Lleida is to get a new airport very soon, in time for the next skiing season. With the Pyrenees just an hour’s drive or so away, it is hoped that around 35,000 Brits alone will come through the airport every year.
Having experienced the skiing there I have mixed feeling about this as I’d rather more people didn’t know about it! Being further from the international airports than other regions, Lleida has therefore been less well known internationally, even though it is recognised within Spain as one of the best in the country, being a favourite of prime ministers and royalty.
The province of Lleida also includes national parks with breathtaking scenery and hundreds of miles of walking routes, from the ‘beginner’ (those, like me, who would love the experience but are somewhat out of shape..) to the serious hiker. Combined with beautiful little villages, this makes the place a wonderful place to visit all year round. I really am very lucky to live here!
The airport itself is very ‘fashionista’ in design, as you can see from the artist’s impression below. I think it has something to do with Lleida being ‘green’ – with a less industrial and predominantly agriculturally based economy, especially fruit trees.
Indeed as the photograph of the almost finished terminal building shows, it looks remarkably like the stacks of fruit boxes that you see all over the lowlands here.
Ok, I’m going to get ready to go to the beach tomorrow…!