A network of narrow cobbled streets and arcaded squares flanked by robust houses, churches and small Romanesque hermitages, imposing bridges, old defense towers and castles... These are hallmarks of some of the towns that we are about to visit in our own way. Car route through the most beautiful medieval towns in Girona.
The route, three hundred kilometers long, will take us from the Mediterranean to the heart of the Pyrenees, between mountains and plains, to immerse ourselves in tiny urban centers that have defied the passage of time. The starting point is Peralada, in Alt Empordà, a few kilometers from the border, and we will cross five regions until we reach Ger, in Cerdanya, on a quiet journey. It is an ideal opportunity to soak up its peaceful life and to fall in love, a little more, with Girona, the northernmost corner of Catalonia.
Starting the route in Peralada, a town in Alt Empordà located in an area dedicated to viticulture, is a luxury. The town boasts - and rightly so - of a historical heritage, of which the old castle-palace of the counts of Peralada stands out, which stands majestically in the old town, converted into a tourist attraction in itself. The most unique and oldest part of the building - dating from the beginning of the 14th century - are the two towers that flank the entrance. Inside, in addition to housing a casino and a restaurant, there are hidden treasures such as the Carme convent, a building with a cloister and a Gothic church converted into a museum.
The cloister of Sant Domènec, a Romanesque work from the 13th century, the only part that remains standing of the old Augustinian convent founded at the end of the 11th century, is another attraction of a town in which you can breathe its medieval essence. It is a must to walk through its streets, contemplate its buildings and monuments and take advantage of some of the numerous tourist experiences it offers to foreigners.
We leave Peralada towards Castelló de Empúries, located 15 kilometers away, near the mouth of the Muga River, in the Gulf of Roses, a strategic location that allows you to enjoy not only art and culture, but also the sea and nature. that surrounds it. The past and architectural wealth of this medieval town that was once the capital of the county of Empúries is visible in its streets and in buildings such as the palace of the counts, which today houses the Town Hall, or the old sea market.
It would be unthinkable to travel to this town and miss the beautiful Basilica of Santa Maria, a majestic Gothic temple built between the 12th and 15th centuries, with its Romanesque bell tower and cathedral-like appearance. Nor can we overlook the Gallarda portal - one of the eight entrances to the town -, which dates back to the 11th-12th centuries, the Santa Clara convent, from the 11th century, the old bridge, and the remains of the walls. If you want to immerse yourself fully in the past of Castelló d'Empúries, coincide your visit with the Terra de Trobadors Festival, which is held in September and fills the entire town with music, knight combats and a medieval market.
We say goodbye to Alt Empordà and drive 45 kilometers south until we reach Peratallada. Despite its size - it does not reach 450 inhabitants - this tiny town is one of the most important medieval centers in Catalonia. Seated on a large stoneware rock from which the material with which a good part of the town was built was extracted, its past remains perfectly visible in the three walls and the moat that protects them, the castle and the keep, offering a feudal appearance.
Peratallada, which belongs to the municipality of Forallac, is, without a doubt, one of the most beautiful towns not only in the Baix Empordà, but in all of Catalonia. The ensemble invites you to get lost in its narrow streets and walk under its stone arches until you reach the church of Sant Esteve, which dates from the beginning of the 13th century, its castle-palace or the Plaza de las Voltes.
Reaching the next stop, Monells, will take us a few minutes - it is only a dozen kilometers away. The town was built around a castle of which only the walls remain, but when you walk through the streets of its extraordinary old town you will believe you have traveled to the Middle Ages.
Plaza Jaume I, a beautiful arcaded square where market stalls were set up in the past, continues to be the nerve center of Monells. Maybe the space looks familiar to you. And it was the setting for the film Eight Catalan Surnames. We recommend that you relax and don't miss the opportunity to sit at one of their tables and have an aperitif while you let your imagination fly.
