Besalú: Romanesque Bridge, Miqvé and Sant Pere Church

Besalú is a small inland town of about 2,600 people in Garrotxa, Girona, and it works best as a day trip, not a holiday base: the old town, the 105 m Romanesque bridge, the underground Jewish ritual bath and the monastery church of Sant Pere fit comfortably into half a day to a full day. There is no beach here, so pair it with a coastal stay rather than expecting sea and sand. It is part of our Costa Brava guide, and the town hall puts Girona at 32.9 km.

Quick facts

• Where: Besalú, Garrotxa comarca, Girona province, Catalonia. The tourist office is at Carrer del Pont 1, phone +34 972 59 12 40 (listed by Costa Brava Girona Pyrenees).
• Residents: 2,591 (2025, Idescat).
• Beach: none. Besalú is inland and has no coastline, so the sea is a separate trip by car or bus connection.
• Distances by road: Banyoles 13.6 km, Olot 21.1 km, Figueres 24.7 km, Girona 32.9 km, Barcelona 133 km (town hall figures).
• Nearest train stations: Girona, Figueres and Ripoll, according to the town hall. Besalú itself has no station.
• Language: Catalan and Spanish are the languages of Catalonia; the town hall site is in Catalan.
• Market: municipal market on Tuesday mornings, at Prat de Sant Pere (town hall page, checked October 2026).
• Altitude: the centre is about 150 m above sea level, on the Fluvià river.

Where to base yourself

Besalú is compact, so the question is less which district to choose than whether to sleep in the town at all. Three options cover most plans.

Stay in the old town

The streets around the bridge, Plaça de la Llibertat and the Jewish quarter are all within a short walk of each other, so you can do the sights on foot without a car. This suits travellers who want evenings in a stone town and an early start at the miqvé or Sant Pere. The local visitor site visitbesalu.com has a lodging section with the current listings.

Use Girona as the base

If you want restaurants, rail links and a choice of hotels, Girona is 32.9 km away by road, and buses run between Girona and Besalú (TEISA operates the line). This suits anyone combining Besalú with the Costa Brava coast or with other inland towns on the same trip.

Use Banyoles or Olot

Banyoles is 13.6 km away and Olot 21.1 km. Olot is the practical base for the volcanic Garrotxa landscape; Banyoles suits a quieter stay beside its lake. The visitor site gives drive times from Besalú of about 15 minutes to Banyoles and about 20 minutes to Olot.

Skip an overnight in Besalú if you want nightlife or sea views. It is a small town, and most of what it offers is visible in a day.

Things to do

Besalú’s sights are close together and mostly medieval. Costa Brava Girona Pyrenees calls the town one of the most significant and best-preserved medieval sites in Catalonia and names the bridge, the churches of Sant Julià and Sant Vicenç, the monastery of Sant Pere and the Jewish baths as examples of its heritage.

The Pont Vell

The old bridge crosses the Fluvià and leads into the town. According to the visitor site, it is 105 m long and 30 m high including the tower, rests on seven arches that stand directly on the river rocks, and has been documented since the 11th century. A toll was set up in 1385, and it was declared a Historic-Artistic Monument of National Interest in 1954. Cross it on foot rather than photographing it from the car park, and look back at the gate tower from the town side. The free car park and the tourist office are at the Girona entrance, which makes the bridge the natural starting point.

The miqvé and the Jewish quarter

Under the Plaça dels Jueus lies the miqvé, an underground Romanesque chamber of cut stone with a pool, from the town’s medieval Jewish community; the square is where the synagogue once stood. visitbesalu.com describes it as one of the ten best-preserved in Europe. It can only be visited by appointment through the Besalú tourist office, so book before you arrive rather than turning up. The office runs guided visits of the old town that include the Jewish quarter, and its contact details are on the town hall and Costa Brava Girona Pyrenees sites. Opening arrangements, times and prices change, so we do not repeat them here.

Sant Pere

The former Benedictine monastery of Sant Pere was founded in 977; only the Romanesque church survives, consecrated in 1003. It is a basilica with three naves and a large semicircular apse with an ambulatory. According to the visitor site, you can see it with the tourist office or at certain hours on your own with a small entrance fee at the door. Check which hours apply on the day.

