Holiday cottage · Catalan Pyrenees
A stone house, a dark sky
and nothing else for miles
Cal Cintet is an 1850 stone farmhouse in the Catalan Pyrenees, restored with care and yours alone. Sleeps 8, two hours from Barcelona, under one of Europe's darkest skies.
Availability
See the free dates and their prices
Check the calendar to see which nights are available and how much they cost. Choose your dates and book in a minute, with secure payment.
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Lleida · Catalonia
Vilanova de Meià, at the foot of the Montsec
Cal Cintet sits in Vilanova de Meià, in the Noguera region of Lleida, at the foot of the Montsec in the Catalan Pyrenees. Nothing but silence and one of the darkest skies in Europe, a certified Starlight Reserve. Balaguer is 44 km away (45 minutes), Lleida 69 km (55 minutes) and Barcelona just under two hours.
The house
Century-old stone, today's comfort
Four floors and 120 m² where every detail is designed to make you feel at home: a fully equipped open kitchen, a living room with a wood stove, two balconies with views of the Montsec and the Meià valley, and two double beds plus two sofa beds.
- High-speed wifi
- Equipped kitchen
- Wood stove
- Air conditioning
- Pets welcome
- Views of the Montsec
The surroundings
A medieval valley ringed by mountains
Crystal-clear springs, icy caves, hermitages with 360° views and stone villages. The Montsec awaits right on your doorstep.
Within an easy drive
Nearby, and how long it takes
Vilanova de Meià is quiet, but not cut off. A Romanesque monastery and a fossil quarry sit four minutes up the road, and within an hour's drive there are reservoirs, dinosaur trackways, a gorge cut into a cliff face and the Montsec's telescopes. Balaguer, for a supermarket and the weekly market, is just over half an hour.
| Santa Maria de Meià | Neighbouring hamlet with the Romanesque monastery of Santa Maria and the Cretaceous fossil quarries of the Pedrera de Meià | 2.5 km | 4 min |
|---|---|---|---|
| Llimiana | Medieval village overlooking the Terradets reservoir, with an old quarter and a Romanesque church | 21.2 km | 31 min |
| Pantà i Congost de Terradets | Reservoir and gorge on the Noguera Pallaresa river beside Cellers: kayaking, swimming and climbing crags | 28.8 km | 42 min |
| Camarasa | Village at the foot of the Camarasa dam, with a reservoir open to boats and the Neanderthal site of Roca dels Bous | 34.8 km | 33 min |
| Tremp | Main town of the Pallars Jussà district: services, the district hospital and a stop on the Tren dels Llacs ('lakes train') railway | 40.5 km | 52 min |
| Balaguer | Main town of La Noguera district: supermarkets, shops, a weekly market and the castell Formós castle above the river Segre | 41.6 km | 36 min |
| Isona (Museu de la Conca Dellà / Parc Cretaci) | Museum and network of sites with dinosaur footprints, bones and eggs from the Conca Dellà | 43.2 km | 40 min |
| Àger | Village with the collegiate church of Sant Pere and one of Catalonia's main areas for hang-gliding and paragliding | 43.7 km | 54 min |
| Parc Astronòmic del Montsec (Àger) | Astronomy centre with a planetarium and telescopes, in the Montsec Starlight Reserve (a certified dark-sky area) | 47.1 km | 59 min |
| Congost de Mont-rebei (aparcamiento de La Masieta) | Gorge with a path cut into the vertical rock face above the river; park at La Masieta and continue on foot | 57.7 km | 85 min |
Distances are by car from the village, on the fastest route. The roads north cross the Montsec and are narrow and winding, so allow a little longer in winter — and note that parking at Mont-rebei must be booked online in advance, all year round.
Before you book
The questions we get asked most
Most of what people want to know before booking: who fits, how you get in, what's in the kitchen and how far the drive really is. If we've missed something, send us a message and we'll answer you honestly.
How many people does the house sleep?
Up to eight, in two double beds and two sofa beds spread across the four floors. Bed linen and towels are included. It suits two families travelling together, or a group of friends who'd rather share one house than a corridor of hotel rooms.
Do we get the whole house to ourselves?
Yes. Cal Cintet is only let as a whole house, so one booking takes all 120 square metres and all four floors. No other guests, no shared stairs, no reception desk.
Can we bring the dog?
Yes, pets are welcome, and there's open country to walk them in straight from the door. The one firm rule is that nobody smokes inside the house.
Is there a minimum stay?
Two nights, all year round. Check the calendar for free dates and prices; booking takes a couple of minutes and payment is secure.
Where exactly is it, and how do we get there?
The house is in Vilanova de Meià, in the Noguera region of Lleida, at the foot of the Montsec in the Catalan Pyrenees. You'll want a car: Balaguer is 44 km (45 minutes), Lleida 69 km (55 minutes) and Barcelona 147 km, roughly two hours. The last stretch is mountain road, so allow a little extra in winter.
Is there wifi and a proper kitchen?
Yes to both. The wifi is fast enough to work or stream on, and the kitchen is fully equipped, so cooking for eight needs no improvising. There's a television and a shelf of board games, a wood stove for cold nights, plus heating and air conditioning for either end of the year.
How does check-in work — will someone meet us?
The front door has a keypad lock and we send you the code before you travel, so you let yourselves in at whatever hour you arrive. No key handover and no waiting about after a long drive. We're on the phone if you need anything once you're in.
Can you really see the stars from the house?
Yes. The Montsec is a certified Starlight Reserve and there is next to no light pollution in the village, so on a clear night the Milky Way shows from the balconies with the naked eye. Turn the house lights off and give your eyes twenty minutes to adjust. For a closer look, the Parc Astronòmic del Montsec in Àger has telescopes and a planetarium.