• Distance: 12 km
• Duration: Five hours
• start/end: Vall de Núria
• Difficulty: Moderate to strenuous

From Vall de Núria most people climb Puigmal (2,910m) the highest mountain in the area but I like to take the path that winds its way up to the Pic de Finestrelles (2,827m) and then traverses the ridge that runs along the French-Spanish border.

You will meet fewer people on this route and the peak of Finestrelles is only slightly lower than the nearby Puigmal and the views of the endless mountains are just stunning. Summertime is also the best time to take this route if you want to spot some playful marmots near the streams during the descent.