Tour Lerida with Romanesque churches and villages
With this tour by bus or minibus of the Valley of Boí, in Lleida, you will be able to visit some of the most important Romanesque churches in Spain, and walk around charming villages in a privileged environment.
Departures from:
Lleida, Barcelona, Tarragona, Tremp.
The Valley of Boí is a unique environment for its combination of history, architecture and beauty. The villages of Sant Climent de Taüll, Santa María de Taüll and Sant Joan de Boí, among others, have some of the samples of most important Romanesque architecture in Catalonia and are also located in a privileged landscape which lovers of mountain walks have been fond of for decades. You must know that several of the temples in the region have been declared World Heritage by UNESCO.
Sant Climent and Santa María de Taüll in the mroning
After the trip by bus from Barcelona or Lleida, your touristic visit begins in the village of Taüll, in the heart of the Pyrenees of Lleida.
Visit the church of Sant Climent
The church of Sant Climent de Taüll dates from 1123, when it was consecrated by Bishop Guillem Ramon, and it was built over a temple of the eleventh century. Architecturally it is a prototypical Romanesque church, but what you cannot miss is the Pantocrator, certainly the best known image of Catalan Romanesque. The original is not in the temple any longer, because it was taken to a museum in Barcelona, do not be fooled! But seeing the replica in the context in which it could be seen for centuries is certainly worthwhile. The church is open every day from 10am to 2pm and from 4pm to 7pm (July and August until 8 pm), the entrance fee is € 5, -, and I recommend requesting the guide service, for little more money (€ 2, -), previous reservation. In this link you will see that there is a bonus to see 3 of the churches in the valley, which will be cheaper (€ 7, -).
Church of Sant Climent, with its six-story tower in Romance style.
Credit photo: rutasconhistoria
Visit the church of Santa Maria
You do not need to get into the minibus again because after a three -minute walk you will find another church almost "twin" to the one of Sant Climent, the church of Santa María de Taüll. Both churches were built in the same year, but Santa Maria is located in the center of the village. As in the previous case, the authentic wall paintings in the church were moved to the National Museum of Catalan Art, but you can see replicas, among which the Epiphany. The temple is open from 10am to 7 pm continuously.
Pantocrator Santa Maria de Taüll.
Credit photo: fenturisme
Lunch at Taüll and visit to Boí
As religious art gives a lot of hunger, it is time to find some of the delights that the Catalan Pyrenees can offer you. It will not take more than five minutes walking to go to the Mallador Restaurant. In this location you can eat a great menu for about € 15, - with starter, main course, dessert and drink. If it is in the menu, do not forget to order the sausage with white beans, a typical dish of the area. In summer, the terrace restaurant with views of the mountains and the church is definitely a great way to take a break in the shade.
El Mallador restaurant.
Credit photo: tripadvisor
A digestive walk in Boí
Obviously, a good mountain meal produces the need for a nap, but you can combat this by telling the driver of your bus to take you in five minutes to the village of Boí. There you can visit the church of Sant Joan, the oldest in the valley, with frescoes of great value (same opening hours as Sant Climent de Taüll). Also, you cannot miss the beautiful medieval bridge over the river Sant Martí.
The church of Sant Joan de Boí, with the peaks of the Pyrenees at the back.
Credit photo: minube
The charm of Durró in the afternoon:
View of one of the houses of the medieval ensemble of Durró.
Credit photo: carlossierionest
If you believed that there would be no more picturesque villages to visit in the Valley of Boí, you were wrong because you still have to see one of the best preserved and most charming medieval architectural ensembles of the Catalan Pyrenees. The trip there by mini bus or coach will take twenty minutes. Being farthest from the road than Boí and Taüll, Durró is less crowded and the walk through its steep streets is very nice. You cannot fail to see the Church of the Nativity of the Mother of God, with a portico of large arches and a beautiful bell tower. Pay attention because this church has a slightly different schedule and is only open from 4 to 7 pm.
Close the day trip and bus tour with dinner at Llesp
At fifteen minutes by bus, or about four miles from Durró is a small town of 68 inhabitants, Llesp, with a classic local restaurant, the Villa Maria. The food on offer is typical of the valley, which means that it is abundant and has good quality. They have a very complete menu for about € 18, -, with which you shall be certainly satisfied. Thus, you may return taking a nice nap in the mini bus, as the mountain is really tiring!
Easy comparisons for bus, coach and mini bus hires in the area of Lérida
If you liked this bus tour and plan to organize this or a similar tour in the area of Lérida Province than we advise you to view our list of mini bus and coach hire companies in Lérida . You can also start organizing your Lérida Province bus trip by directly requesting multiple Lérida coach hire quotes so you can compare bus rental options online before booking.