From the beautiful beaches and medieval villages of Costa Brava to the scenic mountains of Val d'Aran is quite the journey through the Catalonia region of Spain. Driving or a private transfer is your best option, as Val d'Aran is a remote valley in the Pyrenees Mountains. It's known for its natural beauty and outdoor recreational activities, and you'll most likely stay in the area's main town, Vielha. The stretch between Costa Brava and Vielha is a little over 260 miles (425 km) and about 4 hours and 45 minutes.
Public transportation is possible, but it takes at least nine hours and requires one or more transfers. For the bus, you'll need to transfer in Barcelona. If you do that, you could consider this 7-day itinerary in Catalonia, including stays in the region's capital city and Begur on the coast.
By Rental Car or Private Transfer
Duration: 5 hours (standard highway route), 5 to 5.5 hours (recommended road trip route)
Driving a rental car or taking a private transfer is your best option when traveling between Costa Brava and Val d'Aran. The most direct route takes almost 5 hours and covers 236 miles (381 km). This is the best option if you'd like to get to your accommodation in Val d'Aran as quickly as possible. The first stretch follows the coast south via the C-31 roadway. You'll drive north on Ap-7 for just a tiny stretch before catching the C-25 roadway west. At the town of Calaf, you'll head in a more northerly direction via the C-1214a and C-1214b roads. As you near Benavent, you'll gain elevation and enjoy views stretching across the valleys. Then you'll finish along the N-260 with views of mesas and a large reservoir, then to N-230 as you go up into the foothills.
But because it's a long journey, you'll want to start your drive in the morning and consider making a stop or two to stretch your legs and enjoy the region. There are several points of interest along the way, especially as you start twisting through the foothills and river valleys. Consider one of the following stops:
La Seu d'Urgell
This town in the Pyrenees Mountains is known for its beautiful cathedral dating back to the 9th century. It's a great place to stop, as it's about three hours into your drive, though know that the route changes a bit and increases your drive time to five hours. But the other appeal is that you'll pass some incredible scenery as you curve around and through several national parks.
Here are some other attractions to visit in La Seu d'Urgell:
- Catedral de Santa Maria d'Urgell: This cathedral is the main attraction in La Seu d'Urgell and is a beautiful example of Romanesque architecture. It's known for its stunning abbey and is a great place to explore on a guided tour.
- Museu Diocesà: You'll find the museum in the same building as the cathedral, and it's dedicated to the cathedral's history and the town of La Seu d'Urgell. It's a good choice if you want to learn more about the region's history and culture.
- Parc de la Prehistòria: This park just outside La Seu d'Urgell is excellent for exploring the region's prehistory. It features replicas of ancient buildings and artifacts and guided tours.
- Santuari de Núria: As a sanctuary in the Pyrenees mountains, this is a popular destination for hikers and nature lovers. You can get there by train that takes you through the mountains, so it's a truly scenic experience.
The route via La Seu d'Urgell takes about the same time at 5 hours, and covering 226 miles (364 km), though you'll want to factor in some time to enjoy the town. This option follows the same route out of the Costa Brava, also connecting to the C-25 roadway south of Girona. The difference here is that you'll switch to the C-62 road to go north. At the town of Casserres, you'll follow C-16 north for a particularly scenic drive. You'll curve around the Pantà de la Baells reservoir and Parc Natural del Cadí-Moixeró. Follow N-260 to La Seu d'Urgell, then continue northest along C-28 to Vielha. Here is where you can see several peaks of the Pyrenees as you switch back up into the mountains.
Cardona
Another optional stopping point while going to Val d'Aran is Cardona, though know that it also takes a different route and increases your driving time to about 5.5 hours. Its biggest draw is the 9th-century castle, Castell de Cardona, but here are some other attractions to visit in the town:
- Castell de Cardona: The town's castle is its main attraction. It's beautiful, well-preserved, and open to the public for tours. It's a great place to learn about the region's history and explore the castle's gardens and grounds.
- Parc Arqueològic: This archaeological park is located near the castle and offers quite a bit of insight into the region's history. It features several ancient artifacts and structures, as well as guided tours.
- Sant Miquel de Cruïlles: Though not in Cardona, this monastery isn't too far. Plus, it's in the scenic, peaceful countryside outside the village and has a beautiful, relaxing garden.
- Salt mines: Cardona is also home to many salt mines, which are unique and interesting attractions to visit. Guided tours are available that take you inside the mines and teach you about the history and process of salt production.
The Cardona route extends your driving time to 5.5 hours and covers 252 miles (406 km). This route again starts like the options above, driving down the coast and connecting to C-25. Then, you'll detour to reach Cardona in Manresa, where you'll switch north on the C-55 highway. After visiting Cardona, you'll take C-75 south to meet up with the C-1214a and C-1214b roadways to connect back to the main route. Again, the route gets particularly scenic once you hit the N-260 and N-230 roads.
Note that the above distances, times, and routes start in Begur. If you aren't staying in the Begur region, you might need additional time for your trip. For example, starting in Cadaqués adds 30 more minutes to any of the above routes.
By Train/Bus
Duration: 9 to 9.5 hours
We only recommend public transportation if you also plan to stay in one of the cities required to transfer, such as Girona and/or Barcelona. Otherwise, the 9+ hour journey might be too long to tackle in one go.
The most direct public transportation route is by bus with Moventis, leaving from Begur with a stop in Barcelona at Barcelona Nord. This first stretch takes about 2.5 hours with a departure time of 7:45 am, which you'll want to take if trying to make it to Vielha in one day. Then, the stretch from Barcelona to Val d'Aran leaves every four hours with the ALSA bus line, taking about 6 hours to reach Vielha. In total, plan for about 9.5 hours of travel time.
There's also a train route operated by Renfe AVE between Flaça in Costa Brava (south of Girona) to Lleida, but you'll have to get to Flaça from Begur and to Vielha from Lleida. You can do this by bus using Moventis on the first stretch and ALSA on the second. If you plan accordingly, this option takes 9 hours.
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