are a spiritual person or not, it will leave you feeling inspired, grateful and a longing to return. Hopefully one day, and perhaps by walking the Santiago el Camino.
40 Comments
Linda (LD Holland)
I love the idea of heading out of Barcelona for a day and going hiking. Especially to a spot like Vall de Nuria which requires travel by rack railway! I would not be hiking up. It looks like a great scenic spot when you get to the top. Great to know that the different paths are well marked.
The.Holidaymaker
It’s a great break from a busy city of Barcelona. The views and landscape are simply incredible.
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Sarah
These photos are stunning! I ended up going on a day-trip to Andorra when I was in Barcelona and had planned on going back there to hike next time, but this looks so beautiful I might have to go here instead! Plus getting the rack railway up sounds like a lot of fun.
The.Holidaymaker
Thank you Sarah for your kind comment. I definitely recommend doing this if you return to Barcelona.
Steph
What a beautiful place! The photos of the hike look great
I can’t believe that I’ve never head of Vall de Nuria before. I just might plan a day trip there when I visit Barcelona again
The.Holidaymaker
Thank you for your comment. We are so glad we heard about it while there. It was fantastic hiking.
Gus Feliciano
These pictures look amazing!
Its crazy that when I think of Barcelona this is definitely not what I think about but guess I got a few additional hikes to add to my list!
The.Holidaymaker
Thank you Gus for dropping by! If you’re an avid hiker, you will to add this to your list!
Emma
What a gorgeous place, those views are incredible. I’m defibrillator going to look into this place more if I get back to Barcelona and Spain. I had no idea there were such great places to do day trips to from there. I love the old stone structures
The.Holidaymaker
Thanks Emma for your comment. Yes, you’ll definitely have to check it out!
Riana Ang-Canning
What a gorgeous spot! I love the views and that you can get our in nature just outside of Barcelona. I think I would also opt for the railway instead of the three hour hike. And I like the sound of riding a cablecar up and then hiking down – definitely more my speed!
The.Holidaymaker
Thank you, glad you like it! It’s such a great experience when in Barcelona and wanting to get out of the city for even just a day.
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Jan
I would never have imagined that there is such a beautiful valley to hike near Barcelona! Spain is indeed full of surprises. We drove around scenic mountainous roads in Zahara de la Sierra and Grazalema – just a short drive from the historic places like Cordoba. Your pictures are stunning! 🙂
The.Holidaymaker
Thank you Jan for your kind words. It was incredible to hike a small part of the trails that connect with the Camino de Santiago.
Melody Pittman
Wow! Those views are incredible. I’ve never heard of this place before but loved that it is on the Santiago el Camino travelers’ route. 😉 That was one of my most special trips ever. Thanks for sharing such a beautiful place.
The.Holidaymaker
Thank you Melody for taking the time to visit the post and commenting. Yes, while we were there, many hikers we came across stop in this area for a rest and/or overnight stay. I was in awe of their commitment and stamina! Thank you for stopping by and reading the post!
Sandy N Vyjay
Vall de Núria looks so enchanting. A hike here definitely sounds like walking through a magical land. Would love to hitch a ride on the rack railway too. Sounds such a romantic experience. Finally, the fable of Vall de Núria makes for fascinating reading and adds to the mystical aura of the place.
The.Holidaymaker
Thank you so much Sandy, glad you liked reading about this magical place. I hope you get to visit it one day.
Yukti
I never knew that there are beautiful mountains nearby Barcelona. Though I never hiked so much but definitely try. Thanks for sharing a beautiful and offbeat destination to us.
The.Holidaymaker
You are welcome Yukti! Thanks for stopping by.
Milijana
Actually, I do like the hustle and bustle of Barcelona. But, hiking the Shrine of Núria looks fantastic and I wouldn’t mind leaving Barcelona for a few days to enjoy all the gorgeous scenery, fresh air, and the company of mountain deer, marmots, mouflons, and wild sheep in Nuria area.
The.Holidaymaker
Completely agree! I love big cities too, but I also enjoy a good escape! We just went for the day and it was a great break.
The Travel Bunny
This must be amazing! I love the views, and I’d love to get there someday, though I know I need better training. I also hope to do the old El Camino, too.
The.Holidaymaker
It was amazing. The great part of visiting here is it offered hiking trails for all levels- whether you are a beginner or with a family or have been hiking for years- there was truly something for everyone. The great part is that you could take a ski lift up see the views and then back down again. Many people just walked around the lake and then had a picnic on the grounds. Hope you get there one day!
Susanne
We were in Barcelona and did not discover this wonderful area. What a shame! Your pictures are great, I can imagine how beautiful it is there and would love to get on the plane and explore the area.
The.Holidaymaker
All the more reason to return to Barcelona! This place is a bit unknown, and that is why it is so special.
Danik
I do a lot of hiking in Europe but never in this region of Spain. And to be honest after reading this post and seeing the photos, I would very happily swap the hustle and bustle of Barcelona for the stunning countryside and mountains.
The.Holidaymaker
Yes, you are right Danik. What is better than scenic landscape and mountains? Thanks for commenting.
Carol Colborn
Such awesome pictures of the colors of the slopes. The Pyrenees is beautiful. And Santiago del Camino beckons!
The.Holidaymaker
I agree! I would love to hike the Santiago del Camino one day too. This was just a little taste of that. Thanks for commenting.
Ketki
Wow I did not know there was an hiking place so close to Barcelona and it is such a welcome change to see this instead of the typical touristy photos. This is great find and your photos are lovely.
The.Holidaymaker
Thank you for the kind words. I am always on the search for non-touristy things to do. I will be writing an upcoming blog about another place we visited for hiking, but have to say there is nothing that compares to hiking in the Pyrenees.
Lara
What a beautiful place! I went to Spain years ago, but we did not go to Barcelona. As a hiker and lover of nature, this would be my kind of day trip, or overnight at the hotel and really have lots of time to soak up more of those views.
The.Holidaymaker
Yes, definitely we would have loved to stay longer and be able to do more hiking routes. It is not something you want to rush. Hope you get to visit one day. Thanks for stopping by Lara.
Tabitha Bear
Your pictures are beautiful! I love this information. I’d really like to visit Barcelona, but I’d also like to see other parts of Spain. Thanks for this idea!
The.Holidaymaker
Thanks so much Tabitha for reading the post, and your kind words. I hope you get to visit this place one day soon.
Brooklyn
Wow. I loved reading the history of this gorgeous area. Looks like a stunning hike!
The.Holidaymaker
Thank you Brooklyn for your kind comment.