# Pallars Sobirà Skiing at Espot and Port Ainé, guided snowshoeing to the Sant Maurici lake, igloos and a spa at Sort; where to sleep and eat in Espot and Sort. Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/catalonia/pallars-sobira · Revisado: 2026-11-12 The Pallars Sobirà is the district of the upper Noguera Pallaresa, north of Lleida. In winter it has two resorts of Pirineu365, the brand of the resorts of Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat: Espot Esquí, next to the eastern entrance to the Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici National Park, and Port Ainé, above Rialp, in the Alt Pirineu Natural Park. They are medium-sized resorts, with a cheaper lift pass than Baqueira's and with something to do on the day you don't ski: snowshoeing to the park's lakes, an igloo day or an hour in a hot pool at Sort. ## How to get there from Lleida and Barcelona From Lleida, take the C-13 towards Balaguer, Tremp, la Pobla de Segur and Sort. Allow about two hours forty minutes to Port Ainé and about two hours fifty to Espot Esquí, more with snow. From Barcelona and Tarragona it is about three hours and three quarters; from Manresa, about three. These times are estimated by Geocalia with a route calculator: add a margin in winter. At weekends, the ALSA Ski Bus runs up from Lleida, Balaguer, Tremp and la Pobla de Segur with the lift pass included in the ticket, and from Sort the Snow Taxi takes you to both resorts for €2 per journey, booked the day before. ## Which resort should I choose? Espot Esquí: 25 km and 22 runs, 2 green, 10 blue, 6 red and 4 black, between 1,500 and 2,500 metres. A thousand metres of vertical drop and a blue run that descends from top to bottom. Five lifts and 164 snow cannons covering 64%. Adult day pass at €39 online, according to the rates published in November 2026. Free parking for 800 cars. Port Ainé: 26.7 km and 25 runs, 4 green, 6 blue, 11 red and 4 black, between 1,650 and 2,440 metres, facing north. The green Bellavista run is over 3 km. A snowpark with its own lift, a play park, a sledge run and 137 snow cannons. In 2026-27 the adult day costs €42 online in low season and €46 in high season (26 to 30 December, 2 and 3 January and February weekends). 1,130 free parking spaces. At both, the ticket office charges €5 more than the website. The Pirineu365 Flexipass is valid for all six of the brand's resorts. ## And if you don't ski? Snowshoeing to Sant Maurici. Rutes Pirineus goes up with the park's 4x4 taxi from Espot to the Sant Maurici lake and walks with snowshoes towards Ratera and Amitges: 12 km, 400 m of ascent, from age 9, €47.90 plus €9.90 for snowshoes and the taxi, which costs €11.50 for adults. There are ten dates between 5 December and 3 April. Snowshoeing without a taxi. The same company runs the Miradors del Pallars from the Port Ainé road: 8 km and 470 m, on 20 December, 30 January, 27 February and 28 March. Igloos. A day building igloos next to Port Ainé with a guide, from age 4: €39.90 up to age 12 and €49.90 from 13, on 23 January, 28 February and 21 March. Hot water. The Hotel Pessets in Sort opens its heated pool and sauna to non-guests for €20 an hour; on Sundays, mornings only. ## How long do you need? From Lleida you can go and come back in a day, leaving very early. From Barcelona, Tarragona or Manresa, a weekend is better: a day at each resort, or one on the slopes and another snowshoeing. ## Where to sleep In Espot, the three-star Hotel Saurat is on the square, with a restaurant, free parking and pets admitted; the Hotel Roya, a few steps away, has renovated doubles with a local-produce breakfast. In Sort, the four-star Hotel Pessets has a spa and is half an hour from Port Ainé. ## Where to eat In Espot, L'Avet de Sant Maurici, the Saurat's restaurant, serves traditional cooking with a terrace over the river. On the slopes, Espot's Altitude 2000 self-service and Port Ainé's buffet are open every day of the season at midday. ## Dónde está - Zonas: Pyrenees - Cerca: Vall de Boí (a 21.6 km), Val d'Aran (a 27.7 km), La Massana (a 35.1 km · Andorra), Andorra la Vella and Escaldes (a 36.3 km · Andorra) ## Qué hacer - **Skiing at Espot Esquí** (7 h · All levels · Plenty of blues · Desde 39 € adult day lift pass online, rate published in November 2026): Espot Esquí is two kilometres from the village of Espot, at the mouth of the valley that leads into the Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici National Park. It is a medium-sized resort with a big vertical drop, a thousand metres, and many blue pistes: good for families and for anyone who wants a long run without stress. Pistes, altitudes and lifts 25 km and 22 pistes: 2 green, 10 blue, 6 red and 4 black, between 1,500 and 2,500 metres. There is a blue run from the highest point down to the base. Five lifts: two detachable chairlifts, a drag lift and two magic carpets. 