• Region: Catalonia
• Province: Lérida
• Declared a Natural Park: 1955 (National 1995)
• Park surface area: 40,000 hectares
• Towns and Villages: Alto Aneu, Valle de Bohí, Espot, Esterri de Aneu, Alto Arán, Sort, La Torre de Cabdella and Vilaller

Points of interest

The Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici National Park is the only protected area with National Park status in Catalonia. It is located in the central part of the Pyrenees and divided into four regions (Alta Ribagorza, Pallars Sobirá, Pallars Jussá and Valle de Arán) in the province of Lérida.

The geography of the area is high mountain and a large part of the territory exceeds 1000 metres and including some peaks that exceed 3000 metres. Two spectacular valleys stand out. To the west the valley of the San Nicolás River with its characteristic meadows and meanders from which the name “Aiguas Tortas” (tortuous waters) comes and to the east the valley of the river Escrita with the beautiful lake of San Mauricio.

Within the national park there are around 80 lakes. The main ones are: Llebreta, Serradé, Contraix, Llong, Mussoles, Ribera, Morrano, Dellui, Redó, Negro de Portarró, Ratera, Barbs, Munyidera, lakes of Amitges, San Mauricio , Negro de Peguera , Monges, Travessani, Mangades.

The area has also become famous as a starlight destination. The Starlight Foundation is a non-profit organization that was founded in 2009 to promote the protection of the night sky and the development of “astrotourism” and there is an ever growing list of starlight destinations in Spain to visit.