EUROPE | SPAIN
Planning your trip to Catalonia, Spain
THE BEST WAY
From LAX, connecting service (change of plane) to Barcelona is offered on British, Delta, Air France, Lufthansa and KLM.
Restricted round-trip fares begin at $703.
Berga is about a 90-minute drive.
TELEPHONES
To call the numbers below from the U.S., dial 011 (the international dialing code), 34 (country code for Spain) and the local number.
WHEN TO GO
Peak season for mushroom hunting is late September to mid-October. The Berga area offers other activities as well, including hiking, rock climbing, kayaking, paragliding and bicycling.
WHERE TO STAY
Sercotel Berga Park, 933-63-63-63, www.sercotelhoteles.com, Hotel Estel, 93-821-3463, www.hotelestel.com, and HC Ciutat de Berga, 902-102-120, www.hostalets.com. Nice, double rooms can be had at any of these for less than $75 a night.
Moli del Caso, 10 Barrio Terradellas, Baga; 938-244-076. This is about a 20-minute drive from Berga. Our double room cost $85 per night and included breakfast.
WHERE TO EAT
Sala, 938-21-11-85, 27 Passeig de la Pau, Berga. The mushroom tasting menu costs $75 a person.
La Cabana, 938-21-04-70, Solsona-Ribes Highway, high above the town. Lunch here is less than $30 a person, including a nice local wine.
Estany Clar, Highway C-16, kilometer 99.4, 938-220-879, www.estanyclar.com. For a special occasion, it's worth the price. Tasting menus are $65. The restaurant also has a country house that can be rented for an authentic mountain experience. A one-night stay, including lunch at the main restaurant and a light dinner and breakfast in the country house, is $250 per person.
WHAT TO DO
Mushroom hunting, of course. Local guides can be secured by contacting www.altbergueda.com.
WHAT TO TAKE
Good hiking boots; dress in layers; water bottle; compass; small pair of binoculars.
For a personal experience, contact Imma Espel Casas at imma@elbergueda.cat">imma@elbergueda.cat. She will be glad to assist you.
TO LEARN MORE
Tourist Office of Spain, (323) 658-7188, www.spain.info.
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