164 cannons cover 64% of the area. The learning area and the play park are at 2,000 metres. How much it costs Rates published in November 2026: the adult day (25 to 64 years), €39 online; ages 12 to 24, €32.50; ages 7 to 11 and 65 to 69, €28.50; up to age 6 and from 70, €7. Afternoon, from 13:00, €30.50 for adults; beginner, €26.50. The pedestrian ticket, for going up without skis, €8.50. At the ticket office everything costs €5 more, except the €7 ones and the pedestrian one, and the rechargeable card costs €2. Getting there and parking From Lleida, take the C-13 to Tremp, la Pobla de Segur and Sort, and the C-13 to the Espot turning. Parking is free in three areas: P1 La Roca, with 150 spaces; P2 Estanyets, with 450 and six charging points; and P3 Berradè, with 200. Take chains. At weekends and public holidays, the ALSA Ski Bus runs up from Lleida, Balaguer, Tremp and la Pobla de Segur with the lift pass included in the ticket. From Sort, the Snow Taxi goes up to Espot for €2 each way, at 8:45, and comes down at 15:30; book before 19:00 the day before on 629 742 020. Eating on the pistes At the 2,000 level, the Altitude 2000 self-service serves food from 13:00 to 15:00 every day; the café, from 8:30 to 16:30, and the burger bar, at weekends only. Opening hours Pistes from 9:00 to 17:00, last lift at 16:30. From 31 March, until 16:00. On Christmas Day, from 9:00 to 13:00. - **Skiing at Port Ainé** (7 h · All levels · Green run of more than 3 km · Desde 42 € adult day lift pass online, low season 2026-27): Port Ainé is above Rialp, in the Orri massif, inside the Alt Pirineu Natural Park. It opened in the 1986-87 season. Its pistes face north and hold the snow; at the top, the six-seat Jet Cim chairlift rises to the Pic de l'Orri, the highest point. Pistes, altitudes and lifts 26.7 km and 25 pistes: 4 green, 6 blue, 11 red and 4 black, between 1,650 and 2,440 metres. The green Bellavista run is over 3 km long: it is the one beginners head for. Nine lifts: three chairlifts, three drag lifts and two magic carpets. 137 cannons cover 48%. It has a snowpark with its own lift, a play park for the little ones, a sledge run and ski touring routes. How much it costs in 2026-27 Buying online, the adult day costs €42 in low season and €46 in high season; ages 12 to 24, €35 and €38.50; ages 7 to 11 and 65 to 69, €30.50 and €33.50; up to age 6 and from 70, €7. Afternoon, from 13:00, €32.50 or €36. Beginner, at the ticket office only, €28 or €30.50. At the ticket office, €5 more. High season is 26 to 30 December, 2 and 3 January and the weekends of February; the rest, from 1 December 2026 to 4 April 2027, is low. The pedestrian ticket, one ride up and down on the Roní gondola without skis, €9.50. Getting there and parking From Lleida, take the C-13 to Rialp, where the resort road branches off. There are 1,130 free spaces in five areas: zone 0, at 1,650 metres, and A to E, with direct access to the pistes from the 2,000 level. At weekends, a free shuttle links the car parks with the ticket offices. The ALSA Ski Bus runs up from Lleida and Balaguer for €45 with a lift pass, and the Snow Taxi from Sort for €2 each way, booking before 19:00 the day before. Take chains. Eating on the pistes The buffet restaurant is open every day from 13:30 to 15:30. The Port Ainé 2000 café, from 8:30 to 17:00, and the Burger Track, from 11:00 to 15:00. At weekends La Pica and Clots 2100 also open. - **Guided Snowshoeing to the Estany de Sant Maurici** (8 h · 12 km · Beginners, used to walking five hours · Desde 47.9 € per person, excluding taxi and snowshoes): Espot is the eastern gateway to the Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici