Skiing at La Molina
7 hAll levels · Beginners with their own areaDecember – April, depending on the snow
Ski and snowboard · 71 km and 67 runs · From 1,667 to 2,537 m · Day lift pass from €49
From €49
See the activity
From Barcelona1 h 30 through the Cadí tunnel
Without a carR3 train to La Molina and Puigcerdà
ResortsLa Molina and Masella (Alp2500)
SeasonDecember – April
Day lift passFrom €49 in 2026-27
Off-piste, the avalanche bulletin rules. The Institut Cartogràfic i Geològic de Catalunya publishes the Butlletí de Perill d'Allaus del Pirineu, with a scale of 1 to 5, valid off the pistes and in uncontrolled areas. Check it before setting out on snowshoes or ski touring, and don't go alone without the training and equipment.
What to do
What to do in Cerdanya
Each plan says how long it takes, who it's for and whether you can book.
Skiing at Masella
7 hAll levelsDecember – April, depending on the snow
Ski and snowboard · 74 km and 65 runs · From 1,600 to 2,535 m · Night skiing · Day lift pass from €53
From €53
See the activity
Guided snowshoeing through the Aransa forests
5 h 45 · 8 kmBeginners, from age 9December – March, on fixed dates
Snowshoeing · 8 km circular · 420 m of ascent · From age 9 · Guide from €47.90
From €47
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Itineraries
Itineraries that pass through
Days and weekends already planned out, with how to get between each stop and who to book with.
Plan the trip
Cerdanya, step by step
Each choice narrows the next: the season shapes how best to travel, and how you travel decides where you stay and where you eat.
When to go
When to go to Cerdanya
December to March for skiing and snowshoeing; in April snow remains on the high slopes of the Tosa. If you can, avoid the December long weekends and Sunday evenings on the way back to Barcelona.
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How you travel
Cerdanya your way
Choose how you're travelling and we'll tell you where to stay, how to get around, where to eat and which services you'll need. We only show the ways of travelling that make sense here.
The Cerdanya by car, from resort to resort
With a car, you sleep in Puigcerdà and change resort according to the day: Masella is about 20 minutes away, La Molina 25 and the Nordic stations of Aransa and Lles half an hour. The budget includes a day lift pass, food and a shared hotel.
110–190 €per person per day, approximate
- Where to sleepHotel del Lago, with a…
- Getting aroundFrom Barcelona, C-16 and the…
- Where to eatEl Tirol, at the foot…
- ServicesEight car parks at La…
Where to sleep
- Hotel del Lago, with a spa, beside Puigcerdà lake
- Hotel del Prado, family-run, on the road out towards Llívia
- Hotel Adserà, at the foot of the slopes at La Molina
Getting around
- From Barcelona, C-16 and the Cadí tunnel (toll), 1 h 30 to Masella
- Without the toll, over the Collada de Toses, about 2 h
- Bring chains or winter tyres from December to March
Where to eat
- El Tirol, at the foot of Pista Llarga, with grill and raclette
- La Borda del Ceretà, Cerdanya cooking in Puigcerdà
Services
- Eight car parks at La Molina, from P1 at the gondola to P8
- Regional tourist office on the N-260
To the snow on the R3 train
The Cerdanya is one of the few ski areas you can reach easily without a car from Barcelona: the Rodalies R3 stops at La Molina and ends at Puigcerdà. The Skitren combines train and lift pass, and a bus from the station takes you up to the slopes.
90–160 €per person per day, approximate
- Where to sleepHotel Adserà, in La Molina…
- Getting aroundRodalies R3 from Barcelona through…
- Where to eatEl Tirol, next to the…
- ServicesSkitren package, at Renfe (900…
Where to sleep
- Hotel Adserà, in La Molina, with the internal bus at the door of the slopes
- Hotel del Lago, in the centre of Puigcerdà
- Hotel del Prado, five minutes from the centre of Puigcerdà
Getting around
- Rodalies R3 from Barcelona through Vic and Ripoll
- La Molina internal bus, from the station to Pista Llarga: €5, free with the Skitren
- For Masella or Aransa from Puigcerdà, a taxi
Where to eat
- El Tirol, next to the Pista Llarga stop
- Niu de l'Àliga, up top by gondola
Services
- Skitren package, at Renfe (900 410 041) and Rodalies
- La Molina resort rental: ski €25, snowshoes €15.50
How much does it cost?
