PARK AND LAKE SANT MAURICI

There are also itineraries designed for people with reduced mobility. In addition, the Carros de Foc and Camins Vius crossings, as well as the GR 11 trail, are along these routes.

Starlight, a destination recognized by UNESCO

Routes

During the summer, the park is filled with hikers, who trudge along every path. There are many choices, although some of the small trails that appear on the maps are difficult to find or require good physical condition. It is necessary to be sensible when planning to visit and to be informed in advance of the difficulty of the desired option. The park’s information centres offer itinerary brochures aimed especially at hikers, where easy and highly recommended day trips are proposed.

Some of the most popular itineraries of the park are The path from Sant Maurici to Portarró de Espot; the Route of the fir trees, towards the needles of Amitges (Àneu valley), the Colomers circus Circuit (Val d’Aran), From Llong to Redó (valley of Boí), The valley of Besiberri (valley of Barravés), The lakes of the Mainera (valley of Àssua) and The valley of Lake Tort (Vall Fosca).

The Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici National Park is one of the most well-preserved protected natural areas in southern Europe. To its natural and cultural attractions, exceptional conditions to practice astronomy must be added. Here, there are still some scattered villages hidden between mountains, as is the case of the 10 municipalities in the general park area, including the Vall de Boí, where we can experience an exceptionally black sky with countless stars. These regions deserve to be preserved as a Tourist Destination and Starlight Reserve (UNESCO). One of the standpoints that offer better views is that of Sant Quirc de Durro, where you can also find a small astronomical table with an explanation of the night sky.

Architectural heritage

Between the eleventh and twelfth centuries, in the valleys near the current National Park, a Lombard Romanesque style architecture was established. The Boí Valley is home to one of the most important monumental assemblages of Lombard Romanesque art in Europe and the most complete in the Pyrenees, with churches such as Sant Climent and Santa Maria de Taüll, Sant Joan de Boí or Santa Eulàlia de Erill. On November 30th, 2000, the set of Romanesque churches of the Boí Valley was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.