National Park. With Rutes Pirineus you ride in the park's 4x4 taxi up to the estany de Sant Maurici and, from there, walk on snowshoes with a qualified guide towards the Ratera lakes and the Amitges area, with views of the Agulles d'Amitges, two granite needles. Meeting at 8:45 by the Espot taxis The meeting point is the Espot car park next to the park taxi office. The 4x4s take about half an hour to the lake and the taxi is paid separately, to the driver: €11.50 for adults, €10.10 for retired people and €7.50 for children. The listing does not make clear whether this is each way or return; ask when you book. At around 16:45 you are back in Espot. Ratera, the waterfall and the Agulles d'Amitges The route begins by going round the estany de Sant Maurici and climbs to the Ratera waterfall. It continues to the estany and the estanyola de Ratera and reaches the Amitges area. At some point on the way you stop for lunch; the listing does not say where. The return passes the estany de les Obagues de Ratera and drops back down to Sant Maurici to catch the taxi. The guide adjusts the route to the weather and the state of the snow. It is 12 km with 400 m of climbing and the same of descent: about four hours and three quarters of actual walking, eight hours with stops and taxis. Technically it is introductory, but the physical demand is medium and you walk over uneven high-mountain terrain. You need to be able to walk for about five hours, and the minimum age is 9 years. It has more climbing than its sister outing from Boí to the estany Llong, which stays at 275 m. Guide, hired snowshoes and your own lunch The guide costs €47.90 per person including VAT, and includes planning, monitoring of weather and snow and accident insurance. Snowshoes with poles are hired for €9.90. Groups are four to ten; if four are not reached, they refund everything paid. For seven or more, or for a private outing on another date, they ask for a quote. You bring your own lunch and at least a litre and a half of water, waterproof mid- or high-ankle mountain boots, breathable warm clothing, gloves, hat, neck gaiter, sunglasses, sun cream and a rucksack with straps for hanging the snowshoes. Without the essential equipment they may leave you out. Ten outings from December to April 5 and 27 December 2026; 3 and 17 January, 6, 14 and 27 February, 13 and 26 March and 3 April 2027. On 13 November the two December dates had only last places left. Booking is confirmed on payment, by transfer or card, on their website, at info@rutespirineus.cat or on 691 772 966 (from 9:00 to 14:00 and from 16:00 to 18:00). - **Guided Snowshoeing to the Miradors del Pallars, at Port Ainé** (6 h · 8 km · Beginners, used to walking · Desde 47.9 € per person): A snowshoe outing that needs neither taxi nor lift pass: you set out on foot from the Port Ainé road and climb through the forest and the hills of the Orri to the viewpoints over the Pallars, with a Rutes Pirineus guide. The whole route is on the north face of the Orri massif, inside the Alt Pirineu Natural Park. The route From the car park you enter the Coma del Forn forest and climb the Serrat de la Coma del Forn to the summit of the Torreta de l'Orri, at 2,438 metres. It is the high point of the day and a viewpoint open in every direction over the Pallars Sobirà. The descent goes down the north-west side to the Rasos de l'Orri, high meadows that lie under snow in winter, and returns through the forest to the starting point. On the way you pass through mountain pine woods, home of the capercaillie, the pine marten, the black woodpecker and the Tengmalm's owl. The easiest thing is not to see them, but you will see their tracks: the guide shows you how to read in the snow those of the chamois and the fox. The route may vary depending on the snow and the weather on the day. What the day is like You meet at 9:00 in the car park at the last bend before the resort buildings. It is 8 km with 470 m of climbing and descent, about four hours of walking not counting stops, and six in all with the lunch stop; you are back at the car at around 15:00. Groups of four to ten; if four are not reached, the whole amount is refunded. If you are seven or more, or want a guide just for yourselves, they ask for a separate