It is located less than 200 kilometers from Barcelona, and it is a particularly hidden gem because to get there, we will have to go through another country first. Hidden between mountains, this town of less than 100 inhabitants is so beautiful that it is worth going in and out of Spain to get to know it.
It is located in the province of Lleida, but to access it you have to go through Andorra first, since it is located on a wild and natural route that can only be accessed through the neighboring country. In fact it is so difficult to access that some months of the year it is completely covered in snow and access is closed, isolating its inhabitants.
We talk about Os de Civís, a small town located less than three hours from Barcelona and that it is one of those remote towns that has not yet experienced the boom of tourism, so it is the ideal destination for urbanites who flee the city and the noise of Barcelona.
Os de Civís, the hidden jewel of Catalonia
Os de Civís, also called Aós de Civís, belongs to the Alto Urgel region in Catalonia and to get there you have to take the road that passes through the parish of Sant Julià de Loria, a city located in the Principality of Andorra. To get there, you will have to go through the Coll de Conflent mountain at 2150 meters of altitude, which makes it an idyllic place and away from tourists.
It is located in the coma of the Seturia and cradle of the Aós river, and some of its houses are medieval, although the beautiful Pyrenean architecture prevails, with houses built in stone and slate. Os de Civís deserves that we get lost in its streets.
The church of San Pere i Santa Margarida, of Romanesque architecture and located on top of an old castle, is the best viewpoint for everything that surrounds it, because its surroundings seem from another planet. As a backdrop, the peaks of the Pyrenees. In fact, it crowns the Alt Pyrenees Natural Park, the largest natural space in all of Catalonia.
The mountains and valleys that surround Os de Civís make it ideal for practicing sports such as hiking or mountain biking. Routes such as Cultia, Montaner, Setúria, Riu de Salória or Collada de Conflent are just one example, although they are not suitable for beginners.
Photos | iStock (Annie Fortin, Manel Vinuesa, Armando Oliveira)
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