The most beautiful villages in Catalonia

talk to you about the most beautiful villages in Catalonia It means taking a tour of the four provinces of that autonomous community. Because in all of them there are places that will fascinate you due to their special charm and that we should advise you to visit.

You will like some for their preserved medieval air, others for their wonderful beaches and maritime atmosphere and a third for their mountainous landscape. But all of them are among the most beautiful towns Spain, at the height of the most beautiful of other communities. But, without further ado, we are going to show you some of the most beautiful towns in Catalonia.

Peratallada in Girona

Located in the region of Lower Ampurdán, between the coast and the Gavarres massif, this Girona town is one of the most important in Catalonia in terms of medieval architecture. Its narrow cobbled streets have old stone mansions and palaces that keep centuries of history.

For all these reasons, it has been declared a historical-artistic complex. Buildings such as the Peratallada Castle, a construction that is already mentioned in the XNUMXth century, although its period of prosperity was in the XNUMXth. And, next to it, the magnificent palace.

Likewise, its medieval walls with the moat excavated in the rock stand out in this town. And also the Church of Sant Esteve, built in the XNUMXth century following the canons of the Romanesque style.

On the other hand, since you are in the municipality of Forallac, we advise you to also visit other towns that, likewise, seem anchored in the Middle Ages. Between them, fontette, with its church of Santa María, also Romanesque, vulpellac, hemp or the district of fitor, where you will see the most important set of dolmens in the Gavarres.

Cadaqués, one of the most beautiful towns in Catalonia for its coasts

We radically change the scenery to get closer to the Catalan coast and show you one of its most beautiful towns. We are talking about Cadaqués, also located in the province of Gerona, although in this case in the region of Alto Empordà.

So wonderful is this town that, throughout the XNUMXth century, it was chosen by numerous international painters as their second or first residence. It is the case of the great Salvador Dalí, but also of Marcel Duchamp, Joan Miró o Richard Hamilton.

By itself, the view of Cadaqués from the sea is wonderful, with its white houses and its beautiful beach. But you also have to see in the locality its castle of San Jaime, declared an Asset of Cultural Interest, and the old town, with its picturesque alleys full of bougainvillea. In the latter, you can also visit monuments such as the church of Santa Maria, built in the XNUMXth century and with a magnificent baroque altar, the Es Portal arch, rest of the old wall, and the old Es Baluard watchtower, today the seat of the Town Hall.

Finally, do not leave Cadaqués without visiting the Salvador Dali House Museum, do not stop walking along its beautiful Paseo de Las Ribas. Although, if we are talking about walking, you should also take the route that goes from this town to Roses, a hiking route that will allow you to enjoy coves such as Murtra or Montjoi.

Ciurana, a landscape and monumental jewel

We now travel to the province of Tarragona to tell you about Ciurana, which stands out both for its spectacular landscapes and for its monumental value. Located on a colossal rock on the river that gives it its name, it was impregnable for a long time. You can still see in it today the remains of his saracen fortress and stroll through its cobbled streets.

Its cliffs are legendary, perfect for climbing, and its wonderful hiking trails offer spectacular views of the mountain range of Montsant and mountains of Prades.

As for its monuments, the most relevant is the church of Santa Maria, a XNUMXth-century Romanesque building consisting of a single nave with a barrel vault, a semicircular apse and a slender bell tower. It also highlights its portal flared by three archivolts that frame a sculpted tympanum.

Guimerá, a wonder in Lérida

We moved to the province of Lleida to show you another of the most beautiful villages in Catalonia. In this case, it is Guimerá, whose old town is also a historical-artistic complex as it is a perfect example of medieval architecture.

In this wonder you can see the remains of the walls and, above them, the watchtower of the old castle, dating from the eleventh century. And also the Church of Santa Maria de Guimera, built in the fourteenth century, although it is still Romanesque. It has a Latin cross floor plan, an already Gothic apse and a portal made up of four archivolts. But his greatest treasure is inside. We are talking about the impressive modernist altarpiece created by the sculptor Josep Maria Jujol.

