Fortified Village of Besalu in Spain

Last year I went to Girona, Spain and did some research on which little enchanting villages and towns I could visit on the side. A day trip so to speak. I will be renting a car and will be driving to these places. I just love small and charming old villages, they are always high up in my agenda when I am travelling.

Besalu and Cadaques came into view, and as I researched further, the more I was convinced to visit them. Besalu is designated as a national historical property of Spain.

A shot of the village from the other side of the old bridge (from the entrance).

Fortified Besalu
Tourism websites: Besalu (in Catalan/Spainish only) |  Tourism in Besalu

I rented a cute Fiat car. Rentals are based on a 24-hour period so I rented it in the morning giving me a full day to explore the country and sea sides. My first stop for the day was a morning in Figueres to have my quick breakfast and a visit to the amazing Salvador Dali Theatre Museum. After which I drove to Besalu. Figueres to Besalu is about 20 minutes. Not bad.

In Besalu I had lunch at the Sant Perre square and enjoyed tapas the Catalan way. I had fried peppers, stir-fry mix of mushrooms and some tuna chunks. A very well spent and relished lunch in a relaxed locale setting. There were very few tourists in the square.

Then I wandered around the narrow cobbled stone streets of the fortified town, stopping for an espresso at one of the bars and watching through the glass doors and windows as the locals go by with their daily life. A group of noisy children rushed through the side street dressed in their school uniforms whilst old men enjoy nonchalantly the same cup of coffee I had at the terrace. Besalu is an enchanting place preserved in its old panoramic setting but fused effortlessly into the modern way of life.

I decided to inspect the fortifications so I ambled down to the Fluvia River where the postcard-perfect view of Besalu was waiting for me. The stunning 12-th century Romanesque stone bridge brought me back in time and it felt like the whole scene just jumped right out of a fairy tale book. You’ve got to be here to experience it.

Nonetheless, let me show you Besalu...

Traditions never die in Spain. This piece of dried flower and leaves are a symbol of protection. Could be from anything really. In the Philippines there is a similar practice where coconut leaves made into crosses (blessed by the priest) are placed on the door for protection from evil spirits.

At the back of the Sant Perre Church.

A few souvenir and trinket shops greets you when you enter the village from the old bridge side.

Having my coffee at the bar as I people-watch the locals gathering outside.

The old town is ringed by these fortified alleyways and stone houses serve as walls.

The main gateway to the village from the old bridge.

A lovely oasis on the Fluvia River. If you get a chance to come to Besalu, come down here at the river and enjoy some nature.

Art in Besalu. This flat chair designed with its perspective in mind can only be appreciated from a distance and with the right perspective of course. I do not think my shot captured it right.

Tranquility and nature in Besalu. I love the refreshing feeling the waters have given me when I spent a bit of time here at the river.

If you come by car using a GPS, you might be led to arrive at the back of the village, where there is parking by the way. I had to search for this most important historical attraction backwards haha. If you come by public transport or via a group tour, the old bridge is the first thing you will see.

The old bridge is enchantingly designed, I have to admit.

There were other bridges crisscrossing over the Fluvia River.

The first stronghold of defense of the village, a tower gate in the middle of the bridge.

So what do you think? Do you like Besalu?

Travel Period: November 2013
Destination: Besalu (Girona), Spain

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