It is precisely during the next few months when the demarcation of Lleida shows all its richness. From adventure sports such as rafting, kayaking or canyoning to routes on foot or by bicycle, ornithological observation, astronomical observation or popular and gastronomic festivals. With the arrival of good weather, the end of the alpine and Nordic ski season is intertwined with the start of the adventure sports and active tourism campaign. In both cases, the Lleida regions are state and international benchmarks.
This is the destination par excellence to carry out outdoor activities and practice adventure sports. It is supported by more than 270 companies dedicated to active tourism in the Pyrenees, but the range of activities is much wider. In the Lleida river network that forms the Noguera Pallaresa, the Noguera Ribagorçana, the Segre and the Garona in the Val d’Aran, where, apart from the rafting descents, you can practice canoeing, kayaking, hydrospeed or canyoning, it is joined by the different reservoirs of the demarcation (such as those of Sant Antoni, Rialb, la Torrassa or Sant Ponç), where you can carry out numerous water sports such as canoeing, wakeboarding, water skiing, windsurfing, sailing, hydrobobbing or donut and paddle surfing.
After the cold of winter, the mild temperatures that the spring months bring us are also ideal for reconnecting with nature and enjoying the fresh air, and the Lleida regions are ideal for doing so on foot. In the Pyrenees we find forests and green spaces such as the Parc Nacional d’Aigüestortes and the Estany de Sant Maurici, and the natural parks of Alt Pirineu and Cadí-Moixeró, or the area of ??Montsec and the Congost de Mont-Rebei, which is make them exceptional places for hiking with countless routes, from the most demanding to others perfect for spending a day with the family. But La Plana de Lleida also has ideal corners for lovers of hiking and cycling to make a getaway. L’Estany d’Ivars and Vilasana, l’Aiguabarreig del Segre-Cinca, the Utxesa reservoir or the Canals d’Urgell sidewalk are good examples.
And, if we have talked about water and land, it is also necessary to highlight the air activities. Lleida is a benchmark for lovers of aerial disciplines, with spaces such as the Montsec mountain range –specifically Àger– and the Organyà valleys, ideal for practicing sports such as paragliding, hang gliding, gliding, ultralights or hot air balloons.
Living family experiences is one of the objectives of many people who visit the towns and cities of the demarcation, which has become a reference destination for family and local tourism. The great patrimonial wealth of the territory makes it an ideal place for all audiences, with proposals such as the Romanesque complex of the Vall de Boí, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, the Seu Vella in the city of Lleida, the Iberian settlement of the Vilars d’Arbeca, the dry stone constructions, the Segarra and Urgell castles, the Cogul paintings and many other museum, architectural and historical value elements that are scattered throughout Lleida’s geography.
And to all this we must add proposals as unique as the start-up of the Tren dels Llacs, which offers its travelers the chance to discover magnificent views along the route from La Plana in the Pyrenees; visits to the Montsec Astronomical Park, where you can see one of the best skies in Europe recognized with the UNESCO Starlight seal, or the spectacle of the flowering almond trees and fruit bowls that stain the fields of La Plana de Lleida, with the organization of activities related to flowering in different municipalities in the regions of Las Garrigues, El Segrià and El Urgell, among others. And for those who want to go further and seek to connect with nature and experience it with their five senses, the Banys de Bosc proposal is their option.
The Tourist Board of the Diputación de Lleida has identified 13 routes, among the 500,000 hectares of forests, that make up this project and that are a perfect proposal to escape the stress of the city and everyday life and be able to immerse yourself in landscapes surrounded by silence and tranquility, betting at the same time on ecotourism and sustainable tourism.
Spring in Lleida is also a time for celebrations, with Holy Week at the epicenter of the festivities with demonstrations such as the Passió de Cervera, but with many other important events on the calendar such as Sant Jordi, the Aplet del Caragol, the Fira de Titelles de Lleida, the Festival de Murals i Art Rural de Penelles and other proposals related to gastronomy, such as the Mostra de Formatges Artesans de Catalunya in Sort, the Fira de la Mel de Riner, the Firacóc de Tàrrega or the Pallars Food Fest in Tremp, to mention a few examples. And, of course, to close the spring calendar and welcome the summer solstice, different towns in the Lleida Pyrenees celebrate the spectacular fallas descents, extremely popular thanks to UNESCO’s recognition, which declared them Intangible Heritage of Humanity.
And they could not miss the proposals for animal lovers. The Zoo dels Pirineus de Odèn, in Solsonès, or the Aran Park, in Bossòst, are two of the main options that allow visitors to get up close to some of the most unique species of the Lleida ecosystem. And in this field it should also be noted that all those fans of ornithological tourism can discover some wetlands, such as the Utxesa reservoir or the Aiguabarreig de Seròs, perfect for spotting unique bird species in Catalonia and some of them in danger of extinction.
Quality family tourism, natural landscapes, incomparable gastronomy, accommodation for all tastes, a wide heritage catalogue, outdoor activities or fairs and festivals of all kinds are the great attractions of the Lleida regions to plan a getaway upon arrival good weather, but it will be the gentle and hospitable nature of its people that will make the experience unique. It’s worth a try.