quote. Technically it is introductory, but the terrain is uneven high-mountain: you need to be fit and used to walking four hours. The minimum age is 9 years. The dates for the season are 20 December 2026 and 30 January, 27 February and 28 March 2027. If less than 40% of the route is expected to have snow, the company proposes a similar outing or cancels it, with at least two days' notice. What you pay and what you bring Qualified guide with accident insurance, €47.90; snowshoes and poles, €9.90. If you hire, say if your shoe size is smaller than 35 or larger than 47. Book on their website, by email or on 691 772 966, and your place is confirmed on payment. Bring a rucksack with straps for the snowshoes, breathable warm clothing, waterproof mountain boots, gloves, hat and neck gaiter, a waterproof jacket and gaiters if it snows, and sunglasses and sun cream. Your own lunch and at least a litre and a half of water. To sleep nearby, Sort is a few minutes away by car: the Hotel Pessets also has a spa for the afternoon. If the group includes small children, the igloo-building day leaves from the same car park. - **A Day Building Igloos at Port Ainé** (6 h · Families; low effort · Desde 39.9 € per person up to age 12): A whole day in the snow learning to build an igloo from blocks, with a Rutes Pirineus guide. It is the Pallars activity for small children who do not ski: little effort, lots of snow and a shelter they have made themselves at the end. What you do The guide begins by teaching the technique: how to cut the blocks, how to close the dome gradually and the tricks to make the igloo last. Then, in small groups, each team builds its own with his help, using shovels and snow saws. While you work there is time to talk about the history of the Inuit and how they built, the types of snow and the state of the snowpack, animal tracks and the shapes glaciers left in the landscape. The day ends inside the finished igloo. No experience of snow or mountains is needed. The physical effort and technical difficulty are low, which is why they recommend it from age 4; for children, cutting blocks and watching the dome grow is the game of the day. What the day is like You meet at 10:00 in the car park at the last bend before the Port Ainé pistes. In a quarter of an hour's walk at most, you reach the building area. You stop to eat whatever each person has brought and return to the car park at about 16:00. The exact place may change depending on the snow and the weather. At Port Ainé the dates are Saturday 23 January, Sunday 28 February and Sunday 21 March 2027. What you pay €49.90 from age 13 and €39.90 up to 12. It includes a qualified guide, poles and rubber gloves for each person, shared shovels and saws and accident insurance. Open groups are 5 to 15; if five are not reached, the money is refunded. For groups of ten or more, or for a private day on another date, they ask for a quote. Book by email, on their website or on 691 772 966, and your place is confirmed on payment. What to bring Rucksack, waterproof warm clothing, mountain trousers, waterproof boots, hat and neck gaiter, and a second pair of thin gloves to wear under the rubber ones: it is what you will be most grateful for after hours of touching snow. For the sun, sunglasses, sun cream and a cap. Food and a litre and a half of water per person. The company may leave out anyone without the essential equipment. Afterwards, Sort is a few minutes away by car: the heated pool at the Hotel Pessets opens in the afternoon, except on Sundays and Mondays. If someone in the group would rather go up to see the pistes, the gondola pedestrian ticket costs €9.50. - **Heated Pool and Sauna at the Hotel Pessets in Sort** (1 h · Adults and accompanied children · Desde 20 € per person, one hour): In Sort, the capital of the Pallars Sobirà, the Hotel Pessets opens its spa to non-guests: heated pool, sauna and massages. It is on the way back from Port Ainé or Espot, and it is the afternoon plan for when it rains, when your legs can take no more or when a day of rafting or skiing calls for hot water. What there is The hotel's spa has a heated pool and sauna, and a glazed rest area looking onto the garden. You pay by the hour: admission is for one hour. Massages are by booking and subject to