Besalu Costa Brava

This small town at the confluence of the Fluviil and Capellada rivers was the historic capital of the Garrotxa region, ruled for more than 200 years by a dynasty established by Wilfred the Hairy. After the 12th century its importance declined, but following its declaration as a National Historic Monument in 1966 it has been restored to its former glory.

Come here on a Tuesday morning, when the porticoed central square, Plaza Libertat, is buzzing with chatter and the market stalls are piled high with flowers, fruit and cheese, and you realise that this is still very much a working town. Along the cobbled streets which fan out from the square are delicatessens and antiques shops, set among medieval arches, columns and Gothic windows. Of several Romanesque churches, the most impressive is the monastery church of Sant Pere, with a pair of stone lions adorning its facade. The symbol of Besalu is its angled bridge over the Fluviil, built in the 11th century and destroyed several times, most recently in the Spanish Civil War.

Arriving by car, park on the Banyoles side and enter Besalu across the bridge. Near here is the Miqve, the only remains of a once significant Jewish community. This ritual bath house, with thermal springs and running water from the river, was used by men before prayer and by women before marriage, childbirth and menstruation. The tourist office arranges guided visits.