We resume our route heading to Santa Pau, 60 kilometers away, in the heart of the Garrotxa Volcanic Zone natural park, between the Sant Julià del Mont and Santa Maria de Finestres mountain ranges. Upon arrival we discovered another delightful little town of just over 1,600 souls built in the shelter of the castle of the barons of Santa Pau.
The old town surprises with its marked medieval urban structure, with narrow and steep streets, which has its nerve center in its Plaza Mayor or Firal dels Bous. It is a very unique irregular porticoed square that is arranged around the castle, a robust building that stands at the highest point of the town. A visit to Santa Pau is a perfect excuse to get close to one of the most emblematic volcanoes in the area, such as Santa Margarida or Croscat.
We left Santa Pau towards Besalú, 30 kilometers away, wanting to tour one of the most important, unique and well-preserved medieval sites in Catalonia. Its imposing stone bridge with seven arches and a tower, considered a work of art of the time, welcomes a visitor who will not feel disappointed. And, faced with such beauty, one might think that one is in front of a set, but nothing could be further from the truth.
It is essential to discover the walls, walk through the streets and squares and stop to contemplate stately homes and mansions that seem as if no time has passed them. The church of Sant Julià, that of Sant Vicenç, the monastery of Sant Pere or the Jewish baths are some pearls of a very rich cultural heritage that more than half a century ago was declared a historical-artistic complex.
We will barely drive 15 more kilometers until we reach our next objective: Castellfollit de la Roca. If Besalú had surprised us, the impressive image of this town sitting on a fifty-meter-high rocky basalt cliff will not disappoint you.
The old town of this small town with less than a thousand inhabitants and narrow streets leads to the old church of Sant Salvador, from the 13th century, at the end of the cliff, where there is a viewpoint with views of the Fluvià and Toronell valleys. . We will enjoy the extraordinary panoramic view before leaving the town towards Camprodon, just over 30 kilometers away.
This town in the Ripollès region will be the first of the three stops we will make in the Girona Pyrenees. Its most iconic image is offered by the new bridge, a stone structure with a single arch from the 12th century, once a mandatory route for travelers heading to Cerdanya. Its medieval past is widely reflected in the various examples of Romanesque art in the monastery of Sant Pere, in the church of Santa Maria or in Sant Cristòfol de Beget.
Located in the valley of the same name, Camprodon is a stately town accustomed to tourism. Its natural environment has made it a desirable mountain destination, frequented by trekking and skiing fans - it is located 20 kilometers from the Vallter station.
We resume the route in the direction of Llívia, which forces us to make the longest journey of the entire route: 90 kilometers heading northwest. It is the highest town on the entire route, as it rises 1,224 meters above sea level, and also the most curious enclave. And it is a small island in French territory. Located on the slopes of Carlit, in the Cerdanya region, its title of town, a privilege granted by Emperor Charles V, prevented it from passing into French hands despite the signing of the Treaty of the Pyrenees in 1659.
Llívia, which was built at the foot of a castle that today remains in ruins, preserves an old pharmacy of medieval origin dating back to 1415. The Esteve pharmacy, today converted into a municipal museum, is one of the oldest on the Old Continent. The Bernat de So tower, the church and the historic center are other witnesses of its rich past.
(Photo: Maria Geli - Pilar Planagumà / PTCBG Image Archive)
The last stage of the journey will take us to Ger, 15 kilometers away, a tiny town already mentioned in the year 839 in the act of consecration of the Seu d'Urgell with the name Geri. Here forget about the rush and limit yourself to a leisurely walk while you discover the cultural heritage of its old town.
Among its small great Romanesque jewels we will find three churches: those of Santa Eugènia de Saga, Santa Coloma de Ger or Sant Climent de Gréixer. Surrounded by nature, Ger will allow you to enjoy the outdoors at any time of the year and return home with renewed energy. Happy journey!
(Foto: Raul FJ / Flickr (CC BY 2.0))