availability. The hotel offers relaxing, muscle-release, tired-legs, anti-cellulite and craniofacial massage, the latter for head, face and neck. They are given by qualified masseuses, with natural oils. They cost €40 for 25 minutes, €70 for 50 and €90 for 80. Hours and price One hour, €20; if you sleep at the hotel or in its apartments, €14. The hotel publishes these prices as valid until 14 November 2026, so confirm them when you book from that date. It is open Tuesday to Friday from 16:00 to 21:00, Saturday from 10:00 to 13:00 and from 16:00 to 21:00 and Sunday from 10:00 to 13:00; it is closed on Mondays. At Christmas it closes on 24 and 25 December; on the 26th it opens from 16:00 to 21:00 and on the 27th, from 10:00 to 13:00 and from 16:00 to 21:00. Always book beforehand on 973 620 000, from 16:00 to 21:00. Children may enter, but always with an adult. How to fit it into the day The hotel is at avinguda de la Diputació, 3, in the centre of Sort, and can be reached on foot from anywhere in the village. Tuesday to Saturday afternoon is the best slot: you come down from Port Ainé or from Espot, have a shower and have the pool until nine. On Sunday, however, it opens only in the morning, so do not count on it when you come back from the pistes. If you want to sleep in the same place, there is the entry for the Hotel Pessets & Spa. - **Going Up Without Skis on the Port Ainé Gondola** (1 h · Everyone · €9.50 · up to age 6 €7): If someone in the group does not ski, the Port Ainé pedestrian ticket lets them go up and down once on the Roní gondola, without skis or board, for €9.50 (€7 up to age 6 and from 70). At the top, the Port Ainé 2000 café is open from 8:30 to 17:00, with views of the pistes. What it is and who it is for Port Ainé is the ski resort above Rialp and a few minutes from Sort, at over 2,000 metres and surrounded by the Alt Pirineu Natural Park. Almost everything happens at the 2000 level: ticket offices, the Hotel Port Ainé 2000, the café, the buffet restaurant and the play park. The Roní gondola runs down from there to the 1,650 level, where parking zone 0, the largest, with 350 spaces, is. The pedestrian ticket is designed for the grandparent, partner or friend who accompanies the group and does not put on skis. It lets them go up with everyone, have breakfast or a drink while the others ski and meet up for lunch. It is not valid for getting around the resort: it is one ride up and one ride down, and gives no access to any other lift. Cost and hours The pedestrian ticket costs €9.50 for adults, young people, children aged 7 to 11 and seniors aged 65 to 69, and €7 for under-6s and over-70s. It does not have the online purchase discount that other lift passes have, so it makes no difference whether you buy it at the ticket office or on the website. If you are coming many days, there is a pedestrian season pass for the Pallars, valid at Port Ainé and Espot. The resort is open from 9:00 to 17:00, with the last ride up at 16:30; on Christmas Day, from 9:00 to 13:00. From 31 March it closes at 16:00. The play park, from 9:00 to 16:30. For any questions, the resort's phone is 973 627 607. Eating and waiting at the top The Port Ainé 2000 café serves drinks and bocadillos from 8:30 to 17:00 every day; if you want to sit down to eat, the Port Ainé Buffet Restaurant is open from 13:30 to 15:30. Wrap up warm even if you do not ski: at 2,000 metres the air is cold even in the sun. Getting there You drive up the resort road from Rialp. Parking is free and divided into five zones; you have the details in Port Ainé car parks. Without a car, the Snow Taxi goes up from Sort for €2 each way, booking the day before. If the group includes children who do not ski and you want to spend the day in the snow, also see the igloo-building day, which leaves from the same road. ## Dónde comer - **L'Avet de Sant Maurici** (Restaurant, Espot, €€). Qué pedir: ask for the day's traditional menu and, in the afternoon, the hot chocolate - **Altitude 2000 Self-service** (Restaurant, Espot Esquí, €). Qué pedir: a hot dish from the self-service between runs - **Port Ainé Buffet Restaurant** (Restaurant, Port Ainé, €€). Qué pedir: the full buffet if you are spending the day; to be quick, the Burger Track ## By car: The Pallars by