Beget, a charming town in the Vall de Camprodon.
How many times have you thought that you need to disconnect and you think of the most remote place on the planet to do it? Disconnect flying by plane, waiting for scales or lying in a terminal waiting for nothing? It is nonsense. It happens that we dream of traveling the world and with places that are thousands of kilometers from our homes to relax when we have paradises so close... This is the case of Beget , a small town in Valley of Camprodon.
I, who live in Barcelona I thought the sensible thing to do a good mental reset was to find a place as far away as possible to spend a weekend. Catalonia has fascinating places , although for me the most unknown and most beautiful are in the interior of Girona, almost touching the Pyrenees and France. In the direction of Garrotxa Natural Park we meet many charming towns that deserve a stop along the way.
A Romanesque jewel.
once past Ripoll , a wild landscape reminds us that we are just one hour from Barcelona . And who would say? Cows grazing peacefully, sheep basking in the sun and oak, fir and beech forests They place us in the most impressive landscape of the Alta Garrotxa, which, whether it is sunny or snowy, is never wasted.
BEGET, AN ARCHITECTURAL SECRET
The Valley of Camprodon It is made up of six municipalities, the main one being the town of Camprodon , but also the picturesque town of Setcases, Vilallonga del Ter, Llanars, Molló and Sant Pau de Segúries . They all form an ancient territory of mountains, meadows, forests, rivers and streams so that those who want to do adventure or peace tourism , depending on how you look at it.
Beget, one of the most beautiful villages in Catalonia , is located in this Valley, specifically it is located in the lowest part of a piece of land at 541 meters high. That is why as we go along the road (with many curves) appears almost by surprise wedged between mountains.
Do you need to disconnect? Beget is the perfect town to do it.
This little town of old stone houses was named Well of Cultural Interest in July 2016 Y charming town in 2019 . The Catalan Tourism Agency commissioned a committee of experts to validate a total of 12 towns with fewer than 2,500 inhabitants and see if they met the requirements, and that was how Beget with its 27 inhabitants , got the distinguished recognition.
It is true that the majority of** its houses are second homes**, as the Vall de Camprodon used to be, where the Catalan bourgeoisie used to spend the summer. But, as a curiosity, of Beget there is already evidence since the year 959 , although the population center, as it is currently known, dates back to after the time of the Reconquest. In 1013 was when the Monastery of Sant Pere de Camprodon he built his church, today his most precious asset.
Hidden in the Vall de Camprodon (Girona).
Beget is surrounded by nature and is crossed by the stream that bears the same name. It is easily covered on foot in a few hours, but if you want to take advantage of it it is advisable to follow some of the hiking trails that are in the surroundings and that connect the towns of the area.
In summer you can visit their throats of water , perfect for a swim in the middle of nature, and during the winter and autumn, you can go through its forests in search of bolets.
Its houses have been built in a staggered way going down next to the river, which gives it a completely bucolic landscape. And although it seems small, It is divided into three neighborhoods separated by its stream **and connected by its two bridges. **
The north-west neighborhood, the oldest, stands out for the Church of Sant Cristofol in the square Miquel Oliva. It is a Romanesque building from the 12th century, also declared an Asset of Cultural Interest.
The second neighborhood is reached by crossing the second bridge. In this part we will find the Plaça Major and the Rellotge tower (beware, do not get lost because you can pass it by). The third district, built between the 18th and 19th centuries, is accessed via the pont petit. It is higher than the rest, with houses built with stone masonry walls.
Formerly and until the 80s, these houses were built with balconies and wooden lintels on doors and windows. This picturesque appearance has helped the passage of time not to take its toll, but rather the opposite.
WHERE TO EAT IN BEGET
You can tour the town in a circular walk, have a beer in any of the terraces of its bars or simply sit down to feel the peace of Beget. Or make the vermouth in the Hostal El Forn , open since 1586.
To eat, my recommendation is the Can Jeroni restaurant , open since the 20th century in a family house converted into a restaurant. if you go in company ask for the reserved room , has a llar de foc (wood fireplace) that will make the evening much more pleasant.
Its cuisine is typical Catalan : there is no shortage of good cannelloni, a salad fresh from the garden, pagés bread of the day and killed, a homemade dessert to daydream about.
Mas el Mir, a charming rural hotel in Ripoll.
A PLACE TO SLEEP AND REST FROM THE NOISE OF THE WORLD
From Beget, about 40 minutes and a few kilometers from the town of Ripoll, we find what will be our rural hotel, but the look, a restored Catalan farmhouse from 1366.
There we are received by Eva, the owner, with the company of Trini, a beautiful galga that makes the perfect hostess . The story of this place with unbreakable peace and that of Eva deserves to be told.
She had always wanted to restore a country house and turn it into a hotel, so during her adventures (which have not been few throughout Spain) she collected numerous pieces of furniture and decoration elements with the idea that they were going to end up in her rural hotel.
So it was. That's why when she placed them, they all seemed to already have her place in her house. She has decorated it by herself, with that special taste that characterizes her; she also has a good hand in the kitchen —so much so that it shows that she has had several restaurants in Barcelona—.
Her dinners, she does not offer meals because breakfasts last until 1:00 p.m., they are an experience with mountain flavors and Catalan cuisine but with an original and modern touch. Bet on the local and seasonal cuisine , buy everything in the Ripoll market, and it is so unexpected that we cannot say what will serve you if you go to dinner. Let her surprise you... Obviously, it will do something special for you if you have intolerances or are vegetarian or vegan.
The house is perfect for couples looking for some privacy, catch up on sleep and eat well. “I get angry if someone gets up early”, is the first thing Eva told me on the phone before she arrived. It is not difficult to pay attention to him, in this house (because it is more a home than a hotel) there are rooms for it.
Espígol, Civada, Hisop, Espernellac, Milfulles or La Caseta Petita... they are all perfect to find silence and peace . Pay attention, each of the rooms has been created from the heart and with personal objects of its owner, so they deserve to be treated with great care.
The Espigol room has spectacular mountain views.
Mas el Mir has different rooms to relax , in winter you want to be in the heat of any of the two fireplaces, either drinking one of their local wines or a craft beer —ask for Barricona—. And when the sun rises, any of its corners is pleasant, much more so in spring and summer with its stone pool with mountain views or from your chill out with beds to see the stars.
In the morning, in his dining room he will serve you a 100% organic breakfast buffet . You will be able to choose between forest fruits, natural yogurt, homemade marmalade, killed, sourdough bread, local cheeses and sausages , freshly squeezed juice or free-range eggs.
When you have finished, let Eva guide you to make ** an excursion around the area **, but if you prefer you also have the option of taking a quiet walk around the farmhouse. It has trails in the middle of the forest.
If you want to make a reservation, you can do so from** the Ruralka Hotels page**, the website for charming rural getaways.
You will want to stay forever...