From Ribes de Freser, a short drive or bus ride from Ripoll, a rack-and-pinion mountain railway climbs nearly 1,000 metres through increasingly dramatic gorge scenery to the Sanctuary of Núria, a pilgrimage site at 1,967 metres surrounded by high peaks on three sides. The journey takes about 45 minutes each way and is the only access to the valley apart from a long mountain hike.
The sanctuary is built around a medieval statue of the Virgin of Núria, venerated for centuries by mountain shepherds and still the site of significant pilgrimages. Around it has grown a small resort complex with a lake, mountain activities in summer (walking, kayaking, archery), and a modest ski area in winter. The setting is extraordinary regardless of season: the enclosed valley, the high walls of the Pyrenees, and the absence of any road give it a genuinely remote atmosphere even when it is busy.