Tuesday 31 July 2007

Setcases, Catalonia


Set half way up a picturesque valley surrounded by mountains, Setcases is an attractive mixture of crumbling farm buildings, cobbled alleyways, smart apartments, rustic restaurants and modest hotels. In winter, the village serves as a base for skiers tackling the VallTer 2000 resort further up the valley. In summer, Setcases makes a good starting point for some sensual riverside walks - colourful butterflies flutter around an array of wild flowers bordering the grassy footpaths leading off the quiet road through the valley. A particularly pleasant amble alongside the Riu de Carboner, an idyllic mountain stream, begins about a kilometer or two north of Setcases. 8/10