Have you ever dreamed of a place where culture, sport and nature come together in perfect combination? In this article we invite you to discover all this at the Parador de La Seu d'Urgell. This building, combining a classicist 18th-century courtyard with a modern and elegant style, offers you an ideal starting point for exploring this beautiful corner of the Catalan Pre-Pyrenees, its history and abundant natural environment, and the best-kept secrets of its Romanesque tradition.
PARADOR DE LA SEU D’URGELL
Location: Alto Urgell (Lleida)
Type of destination: Cultural and active tourism
Building type: New building
ROMANESQUE TRADITION
Among the valleys and mountains of the Pre-Pyrenees, just a few kilometres from the border with Andorra, La Seu d'Urgell is one of the best-hidden secrets of Catalan Romanesque architecture. Strolling through the medieval quarter discover a town of narrow cobbled streets, where you will be surprised by the churches of Sant Domenec and Sant Miquel, built in the 11th century, and the iconic Cathedral of Santa Maria, the only Romanesque cathedral in Catalonia.
Furthermore, La Seu d'Urgell is surrounded by a unique cultural environment. In the nearby area, visit the pretty village of Peramola, declared one of the most beautiful villages in Lleida. You can also visit Organya, whose Romanesque collegiate church houses Les Homilies d'Organya, the oldest prose text written in Catalan.
VISIT THE HEART OF NATURE
Despite its Romanesque heritage, La Seu d'Urgell is an exceptional place where you can experience a real adventure in the heart of nature. Do you like water sports? Here you will find the Segre Olympic Park, where you can get into a canoe and follow the path of the best Spanish athletes. Do you prefer mountain activities? Near La Seu d'Urgell is the Sant Joan de L'Erm ski resort and the famous Coll de Port, where countless hiking routes await you.
What's more, less than an hour from the Parador you can visit the Alt Pirineu and Cadí-Moixeró Natural Parks, the second largest in Catalonia. And for the little ones, the region offers fun options such as the Naturland adventure park or Rocaviva Laberinto Mágico (Magic Maze), ideal for a family day out.
THE CAPITAL OF PYRENEAN CHEESE
In the county of Alt Urgell, enjoy mountain cuisine with local produce and a culinary tradition characterised by honest simplicity. Catalan regional cuisine with a Pyrenean influence, austere and sustainable, based on livestock, game and agriculture.
Highlights include homemade sausages with pan tumaca (bread with tomato, oil and salt), seasonal mushrooms, escalivada (grilled vegetables), exqueisada (cod with vegetables), trinxat (cabbage with potatoes), butifarra (cold meat) with mongetes (white beans), escudella barrejada (stew), homemade cannelloni, snails, cod and rodonet (round) of Pyrenean bruneta veal. Named the capital of artisan cheese, make the most of your stay in La Seu D'Urgell to try the tasty artisan cheeses of the Pyrenees, especially Urgèlia, the only Catalan cheese with a Protected Designation of Origin.
PARADORS FOR FOLLOWING A ROUTE
THE PYRENEES ROUTE
RUTA DE LA MONTAÑA AL MAR
