Sales De Llierca: Hiking, Rivers and Romanesque Churches
Accommodation in Sales De Llierca
Sales de Llierca is located in Alta Garrotxa between the Llierca and BorrĂł rivers. The municipality combines a southern plain with mountains in the north. This gives you different ways to plan your trip: hiking trails, river landscapes and historic buildings whose architecture spans several centuries.
Between the Plain, Mountains and River Valleys
The landscape’s two distinct parts offer a good starting point for understanding the area: the plain stretches across the south, while mountains define the north. The churches and routes also each have their own geographical setting. Sant Grau d’Entreperes, for example, sits on a ridge separating the Llierca and BorrĂł valleys. Santa CecĂlia de Sadernes stands on a hill above the left bank of the Llierca, in a landscape shaped by the rocks of Gitarriu.
Churches, a Castle and Medieval Buildings
Sant Martà de Sales was built between the late 17th and early 18th centuries; its façade is Baroque. A different architectural feature can be seen at Castell de Sales: the castle was built next to a fortified house, and its tower has a circular floor plan. A small chapel dedicated to Sant Jordi was built on the castle ruins.
Several churches display Romanesque forms in different variations. Santa CecĂlia de Sadernes dates from the 12th century. Its architecture includes a single-nave layout, a semicircular apse and a bell gable converted into a defensive tower. Sant Grau d’Entreperes is also a 12th-century Romanesque church, but it has been extensively altered. At Sant Andreu de Gitarriu, you will find a single nave with a barrel vault and a semicircular apse; the west wall has a double-arched bell gable. Sant Miquel de Monteia is also a 12th-century Romanesque church and is located within the municipality of Sales de Llierca.
Another notable structure is Pont de ValentĂ, a large medieval bridge with a single arch. It serves as an entrance to the Sant Aniol d’Aguja route. These different structures offer a range of points of interest for a cultural and historical visit: from the Baroque façade of Sant MartĂ to the Romanesque churches, the bridge and the ruins of Castell de Sales.
Hiking Trails and a Cycling Route
The footpath from the village to Castell de Sales takes about 30 minutes. Check the castle’s current accessibility before your visit. The Sant Miquel and Sant Grau hiking route starts at Sant Martà de Sales and heads towards Sant Miquel de Monteia. If you continue the route to Sant Grau d’Entreperes, the trail climbs to the 1,053-metre summit of La Calma. From there, the view extends across all of Garrotxa and part of Empordà .
There is also a dedicated route for cycling: the Ruta cicloturĂstica de la vall del Llierca passes through the plain between Castellfollit de la Roca, Pont del Llierca, Sales de Llierca and Argelaguer. Alongside the hiking trails, this provides a cycling route and named locations to help with planning. The starting points and directions make it easier to distinguish the different activities during your stay.
Traditions in Alta Garrotxa
The Aplec de Sant Aniol is also known as the Aplec dels Francesos. This centuries-old tradition was first documented in 1733. One Aplec programme included a mass, a procession, sardanas, a shared rice dish and traditional games. These elements offer a glimpse into the cultural significance of the gathering without suggesting a current event date.
The headquarters of the consortium for the protection and management of the Alta Garrotxa Area of Natural Interest, founded in 2000, is located at the Rectoria de Sadernes in the municipality of Sales de Llierca. Alongside the river and mountain landscapes, this context offers another perspective on the region: the protection and management of the natural area are also important, in addition to its individual buildings and routes.
To choose a focus for your trip, you can consider the options separately: the hiking trails offer starting points, directions and a viewpoint, while the cycling route crosses the plain between several places. The churches, bridge and castle complex, meanwhile, provide an architectural and historical focus. This makes it easy to connect your search for a hotel in Sales de Llierca with the things you are most interested in during your stay.
Discover more destinations: Sadernes, Sant TomĂ s De FluviĂ , Quart, Fontanals De Cerdanya, PontĂłs, Beuda, Pont De Molins, Ripoll.
For the broader travel overview: Girona.
