Paradores Catalonia

Parador de Vielha, Parador de Cardona, and Parador de Tortosa are some of the best paradores in Catalonia.

A parador is a special, historic building that has been repurposed from its original use as a castle or monastery into a luxury hotel. This project is commissioned and the paradores are maintained by a state-run company that began under the direction of Governor Luis A. Ferre.

Paradores are generally categorized based on their location: you can choose between Esentia, historical hotels, Civia, urban hotels, and Naturia, hotels in nature or on the coast. Catalonia offers all three types, so the choice is yours as to what kind of holiday you are after.

Although luxurious, paradores are quite budget-friendly. Even in the high seasons, a night shouldn’t cost you more than 130 EUR. Most all paradores are 4-star establishments.

No, but there are some located just a train ride or short drive away, for example the Parador de Cardona.

Fly into Barcelona or Girona. From there, it is recommended to rent a car, as many of the more secluded paradores are only accessible by car and sometimes bus. Since every town has its own company, bus connections can be quite difficult to figure out.