The Pyrenees of Catalonia: Where Culture Meets the Mountains

Most people come to the Pyrenees of Catalonia for the mountains. The dramatic peaks, pristine lakes and hiking trails that disappear into untouched wilderness. But hidden among the high valleys is something that stops you in your tracks long before you reach the summit: a collection of Romanesque churches so remarkable that UNESCO has recognised the entire valley that contains them as a World Heritage Site. In this episode of Wanderlust: Off the Page, host Aaron Millar travels to the Vall de Boí, a remote valley in the heart of the Pyrenees of Catalonia, with two exceptional guides: David Pociello, cultural heritage expert at the Centre del Romànic de la Vall de Boí, and Xavier Llimiñana, representative of Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici National Park, to explore a destination where heritage and landscape are not two separate things, but two halves of one extraordinary story. Highlights include: The churches that stopped the art world in its tracks. The Vall de Boí contains the greatest concentration of Romanesque churches in the world: nine buildings, still standing in the mountain villages where they were first constructed, over nine centuries ago. How landscape and culture are the same story. The people of this region and the mountains where they live are deeply intertwined. The Romanesque churches, small hamlets and ancient traditions here are a perfect reflection of that relationship, each one enhancing the experience of the other. Traditions that have never stopped. The Pyrenees of Catalonia is not a region that preserves its heritage behind glass. The mountain villages of Vall de Boí are living communities, with festivals, farming practices and a cultural identity that has endured for centuries and is still being passed on today. The Baixada de Falles: fire, mountains and a UNESCO tradition. Every summer solstice, people carry flaming torches down the mountainsides into the villages of the Vall de Boí in a tradition inscribed on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list. It is one of the most extraordinary things you can witness in the Pyrenees. Explore one of the most beautiful national parks in Spain. Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici is a landscape of more than 200 lakes, mountain peaks rising over 3,000 metres, and an extraordinary richness of wildlife and flora. Walkers can cross the entire park staying in mountain refuges along the way, one of the least known but most spectacular long-distance treks in the country. Find Out More Plan your Pyrenees of Catalonia adventure: visitpirineus.com The Romanesque churches of Vall de Boí: centreromanic.com Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici National Park: spain.info/aiguestortes-national-park Read Wanderlust’s coverage of the Pyrenees of Catalonia at: wanderlustmagazine.com Wanderlust: Off the Page Take the road less travelled with us and subscribe to the show so you never miss an adventure. Wanderlust Magazine Wanderlust is the UK’s leading independent travel magazine, taking the road less travelled since 1993. Find out more at wanderlustmagazine.com. Become a Wanderlust Club Member to join a community of passionate travellers, with print editions, exclusive content and more. Credits This episode was produced by Armchair Productions, the audio experts for the travel industry. Lyn Hughes and Peter Moore introduce the show. Aaron Millar is the interviewer and script editor. Audio production by Charles Tyrie.