Besalú
Girona · Cataluña
Besalú (Catalan pronunciation: [bəzəˈlu]) is a town in the comarca of Garrotxa, in Girona, Catalonia, Spain. The town's importance was greater in the early Middle Ages, as capital of the county of Besalú, whose territory was roughly the same size as the current comarca of Garrotxa but sometime extended as far as Corbières, Aude, in France. Wilfred the Hairy, credited with the unification of Catalonia, was Count of Besalú. The town was also the birthplace of Raimon Vidal, a medieval troubadour. Besalú was designated as a historical national property ("conjunt històric-artístic") in 1966. The town's most significant feature is its 12th-century Romanesque bridge over the Fluvià river, which features a gateway at its midpoint. The church of Sant Pere was consecrated in 1003. The town features arcaded streets and squares and also a restored mikveh, a ritual Jewish bath dating from the eleventh or twelfth century, as well as the remains of a medieval synagogue, located in the lower town near the river. Besalú also hosts the Museum of miniatures created by jeweler and art collector Lluís Carreras.
History
The name Besalú is derived from the Latin Bisuldunum, meaning a fort on a mountain between two rivers. It is also the historical capital of the county of “La Garrotxa”. One key date is the year 894, when Besalú was converted to a county with its own dynasty. The county changed from “L’Empordà” to “El Ripollès”. In the year 1111, Besalú lost its independence, for historical reasons in favor of the county of Barcelona. Centuries later, Besalú started a decadent period, worsened by the redemptions, wars with the French and carlists.
In 1966, Besalú was declared a site of historical and artistic importance.
Monuments
•Portal de la Força
•Oratori de Sant Josep
•Santa Maria
•La Torre Lardera
•Jaciment arqueològic de Can Ring
What to visit
•Sagrat Cor
•Estría de Rebost
•Palau Internacional del Circ
Gallery
Festivals
November 2026
Festivals this month
- No festivals recorded this month.
Rest of the year
- January: San Vicente (22)
- September: Besalú Medieval (5) · Fiesta Mayor de Besalú (25)
- December: Feria de la Ratafia (1)
Street market
Mercadillo semanal: Martes, de 09:00 a 15:00 · Plaça del Prat de Sant Pere, 6
Trails and hiking
•La Jonquera - Sant Adrià del Besós (GR 2, 221.74 km)
•El Santuari del Collell: Presó de Guerra (3)
•Sender Històric: Catalunya (GR 1, 400 km)
•Ruta del veïnat de Roca i Briolf (Roca-Briolf)
•Creu de ca n'Hortós (2)
•Prop del nucli (3)
•Font de Perduts (4)
•Font de Caselles (6)
•Itinerari Llarg - Serinyà
•Itinerari Mitjà - Serinyà
•Itinerari Curt - Serinyà
•Altres camins - Serinyà
Routes passing through Besalú
Famous people
•Pere Gratacós, futbolista español
•Lluís Guinó Subirós, político español
•Pedro Bosch Labrús, comerciante, político y economista español (1827-1894)
•Jaime Pujiula, Biólogo español
•Josep Lagares, empresario español
•Martí Gironell, escritor y periodista español
Town hall
Alcaldía: Lluís Guinó Subirós
Web oficial: http://www.besalu.cat
Town hall of Besalú
Alcaldía: Lluís Guinó Subirós Web oficial: http://www.besalu.cat
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How to get there
- 🚗 32 km from Girona (about 23 min by car)
- 🚗 64 km from Breda (about 45 min by car)
- 🚗 109 km from Sabadell (about 77 min by car)
🧭 Travelling around the villages of Spain: a practical guide — Opening hours, transport, money and customs, before you set off.
- ✈️ 42 km from Girona-Costa Brava airport (about 30 min by car)
- ✈️ 141 km from Barcelona-El Prat airport (about 100 min by car)
Practical info
🅿️ Where to park
- Where to park · 0.1 km away
- Where to park · 0.1 km away
- Where to park · 0.2 km away
🏧 Nearest cash machine
- BBVA · 0.1 km away
- Caixa Bank · 0.2 km away
- Banco Sabadell · 0.2 km away
⛽ Nearest petrol station
- Repsol · 0.6 km away
- Repsol · 5.4 km away
- Repsol · 9.8 km away
ℹ️ Tourist office
- Mapa del pueblo · 0.1 km away
- Monestir de Sant Pere · 0.1 km away
- Tourist office · 0.1 km away
🔭 Viewpoints
- Viewpoints · 0.2 km away
- Viewpoints · 0.2 km away
- Viewpoints · 0.3 km away
🏖️ Where to swim
- Piscina municipal · 0.9 km away
Buses
4 paradas de autobús en el municipio:
•Besalú
Pharmacy and health
•Farmacia Farmàcia Gratacós Nou, M.M - Nadal Gratacós, A. — Carrer de Ganganell 44
•Centre d'Atenció Primària Besalú
Wall
🏛️ The town hall publishes on this wall. Residents publish their business in Services and their home or job offer in Community, for free.
This wall is still quiet.
News
🏛️ The news is published by the town hall. Residents publish their business in Services and their home or job offer in Community, for free.
There is no news from Besalú yet. Be the first to tell it.
Videos
Discover Besalú on video: