The name of Sort is known throughout Spain thanks to La Bruixa d’Or, one of the best-known lottery offices in the country. Located in the heart of the Pallars Sobirà region, this Pyrenean municipality attracts visitors every year who come to try their luck and see this famous lottery office. But Sort has much more to offer: mountain scenery, nature, outdoor activities and local food. In this article we tell you the story of La Bruixa d’Or and show you what to see and do in Sort to enjoy a getaway in the Catalan Pyrenees, staying at Hotel Les Brases.
La Bruixa d’Or, Sort's famous lottery office
Sort is a small municipality in the province of Lleida, in the heart of the Catalan Pyrenees. It is surrounded by mountains, the River Noguera Pallaresa flows beside the town and the Alt Pirineu Natural Park is just a few kilometres away. It is the capital of the Pallars Sobirà region, a region of high-mountain landscapes, valleys and traditional villages.
The name of the town, in Catalan, means luck. It is hard to imagine a better place for a lottery office, and Xavier Gabriel understood this, founding the office in 1986. The name of the office, La Bruixa d’Or, which in English means “the golden witch”, would become a symbol of luck for thousands of people.
Fame came in 1994, when the office paid out its first major prize in the El Niño Lottery. Since then it has awarded dozens of major prizes and, according to the office itself, has paid out more than 3,207 million euros in prizes in Spain and internationally. Today it is one of the best-known lottery offices in the country.
The result is a curious story: a small mountain town that appears on the news all over Spain every time a big prize is won. La Bruixa d’Or is located on Avinguda de la Generalitat, one of the main avenues in the centre of Sort.
Photo: RICHTEA, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0).
Experiencing the lottery in Sort
La Bruixa d’Or sells tickets for the National Lottery draws, from the regular ones to the most famous special draws, such as the Christmas or the Niño. The price of each ticket is the same as at any other office, so what changes when you buy in Sort is the experience.
For many visitors, stopping in Sort is almost a ritual: going to the office, buying your ticket in person and taking home the memory of having done it in the town that carries luck in its name. You can also buy online, but doing it in person is part of the visit.
If you want to buy your ticket in Sort, check the dates and prices of each draw beforehand on the official website of Loterías y Apuestas del Estado. And remember that the lottery is a game of chance: play responsibly and, above all, make the most of the trip to discover everything Sort has to offer beyond the tickets.
What to do in Sort and the Pallars Sobirà beyond the lottery
Sort sits on the banks of the River Noguera Pallaresa, in a setting surrounded by mountains that in winter becomes an ideal destination for winter sports. The ski resort at Port Ainé is about 25 km from Sort, around 35 minutes by car, and is a good option for skiing with the family or taking up the sport.
If you prefer a quieter day, you can go hiking with snowshoes or visit the Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici National Park, one of the most impressive high-mountain landscapes in the Catalan Pyrenees. And if food is your thing, the Pallars Sobirà region has a mountain cuisine of traditional dishes and local produce.
Sort also has a rhythm of its own: a small, quiet, welcoming town where you can stroll without hurry, see La Bruixa d’Or and disconnect from the big cities. And in summer, the Noguera Pallaresa offers rafting and other adventure sports.
Stay at Hotel Les Brases in Sort
If you want to experience the town of luck from the inside, Hotel Les Brases is a comfortable option: it is on Avinguda de la Generalitat in Sort, the same avenue where La Bruixa d’Or is located, facing the River Noguera Pallaresa and at the gateway to the Pyrenees.
It is a rustic-style hotel, with wood and stone fittings and renovated, cosy rooms, ideal for a getaway as a couple, with friends or with family. It has free parking and, after a day in the snow or a stroll around Sort, you can have dinner at Restaurant Les Brases, with traditional and regional dishes from the Pyrenees.
Plan your getaway to Sort and book your stay at Hotel Les Brases!
