Restaurant Niu de l'Àliga
What to order: a mountain spoon dish to warm up at the summit
geocalia
Day itinerary · 42.43° N · 1.93° E
A snow Sunday without skis: the Tosa d'Alp by gondola and the afternoon in Puigcerdà.
For those who do not ski: the La Molina gondola goes up to the summit of the Tosa d'Alp, at 2,537 metres, you eat at the refuge at the top and the afternoon is for the Puigcerdà lake. An hour and a half from Barcelona.
Leaving from
Part of CerdanyaPyreneesHorse riding routes in Spain
Add to my trip
Total time10 h
By car1 h 45 each way
Gondola€20 adult · €10 ages 7 to 11
EffortNone
With childrenYes
Best timeDecember – March
The plan
The day at a glance
Any part can be swapped for another without spoiling the day.
-
Leave Barcelona 1 h 45 by car
via the C-16 and the Cadí tunnel to La Molina
-
1
La Molina gondola to the Tosa d'Alp without skis
pedestrian pass, €20 per adult; park at P1 or P2
-
2
Restaurant Niu de l'Àliga
Niu de l'Àliga · summit refuge · phone ahead on 605 842 992
La Molina · +34 605 842 992
Restaurant €€Book -
3
Walk around Puigcerdà lake
short loop round the lake, flat and pushchair-friendly
-
Back home
from Puigcerdà, through the Cadí tunnel
Approximate cost
About €20–35 per person
Adds up the activities and meals in the plan at their published prices; travel and accommodation not included.
The route
La Molina gondola to the Tosa d'Alp without skis
You do not need to ski to spend a day in the snow. The La Molina gondola takes pedestrians up to the Tosa d'Alp, the roof of the resort, and at the top is the Niu de l'Àliga, a restaurant and refuge. In the afternoon you go down to Puigcerdà, the capital of the Cerdanya, to walk round the lake.
The day, hour by hour
8:30 · Set off. From Barcelona, take the C-16 to Berga and the Cadí tunnel; in a good hour and a half you are at La Molina.
10:30 · Gondola to the Tosa. Park at P1 or P2, next to the base. The pedestrian pass costs €20 for ages 12 to 64, €10 for ages 7 to 11 and €7 for the youngest, with two journeys. At the top stay in the summit area, never on the slopes, and wrap up: at 2,537 metres the wind bites.
13:00 · Lunch at the Niu de l'Àliga. The summit restaurant, renovated, with mountain cooking. The resort does not publish hours or a menu: call beforehand on 605 842 992.
16:00 · Puigcerdà lake. Twenty-five minutes by car to Puigcerdà and a flat half-hour circuit of the lake, on foot from the centre. In cold weather the water can be partly frozen: do not step on it.
17:30 · Head home. By the N-260 and the Cadí tunnel.
Time2 h
Where to eat
Where to eat?
Lunch is half the plan: book before you set off.
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
Map
The stops, in order
With where to park at each one.
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
Getting there
By car or without one?
When to go
When to go to Cerdanya
With the resort open, from December to March. If a strong wind blows, the gondola may stop: ask at the ticket office before paying.
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Best timeGood timeLow season
Tips
Worth knowing first
- 1Watch the wind
If the gondola stops, the trip up is cancelled: ask at the ticket office.
- 2Snow clothes for the children
Even if they do not ski, up there they play in the snow.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Can you go up the Tosa without skiing?
Yes, with the gondola's pedestrian pass, €20 for adults.
Is it a good plan with small children?
Yes: there is no walking and the Puigcerdà lake can be done with a pushchair.
Do I need to book lunch?
It is advisable to call the Niu de l'Àliga before going up.
More plans like this
Other days of walking and good food
geocalia.com/en/spain/catalonia/cerdanya/itineraries/snow-without-skis-and-gondola
Prices, opening hours and times are approximate: check them before you go. Each place has its own page on Geocalia.