Girona · Cataluña
Besalú
- Province
- Girona
- Declared
- 1966
- Status
- Conjunto Histórico
- Population
- 2,592
- Elevation
- 151 m
Besalú is a heritage town in the province of Girona, Cataluña, Spain. It was designated a Conjunto Histórico (Spain's national heritage designation for historic ensembles) in 1966. Population 2,592 (2025), elevation 151m.
A former independent county capital in Girona, its medieval bridges, Jewish baths, Romanesque monastery, and Gothic palace forming one of Catalonia's most coherent surviving medieval ensembles.
Key facts
- Province
- Girona
- Heritage status
- Conjunto Histórico (declared 1966)
- Population
- 2,592 (2025)
- Elevation
- 151 m
History of Besalú
Besalú's origins lie in its castle, documented from the early Middle Ages and built on a hill where the remains of the canonry of Santa María still stand. The town grew in importance after the death of Wifredo el Velloso in 902, becoming the capital of an independent county under its first count, Miró I the Younger. That independence ended in 1111, when Count Bernat III died without heirs and the county passed to the House of Barcelona.
The town's layout has changed over the centuries, but it still reads clearly as a medieval place. Key buildings survive: the bridge, the Jewish baths, the monastery church of San Pedro de Besalú, the church of San Julián (once a pilgrim hospital), the Casa Cornellá, the church of San Vicente, and the Gothic hall of the Palacio de la Curia Real. During the Peninsular War, Spanish forces under Juan Clarós won a battle here.
In 1966, Besalú was declared a national historic-artistic site. The town is currently working on archaeological excavations and signposting its historic centre for visitors.
Practical Travel Info
Besalú sits about 25km west of Figueres, best reached by car via the N-260, turning off onto the C-66. Non-resident vehicles cannot enter the old town, so plan to park and walk. The historic streets are cobbled and can be awkward in heels, but otherwise straightforward on foot.
The medieval bridge is pedestrian only. As of January 2024, the town and its approach roads have 4G coverage from all Spanish carriers.
Where to eat in Besalú
Ratings & restaurant data from Google.
Regional food & drink
Cataluña is known for Pa amb tomàquet, Escalivada and Calçots, among 6 regional specialities.
Watch: Cava
Gallery
Location
Quick answers
Is Besalú worth visiting?▾
A former independent county capital in Girona, its medieval bridges, Jewish baths, Romanesque monastery, and Gothic palace forming one of Catalonia's most coherent surviving medieval ensembles.
Why is Besalú a heritage town?▾
Besalú is officially designated a Conjunto Histórico, declared in 1966 — Spain's national heritage designation for historic ensembles.
What is the traditional food in Cataluña?▾
Cataluña is known for Pa amb tomàquet, Escalivada, Calçots and Botifarra. You'll find these regional specialities in and around Besalú.
How big is Besalú?▾
Besalú has a population of about 2,592 (2025), and sits at 151 m above sea level.
What is the history of Besalú?▾
Besalú's origins lie in its castle, documented from the early Middle Ages and built on a hill where the remains of the canonry of Santa María still stand. The town grew in importance after the death of Wifredo el Velloso in 902, becoming the capital of an independent county under its first count, Miró I the Younger.
Which heritage towns are near Besalú?▾
Nearby heritage towns include Banyoles, Castellfollit de la Roca, Santa Pau and El Mallol.
Nearby heritage towns
Capital of the Pla de l'Estany comarca in Girona province, Banyoles sits on the shore of the second-largest natural lake in the Iberian Peninsula, a body of water so suited to rowing that it hosted the 1992 Olympic Games and the 2004 World Rowing Championships.
Perched on a basalt cliff above two rivers in Girona province, Castellfollit de la Roca is a medieval village whose volcanic rock streets and Renaissance church tower over one of Cataluña's most dramatic natural platforms.
A well-preserved medieval village in Girona's volcanic landscape, its porticoed square and castle at the heart of a town declared a Historic Artistic Monument.
The historic capital of the Vall de Bas, El Mallol sits on a hilltop in Girona province where a medieval viscount's castle once governed the valley below.
A Catalan village in Girona whose flower-draped wooden balconies along Carrer Teixeda have drawn painters and photographers for generations, and whose streets trace the line of the old royal road between Olot and Vic.
A city of Roman foundations, medieval walls you can walk, a Gothic cathedral with the world's second-widest nave, and one of Europe's best-preserved Jewish quarters, all gathered above the coloured houses of the Onyar river in Cataluña.
A castle town in Girona with medieval walls, a chronicle writer's birthplace, and one of the world's great private libraries locked inside a restored French-style fortress.
Once the capital of the County of Empúries, this Girona town holds a cathedral-scale Gothic church, medieval walls, convents, and a Jewish quarter within a historic centre that has kept its medieval street plan largely intact.
Visiting from a nearby city?
Besalú makes a great day trip from:
Last updated 16 June 2026.