People2
Nights3
Who you're with
Cerdanya for whoever you're with
A trip with a toddler is not the same as one with a teenager. Pick yours to see what works and what to bear in mind.
Children's first snow
La Molina and Masella have beginners' areas with conveyor belts, schools with weekend courses and prices for the little ones. For those who do not ski, the gondola takes pedestrians up to the Tosa.
- What works bestMasella's snow garden, from age…
- Where to sleepHotel Adserà, with bunk beds…
- Where to eatEl Tirol, at the foot…
- Bear in mindUnder-7s: €7 at La Molina…
What works best
- Masella's snow garden, from age 3: €45 for two hours
- Masella's four-Saturday or four-Sunday courses, for ages 4 to 12
- La Molina's beginner lift pass, €31, with the green runs at the base
- The gondola to the Tosa without skis: €10 for ages 7 to 11
- The walk around Puigcerdà lake, flat and pushchair-friendly
Where to sleep
- Hotel Adserà, with bunk beds, quadruple rooms and a games room
- Hotel del Prado, with a playground and a family duplex
Where to eat
- El Tirol, at the foot of the slope, with pasta and burgers on the menu
Bear in mind
- Under-7s: €7 at La Molina, €10 at Masella
- The lift pass online is €3 cheaper per person at both resorts
- Bring a helmet: at Masella it is rented for €3 to under-18s with the equipment
What to do as a family
Snowpark, night and snowshoes
With teenagers the Cerdanya offers more than coming down runs: a snowpark at La Molina, night skiing at Masella and snowshoe outings from age 9.
- What works bestThe red runs from the…
- Where to sleepHotel Adserà, in La Molina…
- Where to eatEl Tirol, with grill and…
- Bear in mindYouth lift pass: €41.50 at…
What works best
- The red runs from the Tosa d'Alp, at La Molina or at Masella
- La Molina's snowpark
- Masella's night skiing: 10 km lit, €22 youth lift pass
- Guided snowshoeing at Aransa or the Estany de l'Orri, from age 9
Where to sleep
- Hotel Adserà, in La Molina, to set off on skis
- Hotel del Lago, with an indoor pool for the afternoon
Where to eat
- El Tirol, with grill and a raclette menu
Bear in mind
- Youth lift pass: €41.50 at La Molina (ages 12 to 24) and €47 online at Masella
- Snowboard lessons at Masella from age 7
- Off-piste, always with the ICGC avalanche bulletin
What to do with teenagers
Where to stay
Where to stay if you're drivingwithout a car
We show you what suits the way you travel.Change how you travel
Hotel del Lago
Why we like it: Spa hotel beside Puigcerdà lake, 100 m from the centre: indoor pool, sauna and jacuzzi free for guests, suites with fireplaces and two car parks.
From €123
View details
Hotel
Hotel del Prado
Why we like it: Family hotel five minutes from the centre of Puigcerdà, on the Llívia road: garden with playground, sauna, pool from June to October, Catalan restaurant and dogs welcome.
Hotel Adserà
Why we like it: The La Molina hotel that Pere Adserà built in 1934, still run by his family: 40 rooms, ski storage, sauna, kids' club, summer pool and the El Tirol bar on Pista Llarga.
Services for this trip
Areas, for any way of travelling
| Area | Who it's for | Average night |
|---|---|---|
| Puigcerdà | Hotel with spa, restaurants and the train | 20–25 min to the pistes |
| La Molina | Ski straight out, R3 train | At the foot of the piste |
| Lles and Aransa | Nordic skiing and snowshoeing | 30 min from Puigcerdà |
Where to eat
Where to eat in Cerdanya
From set lunch menus to Michelin stars. We mark the price level and what to order at each place.
El Tirol Snow Bar
What to order: the Cerdanya trinxat with butifarra de perol or the grilled Bellver butifarra; in the cold, the raclette menu
La Borda del Ceretà
What to order: the Borda broth with galets and pilota and, as a second course, the tiró amb naps, the duck with Guils turnips and Puigcerdà pears
Restaurant Niu de l'Àliga
What to order: a mountain spoon dish to warm up at the summit
Nearby
Near Cerdanya
The closest places, whichever country they are in.