Car, from Espot to Port Ainé With a car you can move between the two Pallars Sobirà resorts: Espot Esquí, above the Espot valley, and Port Ainé, above Rialp. Sort, in between, is the base with the most services. The budget includes lift pass, food and shared accommodation. Presupuesto orientativo: 100–170 € por persona y día. ### Dónde dormir if you're driving - **Hotel Saurat** (Hotel): In the centre of Espot The Saurat is the hotel in plaça de Sant Martí, in the centre of Espot, at the entrance to the Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici National Park. It has three stars and 39 rooms, all exterior and with mountain views, with a balcony, terrace or in the attic. Espot Esquí is about six minutes away by car and Baqueira, over the Bonaigua pass when it is open, about thirty. A house of five generations It is one of the oldest hospitality businesses in the Pallars Sobirà. It began in the nineteenth century as the Fonda Saurat, on another site and with three rooms; in the early twentieth century a building with fourteen was added, and between 1932 and 1934 the family built the present hotel on what was then the edge of the village. In the Civil War it was seized by the UGT as a rest home, and the family recovered it afterwards. It was extended in the 1960s and in 2003 the fourth generation carried out a complete refurbishment that respected the original architecture and earned it its three stars. Today the fifth runs it. Rooms Superior double with terrace and garden views, with two beds or a large one. Double with balcony, with two beds. Attic double, with a large bed, and superior penthouse, with a 140 sofa bed. Triple with balcony, with three beds. Family attic room, with a large bed and two singles. Connecting superior: two doubles joined, for families. Double adapted for reduced mobility. The website does not publish prices, check-in and check-out times or whether breakfast is included: all of that can be seen in its booking engine. What it has Its own restaurant, L'Avet de Sant Maurici, with a terrace beside the river; lobby with fireplace and reading corner, garden, meeting room, luggage storage and a locked bike room. Free private outdoor parking with two electric chargers and free wifi. The hotel organises rafting, canoeing, horse riding, quad bikes and 4x4 outings. With a dog It accepts dogs with no weight limit, two per room at most, with a supplement of €9 a night. There are few pet rooms: ask when you book. They may be in the common areas on a lead and in the garden, but not in the breakfast dining room, nor be left alone in the room except during breakfast. Bring an up-to-date vaccination card. Who it is for For families, because of the family and connecting rooms, and for those who come with a dog. In winter, for skiing at Espot or doing snowshoeing to the estany de Sant Maurici, which leaves from the village itself. - **Hotel Roya** (Small hotel): A family hotel in Espot The Hotel Roya is in Espot, at the entrance to the Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici National Park. It presents itself as a small family hotel with more than a hundred years of tradition, handed down from generation to generation. Espot Esquí is about five minutes away by car and Baqueira about half an hour. The rooms It has 25 rooms, all doubles, of two types: the doubles with charm, completely renovated and with mountain views, and the doubles with mountain décor. All have a private bathroom with bath or shower, toiletries and hairdryer, central heating, television, wifi and quality mattresses, and breakfast is included. The website does not publish how many of each type there are, their sizes or the prices: they can be seen in its booking engine. There are no family or triple rooms on the website. Breakfast and dinner Breakfast is a buffet of homemade and local products: cured meats, bread, homemade jams, local butter and milk, juices and coffee. If you let them know beforehand, they prepare gluten-free and lactose-free options. The website does not publish the hours. Dinner is another matter: only for guests, with prior booking, for groups of at least ten and with a set menu. If you are a couple or a family, eat out; in the village square there is L'Avet de Sant Maurici, the restaurant