Sant Vicenç, Casa Cornellà and Santa Maria

Sant Vicenç is first recorded in 977, and the present building dates from the 12th and 13th centuries. Casa Cornellà is a late 12th-century Romanesque house, and visits must be requested from the tourist office well in advance. The apse of Santa Maria can be seen from outside by guests of the hotel or restaurant attached to it. Plan on exteriors and the squares for anything not on the tourist office programme.

Besalú Medieval

The town hall runs a medieval fair in the old town, with combat displays, craft and archery demonstrations, theatre characters and a medieval dinner. We give no dates here because the edition on the town hall site has passed; check besalu.cat for the next programme and for admission.

Beaches and places nearby

Besalú has no beach and the town hall page does not list distances to the coast, so plan the sea as its own outing; coastal towns on this guide, such as Palamós, are reached by car or by a bus and train connection through Girona.

Closer to hand, the visitor site gives drive times of about 10 minutes to Castellfollit de la Roca, about 15 minutes to Banyoles and about 20 minutes to Olot. Figueres is 24.7 km by road. For a longer day, Olot is the gateway to the volcanic area of Garrotxa, and Banyoles is the town on the lake of the same name.

Other town guides nearby: Salt (about 26 km in a straight line), L’Escala (about 37 km in a straight line), Cassà de la Selva (about 38 km in a straight line).

Food and drink

We did not find a sourced list of Besalú specialities, so we name no dishes. The Tuesday market at Prat de Sant Pere is the simplest way to see what the area sells, and the Garrotxa tourism site groups local restaurants under headings such as traditional and home cooking, market cuisine, tapas and small plates, and “Cuina Volcànica”. Lunch is easiest inside the old town, but book ahead on market days and during the fair, when the lanes fill.

Where to stay

The visitor site has an accommodation section alongside restaurants and shops, and the town hall points visitors to it. We have no sourced price level for the town, so check current rates directly. If you stay, choose the old town for atmosphere and for a head start on the day visitors; if you want more rooms to choose from, sleep in Girona, Banyoles or Olot and drive or take the bus in. There are no affiliate links in this guide.

Getting there and around

By car, the town hall gives 32.9 km from Girona, 24.7 km from Figueres, 21.1 km from Olot, 13.6 km from Banyoles and 133 km from Barcelona. The visitor site says there is a large free car park at the Girona entrance, next to the tourist office, and recommends starting the visit there. The old town is small enough to cross on foot in minutes.

By public transport, the town hall lists Girona, Figueres and Ripoll as the nearest train stations and links to Renfe, TEISA buses and a local taxi company. TEISA’s timetable page lists a Maià de Montcal–Besalú line, and Girona–Besalú services are operated by TEISA; because we could not read a current timetable, check teisa-bus.com for departures and the Besalú stop before you plan a return trip. The airport nearest to you depends on your route, so plan the transfer through Girona or Barcelona.

Best time to visit

The town is open to visitors all year, but the miqvé, Sant Pere and Casa Cornellà are visited with the tourist office or at set hours, so winter and shoulder-season days need an advance enquiry. The Tuesday market runs in the morning, which is the liveliest morning in the week. The Besalú Medieval fair is the main annual event; its dates change between editions, so confirm them on besalu.cat. Check the forecast on AEMET before a walk along the river or a drive into the volcanic area.

FAQ

Is Besalú worth a day trip from the Costa Brava?

Yes, if you like medieval architecture and want a break from the beach. Skip it if you are short on time on the coast: it is 32.9 km from Girona, and reaching it from a coastal base means a car or a bus connection through Girona.

Does Besalú have a beach?

No. Besalú is an inland town on the Fluvià river, and the sea is a separate trip.

Can I visit the miqvé without booking?

The local visitor site says the miqvé can only be visited by appointment through the Besalú tourist office, so book before you go.

How do I get from Girona to Besalú?

By car it is 32.9 km, according to the town hall. TEISA runs buses; check its site for the current timetable and the Besalú stop.

When is the market in Besalú?

The municipal market is on Tuesday mornings at Prat de Sant Pere, according to the town hall.

Sources and freshness

Last checked: October 2026. Sources: visitbesalu.com, Turisme; Ajuntament de Besalú, Com arribar-hi; Ajuntament de Besalú, Mercat ambulant i fires; Ajuntament de Besalú, Besalú Medieval; Costa Brava Girona Pyrenees, Besalú; Idescat, Besalú; TEISA, timetables; OH! Garrotxa, gastronomy; AEMET.