There are many beautiful villages in Catalonia and now we are going to talk about two of our favorites: Rupit and Travertet, two towns in the Osona region that are very close to Barcelona. There is much more to see in Rupit, the larger of the two with a beautiful medieval old town, but you will also find magical places to see in Travertet. For us, the main attraction of both villages is the natural environment and the great excursions you can do in this area. Visiting these villages and the natural wonders around them is one of the best things you can do. Here we tell you the best things to see and do in Rupit and Travertat.
What to see in Rupit
Rupit is located at the foot of the mountains called “Cingles de Tavertet” (Tavertet Cliffs) and is a beautiful medieval village whose history dates back to the ninth century. It was built around the castle of Rupit (today completely in ruins) and still preserves its beautiful medieval old town. The historic center retains several of its old farmhouses and it is a pleasure to stroll through its narrow streets between stone houses. This walk – especially if you visit the town outside the weekend when it is usually crowded – will take you back in time.
Enjoying the views of Rupit from a lookout point
For us the best thing to do Rupit first is to leave the village and go to one of the viewpoints in the area to see the panoramic view of this village and its beautiful mountainous environment.

Strolling through the old town
To enter the old town you will first have to cross the famous suspension bridge over the Riera de Rupit that connects the parking area with the old town. The bridge structure is safe, but a sign warns that no more than 10 people at a time should cross the bridge, which unfortunately happens quite often on Sundays when the town fills up with tour groups.
The 12th century church of San Miquel dominates the views of the village. This church is from the Romanesque period and still has elements from that time, but it is mainly a baroque church. Behind the church you can visit the old cemetery that overlooks the Fossar street, perhaps the most beautiful street in the village. It is worth going down to the bank of the river to see the village that looks like a fortress where the walls of the houses form the wall. The liveliest area of the village – of course – is the Plaza Mayor with terraces where you can have a drink in a beautiful setting.

The truth is that the best thing to do in Rupit is simply to get lost among its cobbled streets that go up and down. If you pay a little attention, you will see that on most of the doors there is an inscription on the stone lintel that tells you the date of construction of the building. Many houses are 3-4 centuries old. The walk is especially pleasant on weekdays when the village is quiet, on Sundays (especially in summer) the village is full of tourists and large groups that take away a lot of the charm.
Getting to know the local gastronomy
Rupit has quite a few restaurants where they serve homemade food, but also, for our taste, there are too many souvenir stores. However, it is worth going into a store that sells local handicrafts. Every time we go, we pass by the Rebost de Can Lo, a store in a beautiful 17th century house where they sell sausages, sausages, cheeses and artisan honeys among other things. The truth is that it’s hard not to spend a lot of money there with how good everything is.
Take a trip to Salto de Sallent

In addition to the beautiful historic center, Rupit is a perfect place to make some excursions around it. The easiest and one of the most beautiful excursions to do in Rupit is the short hike to a nearby waterfall, the Salto de Sallent (Salt de Sallent in Catalan). It is an excursion of just over half an hour that starts from the village (a sign indicates the way) and following the stream the path leads you to the beautiful waterfall.
The Salt de Sallent has a height of 100 meters and will impress you more or less depending on the time of the year you visit. In the rainy season it has plenty of water and you will find it very beautiful, in the middle of August you are more likely to find a trickle of water. Anyway it is worth doing this walk of just half an hour to lower the calories after a hearty meal in the village.
More information for your trip to Catalonia:
40 beautiful villages in Catalonia
The best weekend getaways in Catalonia to discover its natural landscapes
How to get to Rupit
Rupit is located just over 100 kilometers from Barcelona. On an excursion from Barcelona you will have to take the C-17 to Vic and then after passing Vic take the C-153 that will lead you to Rupit. At the entrance of the village there are several parking lots, but you can’t imagine how easily these parking lots fill up on weekends (especially on Sundays) in summer, so if you have to go to Rupit these days, we recommend you to arrive early. In fact, if you plan to visit Rupit and Tavertet on the same day, it is best to visit Rupit earlier, as it is much busier than Tavertet.
Where to sleep in Rupit
Rupit is a small town and accommodation is also scarce. However, it is a unique experience to stay in this medieval village, especially in summer when only at night and early in the morning you can really breathe tranquility in the village. The most popular options are the Hostal Estrella and Can Grau Rupit.
What to see in Tavertet
On an excursion from Barcelona, you can perfectly combine a visit to Rupit with a trip to Tavertet. While the village of Rupit is located at the foot of the Cingles de Tavertet, the village of Tavertet is located on top of these mountains. It is not surprising therefore that while in Rupit the main attraction of the visit is the village itself with its medieval houses, the best things to see in Tavertet are the views of the mountains and the Sau Reservoir below.

Strolling through the village
The village of Tavertet is tiny, much smaller than Rupit. Nevertheless, it is worthwhile to wander through its cobblestone streets among its pretty stone houses. Although it is a “village of 4 houses” (actually there are about 50 houses), the whole complex has been declared a Site of Cultural Interest. The houses were built between the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries following a very strictly determined style, so you will not find any house that breaks this harmony. The most remarkable monument to see in Tavertet is the beautiful 11th century Romanesque church of San Cristòfol.

Excursion to the Mirador del Castell
As we mentioned before, the best thing to do in Tavertet is to take one of the paths in the surroundings to enjoy the fantastic nature that surrounds this village. A short walk of just 30 minutes will take you to the Mirador del Castell that offers amazing views of the Sau Reservoir. The route follows a forest track between cows and a Mediterranean forest and is also suitable for children. Every time a friend comes to visit us, I take him to this place and each time these views cause me the same impression as the first time I enjoyed them.

Excursion to the Sau Reservoir
Those who feel like a longer excursion and get closer to the Sau Reservoir (the reservoir at the foot of the Cingles de Tavertet), can go down a steep path to the reservoir. The route is not difficult in itself, but you will have to climb back up once you have descended. On the shore of the Sau reservoir, depending on the time of year , you can see part of the tower of the church of the village of San Román de Sau (depending on the water level of the reservoir you can see more or less of this tower), this village was sunk in 1962 when the reservoir was created.

Excursion to the Molí Bernat waterfall
Near Tavertet you will find another beautiful waterfall that is less known than the Salto de Sallent near Rupit, but in the rainy season it can still be beautiful. From the village you take the path that leads you under the waterfall of Molí Bernat. The hike is 1.5-2 h round trip and you will actually see the waterfall from half its height. The route passes over the beautiful medieval bridge of Molí Berna and at some points is not very well signposted (we recommend doing it with GPS using this map) and can be very muddy if it has just rained, so we recommend it to people with more experience.
are you interested in an organized excursion or guided tour?
find here the best excursions in Catalonia!
How to get to Tavertet
From Barcelona you take the same highway C-17 to Vic and then the C-153 as when you go to Rupit. However when you get to Esquirol on the C-153, you will have to take the BV-5207 road that goes up about 200 meters in a few kilometers to the village of Tavertet. It is a very narrow road with dry curves and in winter there can be quite icy on the road, so you have to drive these few kilometers very carefully.
Where to sleep in Tavertet
Tavertet – like Rupit – being a small village has a rather limited offer of accommodation. Most people visit Tavertet on a day trip from Barcelona. However, don’t miss the chance to stay in such a picturesque village with such incredible views. For a lower budget we recommend the El Jufre, while for a truly romantic stay we advise you to choose the Tavertet Mountain Villa.
We are sure that with this post we have made you want to visit two of the most beautiful medieval villages in Catalonia. Following our post you will not miss any of the essential places to see in Rupit and Tavertet.