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We are starting the snow season outside the ski resorts. The rural tourism generated around the ski slopes is far greater than the ski pass or the ski lift. check out our list of private tours here!
The ski season has begun, and with it the endless queues to access the ski resorts amidst a bewildering array of colourful alpine equipment and crowded car parks.
There are many small villages close to the ski resorts that offer something extra when the first snow falls. Today we look at some of them.
PIORNEDO (GALICIA)
The autumn snows leave white villages in Galicia, which in the case of the province of Lugo are particularly impressive and worth a visit. The Ancares pass is probably one of the places in Galicia where the snow first appeared, and a few days ago it was announced that it was necessary to drive with chains on the roads that cross it.
Piornedo is probably one of the most beautiful images of snowy Galicia, with its white-topped palisades and this village of Celtic origin, reminiscent of one of those Viking villages in the movies. Three mountain trails start from here, which become spectacular in the snow. One of them leads to the Hermitage of San Lorenzo, from where there are marvellous views of the snowy mountain pass.
BAGERGUE (LLEIDA).
This is one of the highest points in the Val d’Aran and perhaps the most beautiful and interesting village for those who flee the madness of Baqueira-Beret every time the ski season opens. This peaceful mountain village is located on the famous circular route through the valley leading to the ski resort.
Those who arrive in Bagergue find an eerie silence hidden among the snow-covered stone houses. Indeed, silence, tranquillity and clean air are its hallmark, amid the streets dotted with colourful flowers, and you can almost touch the French earth with your fingers. It is not surprising that Po Dones chose this place to be always alone, because the noise of the ski resorts does not reach here.
RIPOLL AND NURIA VALLEY (GIRONA)
Ripollès is one of the least visited areas by ski lovers, so the Nuria Valley is a delight for those who want to enjoy the village and the snow without the crowds. Ripoll, the county capital, is more than just a mountain village. It is the starting point for routes to explore the valley on foot or on snowshoes when there is snow.
The opportunity to visit the monastery of Santa Maria de Ripoll with the first snowflakes is a luxury. Few people can describe the appearance of a two-storey monastery covered in snow. And few are sure that a monastery founded in 880 is still in such a spectacular state of preservation.
CILLORIGO DE LIÉBANA (CANTABRIA)
At this time of year, the region of Liébana has welcomed the snow. Because the Picos de Europa Mountains scratch the sky almost as much as the Pyrenees, leaving a white trail that invites you to visit villages far from the hustle and bustle of the ski resorts.
In Cantabria, one example is Cillorigo de Liébana, a picturesque Pasiego village that seems to have stood still since the 11th century. In summer it is a favourite destination for Cantabrians who love green tourism, but when the snow arrives it welcomes those who flee the crowds of nearby Potes and want to follow the snow route (now that the altitude is low) along the Desfiladero de la Hermida if we reach Cabañes.
BULNES (ASTURIAS)
We are not far from the Picos de Europa to offer you another destination that will soon be covered in snow and is a must for mountaineers and lovers of rural tourism. Bulnes is one of the most beautiful mountain villages in the Principality and it is well worth taking the opportunity, before the snow accumulates, to walk through the gorge that joins it to the village of Poncebos.
For the more adventurous, there is a climb up Mount Urriellu, which can still be done without encountering thick slabs of snow or ice. In the village there are also modern farm buildings with chimneys. You can’t ask for more.