of the Hotel Saurat. Services for skiing and walking It has a large private car park, which the website presents as free, a ski store, space for bicycles and ski equipment hire under the Ski Roya brand, with a point at the foot of the Espot pistes. Inside there is a café and bar, a lounge with a fireplace, a terrace and the La Llupia space, a covered outdoor area for autumn and winter afternoons by the fire, as well as a small library with information on routes, history and heritage of the valley. Who it is for For couples and friends who come to ski at Espot or walk in the national park, and who want a good breakfast and an early start. The guided snowshoeing to the estany de Sant Maurici meets at 8:45 in Espot itself. If you are travelling with small children, the Hotel Saurat has family rooms. Before booking The website does not publish the category, prices, check-in and check-out times or whether pets are admitted. Book through its engine, on 973 624 040 or at hotelroya@hotelroya.net. - **Hotel Pessets & Spa** (Spa hotel): In the centre of Sort The Pessets is a four-star hotel on avinguda de la Diputació in Sort, the capital of the Pallars Sobirà. It has a restaurant, spa, garden with outdoor pool and sun terrace and, separately, the Apartaments Adelaida. It is a good base if you alternate between Port Ainé, about 30 minutes away via Rialp, and Espot Esquí, about 40, and in summer for the river sports on the Noguera Pallaresa. Rooms and apartments The website describes five types of room. The standard, with two beds or a double, views of the garden or the village and a minibar, takes an extra bed; some have air conditioning. The terrace room with garden views is for two, with air conditioning and a kettle. The attic room, with rustic décor, also takes a third bed. The family room is over 25 m², with one double bed, three singles and two bathrooms, for up to five; and the family attic room, for four, has the double bed and two singles in an adjoining small sitting room. The Apartaments Adelaida are two buildings: Adelaida I, within the hotel grounds, with direct access to the garden, pool and spa, and Adelaida II, in a Modernista building between avinguda Comtes del Pallars and carrer Major. There are some for two to four and for four to six people, with equipped kitchen, living-dining room with television and shared laundry with washing machine and dryer. Pets are accepted for a supplement. Where to eat The hotel's restaurant is P7S, serving traditional and creative Pallars cooking with local, seasonal produce. In winter La Formatgeria opens, with cheeses and cured meats from Pallars producers, and in July and August the Xiringuito del Jardí, with a grill. On the ground floor of Adelaida II is the Cafè Pessets, restaurant, bar and wine and cheese shop with tapas and half portions. The website does not publish hours or prices for these spaces. The spa Heated pool, sauna and massages. Guests pay €14 an hour and non-guests €20. It is open Tuesday to Friday afternoons, Saturday morning and afternoon and Sunday morning; it is closed on Mondays. If you are not staying, see the entry for the Hotel Pessets spa. Services Free wifi, bar in the lobby, ski store, left-luggage, bike garage with workshop and motorbike garage, and adapted access. It accepts dogs and cats in standard rooms and apartments, with separate conditions. The website says nothing about car parking: ask when you book. Before booking The website does not publish room prices or check-in times; it offers online pre-registration and its own rates when booking on it. Book on its website or on 973 620 000. From Sort the Snow Taxi runs to Espot and Port Ainé at weekends, for €2 each way. ## As a family: The Pallars with Children Espot has plenty of blues and a learning area at 2,000 metres; Port Ainé, a green run of over three kilometres, a play park and sledges. And for those who do not ski, a guided igloo day. ### What works best Up to age 6, the lift pass costs €7 at both resorts The green Bellavista at Port Ainé, over 3 km The Espot play park and the Port Ainé one Rutes Pirineus igloos, from age 4, €39.90 The Port Ainé pedestrian ticket, €9.50, for the companion ### Where to sleep Hotel Saurat, with family rooms in Espot Hotel Pessets, with heated