Ski Holidays in Baqueira Beret, Spain

• Snow Conditions in Baqueira Beret Spain +

  Snow report issued:	27th Mar 12
  Last snowed:	22nd Mar 12
  Fresh snow depth:	5cm
  Depth at resort:	100cm
  Mountain depth:	240cm
  Piste state:
  Soft (Pistes soften up fast in the strong sun)
  Weather report:
  Another glorious day
  Temperature:	6°C
  Open lifts:	33 of 33

  View Baqueira Beret snow history

• Baqueira Beret Resort Statistics+

  Slope Direction	N NW
  Very Easy Runs	4
  Easy Runs	36
  Medium Runs	26
  Difficult Runs	6
  Toughest Run Name
  Skiable Vertical	1010m
  Number Of Lifts	26
  Top Lift Height	2510m
  Night Skiing	N
  Snowboarding Parks	1
  Half Pipes	1
  Swimming Pools	1
  Night Clubs	2
  Mountain Restaurants	15

• Baqueira Beret Piste Map+

  

• Baqueira Beret Transfer Times+

  Barcelona:	4 hours and 30 minutes
  Toulouse:	2 hours and 30 minutes

Baqueira Beret is an attractive resort located in the northern Pyrenean area of Val d'Aran. One of Spain's biggest ski areas, the resort has made significant investment over the past decade on modern lifts and expanding the ski slopes. The ski area was well-designed a little over 40 years ago by a Scottish ski champion and is famous for attracting the Spanish Royal family to its slopes each winter, a kind of Spanish Klosters.

The resort itself is split between two bases; Baqueria (1500m), with most of the facilities, and a much smaller altitude centre at Beret (1850m). The resort is quite sophisticated and normally has a lively atmosphere. Unfortunately it does suffer from high prices, with its six day lift ticket amongst the most expensive in Europe, albeit only a few Euros more than the big name resorts in the Alps.

• Skiing for Beginners+

  In 2006 the beginners area at Baqueira 1800, reached by a new gondola from the resort, was completely redesigned, installing three of the latest covered conveyor belts, the first of the kind in Spain, and enclosing the area with a perimeter fence. These covered conveyors mean that you ascend the slope with maximum ease, protected from the elements. The resort can get busy at peak periods, so it is wise to book ski school in advance of your arrival to be sure you get a place. A special beginners-only pass is available but it is only valid at the beginners' area in Beret and not valid for use on other slopes, so is rather inconvenient for guests staying in Baqueria.

• Intermediate Skiing+

  Baqueria Beret's main strength is as an intermediate ski area with more than 60 runs representing over 90 percent of terrain. The high speed and high capacity lift system gets skiers moving around the area very efficiently with no bottle necks. Popular runs include the Pla de Baqueira blue, located in the Baqueira Bowl, the Argulls sector and the Bonaigua piste.

• Advanced+

  Baqueira has built a strong reputation for advanced skiers over the years, with a mixture of some long steep black runs on the piste, marked off-piste routes, wide steep powder fields and even a heli-skiing option. The resort uses the American double-black diamond rating for its half dozen steep trails which include the two and a half kilometre (one and a half mile) long Luis Arias run named after the resort's founder. Marked off-piste routes include Escornacrabes and Lo Boscà s, both more than three kilometres/two miles long.

• Snowboarding at Baqueira Beret+

  Baqueira is popular with boarders and endeavours to operate a terrain park with half pipe for much of the season. National and international boarding contests and events are also staged here. Outside the park there is good free-riding terrain served by an easy to use high speed lift network, and the option to try heli-boarding in the wider area.

• Other Activities And Facilities at Baqueira Beret+

  There are 10km of prepared hiking routes around the village and there's a seven kilometre (four mile) cross-country circuit located at Orri 1850 between Baqueira and Beret. Other outdoor activities available include horse riding and dog sledding. Indoors there's a games room and bowling centre.
  
  In nearby Vielha, 15km (nine miles) away by public bus, there is an ice palace with ice rink, indoor heated swimming pools, gym, saunas, sunbeds a massage parlour and shopping centre. This is open weekdays from 8.30am to 9.30pm and at weekends and bank holidays from 11am to 2pm and from 4.30pm to 9pm.

• Apres Ski And Dining Out+

  Baqueria's 30 or so bars and restaurants are often busy, particularly at weekends when crowds arrive from Barcelona to enjoy a weekend break. The restaurants have a reputation for high calibre cuisine, although there are budget options such as Pizzeria Montgarri and Creperia Hamburgueseria Escornacrabes. Most other establishments service local Catalonian dishes, but the French influence from the other side of the mountains is also felt at establishments such as La Raclette. The party scene typically starts late and ends well in to the small hours at one of the two discos, Tuc Nere and Pachá.

• Ski Holidays in Baqueira Beret suitable for Families+

  A children's nursery with snow park for babies and children aged from three months to four years is located at the Borda Lobato next to the Hotel Montarto and is open from 9am to 5pm daily. There are ski kindergartens at three key locations around the resort which accept children aged from three up to five years. Older children aged six and older can join ski school.
  
  Children aged five or younger receive a free lift ticket and children aged six to eleven receive a discount of about a third on the adult ticket prices, children 12 and over pay the adult ticket cost.