Berga

Berga may be the ancient Castrum Bergium mentioned by the Roman historian Livy. Arab forces reached the Berguedà around 715, and after their withdrawal the town became part of the County of Cerdanya. In 1117 it passed to the County of Barcelona under Ramon Berenguer III.

The old town was built in the 1360s, not long after the Black Death struck in 1347. French troops held it in 1654–55, and during the War of Succession it sided with Philip V. In 2005, its main festival, La Patum, was declared UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.

The Sanctuary of Queralt stands outside town and houses an image of the Virgin. The Castle of San Fernando and the Church of San Joan are both worth seeking out, as is the parish Church of Santa Eulalia on Plaza de San Pedro, which has medieval origins. Of the seven medieval gateways the town once had, only the Portal de Santa Magdalena survives.

Other sites include the Chapel of La Piedad, the Salt Mill, the Church and Convent of Sant Francesc, and the Romanesque church of Sant Pere de Madrona. The Church of San Joan has been a listed monument since 1983.

The nearest airports are in Barcelona and Girona. Trains run to Manresa, Puigcerdà, and Ripoll, with onward bus connections to Berga. Alsa (alsa.es) operates coach services linking Berga to Barcelona, Manresa, and other destinations.

By road, the E9 motorway reaches Berga from Barcelona via Manresa, and from Orléans via Toulouse and Puigcerdà; there is also a road connecting Solsona and Ripoll through the area.