In any case, be sure to stroll through the narrow streets framed by old and traditional mansions. You will feel as if you were in the Middle Ages.

Sitges, the beauty of the Barcelona coast

Also the province of Barcelona It has some of the most beautiful villages in Catalonia. we could talk to you about baga, with its medieval charm, or Talamanca, in the Natural Park of Sant Llorenç del Munt i l'Obac. But we have chosen Sitges both for the beauty of its coastline and for its numerous monuments.

As for the first, it offers you Wonderful beaches of white sands and crystal clear waters such as those of Bassa Rodona, Cala Ginesta, Cala Morisca or Estanyol. And, regarding the latter, we advise you to visit its beautiful old town. In this you will find the Maricel's Palace, which houses a magnificent art museum, and manor houses such as those of Farratges, Josep Sunyer or Pilar de Parellada, some of them modernist. All this without forgetting the Gothic palace of the Moorish King.

For its part, the most representative building of the religious heritage of Sitges is the Church of San Bartolomé and Santa Tecla, built in the seventeenth century following the rules of the baroque. Inside, you can see several altarpieces. But among them stands out the Renaissance-style central work of the Italian Nicholas of Credenca.

Tosa de Mar, another of the most beautiful towns in Catalonia on the Costa Brava

We return now to the province of Gerona to stop in this beautiful town of the jungle region. Its coastline is wonderful, one of the most beautiful in the Costa Brava, with impressive cliffs and beautiful white sand beaches. Among them, those of Reig, Mar Menuda or Es Codolar, but also coves such as Futadera, Giverola or Bona.

But even more spectacular is the architectural ensemble of the Vila Vella, more popularly known as the castle of Tosa de Mar and declared a historic-artistic site in 1931. This imposing walled enclosure is made up of a medieval town from the XNUMXth century. It consists of a magnificent voussoired portal through which the place is accessed, various towers and turrets and narrow streets framed by some eighty XNUMXth-century mansions. But they stand out above all in the set the castle and the church of San Vicente, of late Gothic style and also built in the XV.

You should not confuse the latter with another church of San Vicente that you can visit outside Vila Vella and that is neoclassical in style. Finally, we recommend that you watch the Sans House, a modernist construction from the beginning of the XNUMXth century, and the remains of the old Roman villa of Ametllers.

Bagergue, in Alto Aran

It is another wonder of the province of Lleida located in the Alto Aran region at the foot of the Pyrenees and bathed by the river Unyola. It is also the highest town in the area, as it is 1419 meters above sea level. All this will give you an idea of ​​the wonderful landscapes that it offers you. Regarding this, you can take the tour that takes you to the beautiful Liat, Montoliu and Mauberme lakes.

But it also has a magnificent monumental heritage. Stroll through its cobbled streets with typical Pyrenean houses or visit the El Corral private museum, which has two thousand five hundred traditional objects, will transport you to another time. The same can be said of the Romanesque church of San Vicente, built in the XNUMXth century, although it underwent later reforms. Inside, it houses a Gothic image of Christ and a pre-Romanesque stele.

On the outskirts of town, you have the Hermitage of Santa Margarita, to which pilgrims make a pilgrimage every July 20. You must also see the Menginat and Pansart houses. Finally, if you like cheese, you should know that the Hormatges Tarrau cheese factory is located in this town, which is the highest in the Pyrenees and where you can go in for a tasting.

With all these wonders, it will not surprise you that Bagergue belongs, since 2019, to the Association of the Most Beautiful Towns in Spain.

In conclusion, we have shown you some of the most beautiful villages in Catalonia. But, as you will understand, there are many others that also deserve your visit. Among them, we will quote you jewels like Besalu, Sant Feliu de Guíxols o Begur in Girona, tahull, in the Lleida Pyrenees, or Cardona, in the province of Barcelona and with a spectacular castle. Don't you feel like visiting these dream places?