Tips
Worth knowing first
- 1Buy the lift pass online
At La Molina and at Masella the ticket office charges €3 more per person.
- 2Head back before four or after seven
The Sunday return along the C-16 gets busy when the pistes close.
- 3Try the train
The R3 drops you at La Molina without looking for parking or fitting chains.
The Cerdanya is a wide, sunny valley in the Pyrenees, split by the border with France. On its southern edge, the Tosa d'Alp shares two ski resorts, La Molina and Masella, which are sold together with the Alp2500 lift pass. Puigcerdà, the capital, is the base for sleeping, and on the heights of Lles and Aransa there are Nordic ski areas from which snowshoe routes leave. For anyone living in Barcelona it is the nearest snow: an hour and a half by car or a commuter train.
How do you get there from Barcelona?
By car, along the C-16 to Berga and the Cadí tunnel, which is a toll road. Masella estimates 140 km and an hour and a half to the resort. Without paying the tunnel, the N-260 via Ripoll and the Toses pass takes about two hours and is a mountain-pass road that may require chains in season. From Girona you go up via Ripoll and Toses; from Lleida and Tarragona, the usual way is to join the C-16 or enter via La Seu d'Urgell. From Manresa, along the C-16, the Cerdanya is a little under an hour and a half away.
Without a car, the Rodalies R3 leaves Barcelona, passes through Vic and Ripoll and stops at La Molina before ending at Puigcerdà. The resort sells the Skitren package, which combines train and lift pass, and an internal bus takes you from the train station to Pista Llarga for €5.
La Molina or Masella?
They are two faces of the same mountain. La Molina has 71 km and 67 pistes, 20 of them green, a gondola to the top of the Tosa and a snowpark: it works best for learning and for going by train. Masella has 74 km and 65 pistes, more blue and red, most with artificial snow, and ten kilometres lit for night skiing. If you are going for two days, the Alp2500 lift pass lets you cross from one to the other over the Tosa.
| Resort | Km | Pistes | Altitude | Adult lift pass 2026-27 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| La Molina | 71 | 20 green · 18 blue · 23 red · 6 black | 1,667 – 2,537 m | €49 online |
| Masella | 74 | 9 green · 27 blue · 23 red · 6 black | 1,600 – 2,535 m | €53 online |
| Alp2500 (both) | 145 | — | — | €57 |
Neither had published its 2026-27 opening date by mid-November: check their websites before setting out.
And if you don't ski?
The La Molina gondola takes pedestrians up to the Tosa d'Alp for €20, with a refuge restaurant at the top. At the Nordic resorts of Aransa and Lles, snowshoe routes leave: Rutes Pirineus runs introductory outings with a qualified guide, about 8 km, from age 9, for €47.90 plus rental. In Puigcerdà, the lake and the old town can be walked in an afternoon.
Where do you sleep?
Puigcerdà has more hotels, restaurants and the train, and is 20 or 25 minutes from both resorts. In La Molina you sleep at the foot of the pistes: the Hotel Adserà, run by the same family since 1934, is next to Pista Llarga. With small children, look for family rooms and a children's play area, as at the Hotel del Prado; for the afternoon after skiing, the spa at the Hotel del Lago, beside Puigcerdà lake.
How much time?
A Sunday covers a day on the pistes from Barcelona. With two nights you can do a day at each resort, or one of skiing and one of snowshoeing. If you go by train, a night in La Molina saves you an early start.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take from Barcelona to La Molina?
About an hour and a half or an hour and three-quarters through the Cadí tunnel; about two hours over the Toses pass.
How much does a day's skiing in the Cerdanya cost?
In 2026-27, the adult day lift pass costs €49 at La Molina and €53 at Masella, online. Equipment rental, €25 to €28.
Can you go skiing by train from Barcelona?
Yes: the Rodalies R3 stops at La Molina and the Skitren package includes train and lift pass.
Where can you go snowshoeing in the Cerdanya?
At the Nordic resorts of Aransa and Lles, with guided introductory outings from age 9.
Which resort is better for learning?
La Molina has 20 green pistes and a beginner's lift pass; Masella, a snow garden from age 3 and courses for children.
When is the season?
From December to April, depending on the snow. Both resorts publish the opening date on their websites.