Diving in The Medes Islands Marine Reserve

Seven islets give name to The Medes Islands (Illes Medes, in Catalan), a part of The Natural Park of the Montgrí, Medes Islands and Low Ter, a protected area since 1983 and one of the most importants ones of the Mediterranean Sea.

Medes Islands were used by pirates as a base for their raids in the coast, and had military use until late s. XIX.  Since 1934 the islands are inhabited.

The isles hosts hundreds of marine species and birds, because of the proximity to the coast, the  river Ter delta and marine currents that provide nutrients, different depths and composition of his seabed: sandy, rocky, forming  caves and tunnels.

At sea level and at the perimeter of the islands, is formed the cornice of Lithophyllum tortuosum, which houses many algae, mussels, crabs and worms.

A little deeper (between 5-6 m in N and NE slopes and 15 m on the slopes S, SW, W), in the well lit area, we find a dense cover of algae, sponges, worms, sea urchins , starfish, octopus, crabs, bream, golden, ...

In the gloom below the 10-15 meters we can see green and red algae, sponges, coelenterates, worms, snails, lobsters, tailors, serranos, thrushes, scorpion fish, conger, knees or groupers.

On the sandy bottom, sheltered from the blows of sea, posidonia meadow grows, feeding animals around. The autumnal storms take away Posidonia leaves, which regenerate in winter and grow along the spring. In late summer the leaves are green and white, folded by the fouling of small organisms.

The coralline landscape is below 20 meters, like white, blue, yellow gorgonias in the streams areas, with anemones, sponges, corals, echinoderms, ...

An added attraction is the underwater caves and tunnels result of the geological evolution of the massif.

There are dives at different levels, from the Salpatxot with depths between 5 and 18 meters to the deep zones and currents of The Medellot or the tunnels of Dofí Nord and Sud and its vertical walls at 45 meters.

You must have an Advanced Open Water Diver or similar to dive alone, or an OWD and be accompanied by an instructor. There is also necessary an insurance and a medical certificate, to pay a tax and it is suitable to book the dive in a diving center, because there is a maximum number of divers allowed in the restricted area.

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Quebrantahuesos, the biggest cyclo sportive in the Pyrenees

Every year, a saturday nearby June 23th, a little village called Sabiñánigo and its surroundings change their usual calm by the animation due to host ten thousand cyclists attending Quebrantahuesos (QH), and  its little sister Treparriscos. 

QH was born in 1991, when a group of friends of the modest cycling club Edelweis from Sabiñánigo decided to organize a sportive race in their privileged surroundings: the Pyrenees between France and Spain. 

The route runs through the legendary ports of Le Tour de France and La Vuelta a España: Somport, Marie Blanque, Portalet and Hoz de Jaca, with a total distance of 205 km and 3.875 m of cumulated ascent.

The first edition had 362 participants, in 1997 the number increased until 3.317 and from 2007 the total of cyclist in the QH is limited to 7.500, selected by a lottery from over12.500 applications.

If you are one of the lucky ones it is essential to book accommodation in advance, otherwise you risk having to drive a while before the race.

There are a variety of types of accomodation in Sabiñánigo city, hostels, country cottages, hotels or campsites.




If you are searching for a confortable hotel with spa, Hotel Villavirginia is highly recommended. It is possible to buy a ticket to the swimming pool and spa even if you are not a host of the hotel.

Right next to this hotel is located Pirenarium Hostel, and near the industrial zone of the city you find the campsite Aurín. The other campsite, Camping Valle del Tena, is located outside Sabiñánigo.  

If you come the day before the race, there is place enough to park a motorhome in the industrial areas, so it is also a good option for travelling.

If you need to go further, the main options are in Jaca, Biescas, Sallent de Gállego and Formigal.

   

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Ski Resorts in the Pyrenees

Spain is a well-known country for summer holidays but it is also Europe's second most mountainous country, with a long skiing tradition and over 900 kilometres of downhill ski slopes.

There are some specialized ski webpages offering  information in English about ski resorts to help you choose the best one for you depending on your sporting interests. However, our goal here is to propose also the complementary activities more representative in the area.

Alp 2500 

Alp 2500, in the eastern Pyrenees, includes two ski resorts, La Molina and La Masella and 135 km skiable. It is possible to buy a combined pass or a single one for La Molina or Masella. 

The resort is 1,5 hours from Barcelona by car or 2,5 hours by train. The White Train is a direct train Barcelona - La Molina on weekends, the combined ski and train ticket costs 44 €.

The region is called La Cerdanya, The capital is Puigcerdà, located in one of the widest valleys of Europe. There is an ice skating club open unitl 21h in weekends.

One of the  winter mountain meals is Trinxat, available at all the traditional restaurants.

Boí Taüll Resort 

This is not a big resort, with 48 ski slopes and 48 km, but is surrounded by Aigüestortes National Park and the Catalan Romanesque Churches, and is a good choice if you are thinking about adding culture or hiking to your ski vacation. It's located in the central Pyrenees.

Baqueira - Beret

Baqueira Beret is a high quality ski resort, with 138 km of marked slopes and a good quality of snow until the end of the season due to its geographical situation.

Vielha, 20 km away from the Baqueira-Beret main village, is the capital of the region of Val d'Aran,  wihch maintains its own identity despite being surrounded by the Spanish, Catalan and French cultures.

In the valley there are many romanesque, reneissance and barroque churches to visit, mineral mines and a wool factory. 

A typical soup of the area is the Olla Aranesa. 

Formigal

Located in the western Pyrenees, in the community of Aragó, offers 137 km of ski slopes.  Formigal is a member of Aramon Group, which includes the smaller ski resorts of Cerler, Panticosa, Javalambre and Valdelinares. You can ski wherever you prefer with the same ticket, although it is necessary to travel between the resorts.