Learn Spanish with free lessons, vibrant community, web review, vocab study & more.
The Review section is where you can send us your own story of places that you have been to and visited.
Review of the Aquadiver Water Park in Playa D'Aro.
Extensive, informative, interview with an English woman who re-located to Girona, Spain with her young family.
This Review below, of Vall De Nuria was sent in by Debra Foremski who lives in Girona.
The most perfect day trip for the middle of the Summer!
We drove from Girona towards Olot and on to Ripolles. You go through the short tunnels that cut right through the mountain, which are a unique feature of Europe. When you come to Ripolles you take the right hand lane for the most direct route to the lovely town of Ripoles. However, if you have some time, take the slightly longer route and go left for Ripolles.
This takes you on a spectacular windy drive on a very well built road up and down the mountains with the most stunning views (well, for the passengers that is - highly recommend that the driver remains concentrated and not be too distracted!). The whole route is very green with cascading pine forests and occasional mountain houses nestled above pretty valleys. One of the kids swore she saw an eagle on the way.
From Ripolles, head for Nuria. Signs at this stage are lacking but drive through Ripolles and look for Ribes de Freser which is a place with a small community. A few bars, restaurants (none of which were particularly notable). There are a few pretty houses but very much a typical mountain town. When we got there, the signs for the station Ribes-Vila were a little confusing.
We parked nearby and followed signs on foot the short way to the station.
The little train stations on route are truly exquisite. Very old fashioned and quaint. The ticket office staff speak (if you need to) English and are very helpful. Considering the price of a return ticket from Girona to Barcelona, the ticket price for two adults and two kids was quite steep (60€) but you are given information on walks, hotel facilities and activities in the resort. Plus, the mountain train is very modern and efficient. There are also special offers to stay in the resort which include the price of the train fare.
Up we went on a magical journey of fantastic vistas. As you climbed higher in the air conditioned carriages, Ribes de Freser became a tiny toy town below. Wonderful mountains, beautiful natural waterfalls, rock pools, flora and fauna opens up for you on your journey upwards.
Vall de Nuria is heralded by a whistle blow as the train arrives with a perfect view of the hotel, church and facilities in a little enclosed valley. This is primarily a winter resort but is also a welcoming alpine summer retreat. The beautiful lake is in front of the holiday complex built around an old but well preserved church. On a Summer visit you could do everything there is to offer within a day. As one of the kids observed, it was like Disney land but real.
As you hop off the train you easily find yourself in the hotel complex with displays and three, tiny museums dedicated to skiing, the natural environment and the mechanics of the lifts and cable cars. There is also the typical souvenir shop and a another selling artisan produce. There are a number of different restaurants dotted around, a dispensary, cash-point and information desk.
There are hotel rooms and apartments but it would hardly be self-catering as the facilities available are very limited (unless you came up on the train carrying your supplies) so you would be looking at eating in one of the on-sight venues.
From the information desk you can book mini-golf, horse-riding, kayaking, rowing boats and archery. There is one cable car service running in Summer.
Everything is so clean, tidy and well ordered. The staff (including the train drivers and conductors) wear the same distinctive maroon polo shirts.
You can visit a little reformed chapel and fill up your water bottle from the mountain water font.
We had a picnic on tables and benches by some swings and slides. It was next to a babbling brook where the children kicked off their shoes, rolled up their trousers and paddled on the rocks. They chased butterflies, looked for shiny stones and tried to catch tiddlers.
There is a childrens' play area where they can slide down a dry slope in rubber rings. A tip is to go at 6pm where you pay a reduced cost for 45 minutes which is more than enough time as the facilities are rather limited.
If you are lucky you may see birds of prey or a mountain goat. Cows with bells graze on the hillside under towering rock faces.
The chair lifts (not operating in Summer) and gentle slopes wait silently in anticipation of the winter season. There is a really tiny farm area where we saw farm birds, donkeys and a mountain dog tethered.
A special, delightful feature was the donkey and pony rides for small children. You book at the information desk at the hotel and take your ticket to get your pony.
It was just so lovely for the kids as our youngest (she was fitted with a riding hat) was given her own pony and led off by our nine year old. Although it is meant to be under adult supervision (i.e., a parent) our nine year old is familiar with horses so they gave her the rope and let her lead the way. So, our two kids disappeared off together in charge of the little pony between them and we sat on a bench by the lake having a beer! Amazing! This was OK until the pony decided to stop and have a munch on the grass, dug his heels and not move any further.
Despite my kids cajoling they couldn't shift him until one of the stable girls came to their rescue! The stable girl kindly changed the first pony for a more amenable one who was much more responsive. So, when our children were finished with the ride they took it back to the stable, in their own time and only when they had had enough!
We wanted to take the half-hour mountain ride on horses with a guide but it was booked up for the day, so do this when you first arrive. If we go again we will try and pre-book it. The horse/pony rides are not available in the winter. The animals all looked well treated and the staff were very caring and respectful.
In the winter it is also great for kids, so we are told. There is igloo building, nursery slopes with instructors (in Catalan, Spanish and English), toboggans and much more.
The last train down the mountain leaves at 19.20. It had been so nice to escape the hot weather in Girona. We all wished we had booked up for a couple days of respite from the heat. By the evening it was noticeably cooler but all day had been the most desirable and perfect climate. Sunny, warm with a gentle, cooling breeze. The kids loved it and were not ready to go home. We didn't do everything because it's always nice to leave something else to do if you want come back. Perhaps next summer it would be so good to stay up in the gorgeous fresh air for a couple of days.
A superb, uplifting and memorable day was had by us all.
It is such a perfect little resort for young families that we hope to return both in the Winter and in the Summer. Highly recommended and well worth going. *****
Thanks Debra, I've read about it and wondered what it was like, you've given us a great insight about this special place! Editor
Learn Spanish with SpanishPod.com
Learn Spanish with free lessons, vibrant community, web review, vocab study & more.