pool in Sort ### Where to eat Altitude 2000 self-service at Espot, every day ### Bear in mind For ages 7 to 11 the Espot lift pass costs €28.50 online At the Pessets spa children go in with an adult Snowshoe outings are from age 9 ### Qué hacer as a family - Skiing at Espot Esquí - Skiing at Port Ainé - A Day Building Igloos at Port Ainé - Heated Pool and Sauna at the Hotel Pessets in Sort - Going Up Without Skis on the Port Ainé Gondola ## With teenagers: The Pallars with Teenagers Port Ainé was one of the first Pyrenean resorts with a snowpark, and Espot has a thousand metres of vertical drop. For a teenager who does not ski, guided snowshoeing to the national park lakes. ### What works best The Port Ainé snowpark, with its own lift Espot's 4 black pistes and Port Ainé's 11 red ones Snowshoeing to the estany de Sant Maurici by 4x4 taxi, from age 9 The igloos, also for over-12s ### Where to sleep Hotel Saurat, in Espot ### Where to eat Port Ainé Burger Track and Espot Ski Burger ### Bear in mind For ages 12 to 24 the Port Ainé lift pass costs €35 online in low season The Sant Maurici outing is eight hours in all ### Qué hacer with teenagers - Skiing at Espot Esquí - Skiing at Port Ainé - Guided Snowshoeing to the Estany de Sant Maurici - Guided Snowshoeing to the Miradors del Pallars, at Port Ainé - A Day Building Igloos at Port Ainé ## With friends: Pistes, Snowshoes and Igloos in the Pyrenees In winter the Pallars Sobirà is a snow plan for a group: two small resorts half an hour apart, guided snowshoeing around the national park and something different to do when someone tires of skiing. For a weekend it is best to split things up: a full day's skiing at one resort, another with snowshoes in the park or on an igloo day, if the group is not all skiers. Between one activity and another, Sort and Espot offer accommodation for groups and a spa to recover in. ### What works best Espot Esquí: 25 km and 22 runs, from 1,500 to 2,500 m, with a day lift pass at €39 online Port Ainé: 26.7 km and 25 runs, snowpark included, with a lift pass from €42 online A day building igloos at Port Ainé: six hours with a guide, no previous experience, from €39.90 Guided snowshoeing to Estany de Sant Maurici, by 4x4 taxi from Espot: 12 km and 400 m of ascent, with a guide for €47.90 Snowshoeing along the Miradors del Pallars, from the Port Ainé car park: 8 km and 470 m of ascent ### Where to sleep The Hotel Saurat, in Espot square, with 39 rooms, a restaurant and free parking, six minutes from Espot Esquí The Hotel Pessets & Spa, in Sort, with a spa and apartments, half an hour from Port Ainé ### Where to eat Altitude 2000, the self-service restaurant at Espot Esquí at the 2,000 m level, with full meals from 13:00 to 15:00 L'Avet de Sant Maurici, in Espot square, with traditional cooking from local produce and a terrace by the river ### Keep in mind Choose one resort per day: each has its own lift pass and it takes time to change valley Snowshoeing requires age 9 or over and good fitness for several hours With little snow, check the piste report before paying for the lift pass ### Qué hacer with friends - Skiing at Espot Esquí - Skiing at Port Ainé - Guided Snowshoeing to the Estany de Sant Maurici - Guided Snowshoeing to the Miradors del Pallars, at Port Ainé - A Day Building Igloos at Port Ainé ## Consejos ### Buy the lift pass online At both resorts you save €5 a day. ### Avoid Saturdays in February at Port Ainé They are high season: €4 more. ### Book the Sort taxi the day before Before 19:00; without a booking there is no seat. ## Preguntas frecuentes ### How long does it take from Lleida to Port Ainé? About two hours forty minutes on the C-13, by our estimate. ### How much is the Espot Esquí lift pass? €39 for an adult day online and €44 at the ticket office, according to the rates published in November 2026. ### How much is the Port Ainé lift pass in 2026-27? €42 in low season and €46 in high season, buying online. ### Can you go to the Sant Maurici lake in winter? Yes, by 4x4 taxi from Espot if the weather allows, and with snowshoes and a guide on Rutes Pirineus dates. ### Is there a spa in the Pallars Sobirà? Yes: the one at the Hotel Pessets in Sort, €20 an hour without staying. ### Is the parking free? Yes, at both resorts.