Real estate investment in Cerdanya

A rich and highly visible history

As befits an area that has been traversed by numerous civilisations throughout history, the municipalities and sites of La Cerdanya treasure a fascinating heritage legacy. With an accredited human presence since at least the end of the Lower Palaeolithic period, the region can boast one of the oldest settlements in the world of the Peninsula. As early as the Bronze Age, the inhabitants of the region erected megalithic constructions that are still standing today, such as the Orèn Dolmen in Prullans. Centuries later, the Iberians left other interesting traces, such as the settlement of El Castellot de Bolvir.

Also the romans were also seduced by the charms of the area, which they christened as Ceritania. Vestiges of this period can be found at Llivia, Alp or Prats i Sansor including structures of large domus campestres and remains of necropolis. The fall of the Roman order in the 5th century had its effect on the region, whose population declined significantly until well into the Middle Ages. Between the 9th and 11th centuries, some of the most important castles in the region were built, and the spread of the romanesque style.

Santa Maria de Talló (Bellver de Cerdanya), Santa Maria d'All (Isòvol), Sant Serní de Meranges or Sant Cosme i Sant Damià de Queixans (Fontanals de Cerdanya) are some of the most notable examples of the romanesque in the region, making up an attractive tourist route that combines culture, architecture and nature. In parallel with the building of these and other constructions, Alfonso I founded Puigcerdà the current capital of the region.

Evidently, history has not only marked the physiognomy of the towns and the museum catalogues. The traditions of the county are depositories of the contributions of different cultures and periods. The Festival of the Lake or the Puigcerdà Horse Fair, the Gastronomic Fair with turnips at Ger or the St. Lawrence Fair in Bellver de Cerdanya are some of the most outstanding celebrations.

The municipalities and towns of Cerdanya

La Cerdanya comprises fifteen municipalities, many of which have numerous population centres associated with them. Puigcerdà is the nerve centre of the region, with the largest commercial, gastronomic and leisure offer in La Cerdanya, as well as an outstanding real estate offer.

Bellver de Cerdanya, Llivia and Alp are the other major towns in the region and, in all cases, they are towns that are home to remarkable heritage treasures as we have seen above. In the municipality of Alp is also home to the ski resorts of La Molina and Masella. Another municipality for those who love cultural and historical tourism is Isòvol.

The rest of the towns in the region have only a few hundred inhabitants, but they have become very important in recent years due to their possibilities for rural tourism and real estate investment in houses for second homes. In the south of the region, the following stand out Urús, Riu de Cerdanya, Montellà i Martinet, Das and Prats i Sansor.

In the north of the county, among some of the highest peaks of the Pyrenees mountain range, are located municipalities such as Meranges, Guils de Cerdanya, Ger or Bolvir, the latter, together with Puigcerdà. Other towns that should not be missed are Lles de Cerdanya or Prullans where it is difficult not to feel at home.

The natural setting

To talk about the natural setting of La Cerdanya means that we must think of the sinuousness of the Pyrenees, the reality is that the county has three clearly defined geographical areas with their own attractions.

The Solana occupies a large part of the north of the region, establishing a sort of natural border with France. This area is home to the highest peaks, such as the Puigpedrós (2,914 metres), around which are located towns such as Ger or Guils de Cerdanya.

The Baga is a large transition zone that includes the Cadí-Moixeró Natural Park a mountain range that runs parallel to the Pyrenees and offers some of the most spectacular landscapes in the region. Das and Urús are some of the municipalities located in this true paradise for hikers, mountaineers and skiers.

The third area in the running is La Plana, the flattest area with the lowest average altitude in La Cerdanya and where the main towns in the county are located. As a curiosity, its remarkable width (between 6 and 8 km) makes it the widest valley in Europe. It is also at this point that almost all the primary activity of the region is concentrated, as well as some of the most luxuriant forests, such as the Ribera del Segre Forest.

Mountain sports and active tourism

Cerdanya is a mountainous region and this means that there is a considerable range of possibilities for lovers of mountain sports. These activities have historically made the region a popular place to buy a holiday home in a village, urbanisation or in the heart of nature. The skiing attracts tens of thousands of enthusiasts every year, given the proximity of the ski slopes of La Molina and Masella. What's more, municipalities such as Guils de Cerdanya open the door to enjoy the slopes of nordic skiing and snowshoeing circuits.

As for active tourism, the routes of hiking routes and cycling have proposals for all audiences, including Nordic walking (among snowy landscapes), competitions of Trail Running, cycle-tourist marches or Bike Park for the more daring visitors. Cerdanya has many adventure sports companies and schools for skiing and other snow sports.

The catalogue of possibilities does not end with the more conventional sports. The canyoning caving, the adventure parks, Paintball or the games of Scape Room are options to be taken into account and that adapt to any public. Another alternative that has become very popular in the last few decades is to be found in the golf courses. The most outstanding ones are to be found in Bolvir (Real Club de Golf Cerdanya), Puigcerdà (Club Golf Sant Marc Puigcerdà) and Fontanals de Cerdanya (Fontanals Golf Club).

Gastronomy, another incentive to invest in Cerdanya

Catalonia has a renowned culinary tradition and the gastronomy is also one of Cerdanya's main assets. Most of the credit for the county's dishes goes to the quality of the local products. These include products from livestock farming, such as sheep's and cow's cheese and the different types of sausages (sausages, fuet and butifarras).

The region's variety of flavours does not end there, however, because the market garden provides products such as pears, cherries, the quince, talltendre turnips, winter cabbage and potatoes. At the same time, the region abounds with wild delicacies such as blueberries, raspberries and blackberries as well as a wide variety of mushrooms.

With this raw material, the restaurants of the region prepare recipes such as the Tiró (duck) with turnips or the Trinxat de Cerdanya, perhaps the most typical dish of the region.

A very solid real estate market

Investing in a house or flat in Cerdanya has many attractions from the point of view of lifestyle and the possibilities of the surroundings. Most of the municipalities in the region have a wide range of properties for sale and it is also possible to find a land or plot to build a house from scratch.

The real estate market in Cerdanya stands out for its low volatility and the high performance of the available references. Likewise, it is possible to choose between housing in urban centres, houses in small villages or estates in the midst of places of unusual beauty. Whether it is a permanent home or a second home, the region offers possibilities for the most demanding clientele.