Spain
Paradise Found!
Touring the Catalan Pyrenees
Article and Photography by Michael Morcos
The grand tour of Catalonia literally covers this entire magnificent region of Spain. When seen from a map, Catalonia looks like a triangle, and a proposed road trip by the Catalonia tourism office covers all corners of this region. The route is made of five sections with a total driving distance of over 2000 kms. Visitors can choose a route that can be completed in as short as a week or the entire route which will take much longer as there are many points of interest to be taken in.
On this amazing journey, we would concentrate on the most northerly sector and would find ourselves in the beautiful mountain region of the Pyrenees. Here we would explore the Romanesque art of the region, visiting many churches and monasteries as well a historic castle, a national park, wineries, cheese makers, stay in beautiful hotels, taste some of the best foods of the region and take part in a one-of-a-kind comedy theatre show.
Romanesque Art
Romanesque architecture was evident throughout these parts of the Pyrenees, and the style of medieval Europe that later developed into the Gothic style. We would see this in almost every city and village we visited. This beautiful style was used over a millennium ago, and the buildings were built from locally sourced solid stone that has withstood the test of time, while the interiors were richly decorated with fabulous artwork of the day.
The Pyrenees
The Pyrenees stretch all along northern Spain from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean and separates the countries of France and Andorra from Spain. This incredible mountain range is sparsely populated and are a fantastic playground for international and Spanish tourists looking for a unique cultural experience, exceptional views and four-season outdoor activities including winter fun in Alpine and Nordic skiing. When compared to the Alps, these mountains are much less traveled, meaning far fewer tourists while offering an authentic local experience.
Seu d’Urgell
One of the oldest in Catalonia, the Seu d’Urgell Cathedral is a shining example of its kind. We were taken aback by its rustic beauty and the collection of extensive and fascinating artifacts. We also enjoyed the Diocesan Museum which is built within the old Casa del Deganat and right down the way from the cathedral. It has a magnificent collection of art objects, encompassing the 10th-18th centuries, with paintings, sculptures, carvings, precious fabrics, liturgical ornaments, and so much more. Visiting these two treasure troves is a must for any fan of art and architecture.
Cheese Heaven
Calling all cheese lovers, Tros de Sort, a small Pyrenees cheese producer, does it all on a micro-level and has something for every taste. Having their own milk farms, cheese production, a retail store as well as exports to domestic and international markets, there is a multitude of selections on offer. A short visit to this wonderful cheese maker had us trying seven different locally produced cheeses made from both cow and sheep’s milk, in a variety of textures: both fresh and aged cheese as well as in soft, medium and hard cheeses. The samples served with different wines, bread and crackers were absolutely delicious and rival the best cheeses found anywhere in the world.
The National Park
Another glorious day in the Pyrenees and another incredible dimension to Catalonia. The official name of this park is a tongue twister and more so for a foreigner. I would refer to call it as ‘the national park’ but is officially known as Parc Nacional d’Aigüestores I Estany de Sant Maurici. A visit here would bring us to a world of delights: fresh air, crystal clear water and unbelievable sights.
In the late afternoon, we would grab a Range Rover ride upwards towards the heavens where we would be greeted by a family of deer grazing in the woods. To the horizon were numerous mountain peaks while right in front of us was a magnificent mountain lake. We would trek along this lake passing through a beautiful forest path that brought us to the amazing Cascada de Ratera waterfall that descended from nowhere. I would find out that hidden high above us was another mountain lake and that there are more than 200 mountain lakes in this park. Needless to say, we were in peace and harmony with the natural surroundings. This was an essential Pyrenees moment for me and felt I was living in a glossy postcard. Hiking here can be as short as a couple of hours, to a full day trek around the lake, to a full week of discovery through this pristine park.
Sant Climent de Taüll
George Lucas meets Sant Climent de Taüll! As our visit to this beautiful historic church, a UNESCO World Heritage site, we noticed some faded artwork upon the ceiling and walls of the altar. What followed was another first. Once we were set, the room was darkened, and four high tech projectors (with video mapping technology) lit up the ancient artwork recreating the wonderful, original artwork that once adorned these very walls. So true and accurate were the colors of these projections that I felt I was transported to a millennium ago. The original paintings, that date from the 12th century, are now kept at the National Museum of Art of Catalonia (MNAC) in Barcelona. This is a bucket-list destination for any fan of Catalan Romanesque paintings.
Mur Castle
A national treasure, this well-preserved castle is one of the best examples of civil architecture from the 11th century. The Castle of Mur can be enjoyed through a guided visit and guests can investigate the tower, walk on the top of the battlements and enter some rooms. The walls themselves offer some very beautiful views of the surrounding cityscape and lands. As a bonus, visitors can check out the Church of Santa Maria del Mur, a beautiful building in its own right. It is a great afternoon trip to make and worth the time.
The Castell de Mur performance
Live performances, theatre and comedy could not have gotten better than on this day. Imagine three different stages: one with a centuries-old fortress as a backdrop, a beautiful old Romanesque church and a valley rich with agricultural fields and olive trees and you already have a setting for an amazing stage. The three-part performance took place on rotating bases, where the audience moved around to the following stage. They Comediants Company, a group of actors/comdidienats which are very popular with the Catalan, has as many as 50 actors put together a play that is performed every year in different Catalonia locations.
Although the play was performed in Catalan, a language I do not understand, the animation of the actors made it easy to comprehend the storyline and universal body language gave me a clearer picture of the essence of the play.
In all this was a fantastic and memorable experience as the talented actors who were dressed in period costumes dazzled the audience on the three different stages. By chance, the following morning we would meet up with these great actors in the breakfast room of our hotel and reminisce about their stellar performance. I was amazed by the devotion it took to practice and prepare the whole year long for a handful of shows over a weekend.
Castell d’Encús Wine Cellar
Unique is the best way to describe this winery after having visited many different wineries around the world and several in Spain. High on a hill, with a spectacular vista of the valley below, the present location of Castell d’Encús was once abandoned and lost back to nature. Present owner Raul Bobet saw this as an opportunity to fulfill a long dream to create wines made using a method that was practised for centuries and was lost to modern technology.
Monks once used a method where they would create large size wine vessels using the existing landscape; they literally dug into rocks to make a cavity big enough to swallow a man that was used to crush grapes and then produce the juice used to make the wine. Castell d’Encús, a boutique wine house, produces a portion of this labor-intensive process to make its truly unique wines. This is technique is something I have never seen or heard of, and from the wine tasting, and the natural methods using the yeast from the terroir, I can truly say there was a difference in the taste and smell of these beautiful wines.
As with all great trips, there is way too much to see and do but never enough time. This was the case when touring the Catalan Pyrenees. On this trip we marveled at the landscape, the history and architecture of the Romanesque buildings and took in a small piece of the gastronomy and wines and all in their natural settings. This four seasons paradise is a must-see destination, and I will return, hopefully soon, and maybe during the winter season as this amazing destination becomes a skier’s paradise.
