Bellcaire d'Empordà – Nature and Architectural History

Bellcaire d’Empordà combines landscape and cycling with a layered architectural history. There is a circular route around the Estany de Bellcaire, and the town is home to historic buildings from different periods. If you’re looking for a hotel, you can decide where Bellcaire fits by considering whether you want to focus mainly on routes and landscape or on the town’s architectural history.

Circular Route, Protected Area and Cycling

From Bellcaire d’Empordà, you can walk or cycle a circular route around the entire Estany de Bellcaire. The route goes all the way around the lake and is intended for both types of travel. Another connection to the landscape is the area of the former lake: since 2010, it has been part of the protected Montgrí, Illes Medes and Baix Ter Natural Park.

Cycling enthusiasts have another option in the “El condado de Empúries” route. It passes through Bellcaire d’Empordà and links the town with Torroella de Montgrí, Ullà and Verges along its route. This means you can choose between two types of route: a circular route around the entire Estany, or a named cycling route through Bellcaire that passes through the listed towns in sequence.

Hill and Path to the Plain

Bellcaire Hill rises amid the Empordà plain and offers exceptional panoramic views. A path branching off to the west descends from the Montgrí Massif to the plain and the village of Bellcaire. The landscape can be seen from two different perspectives here: as a hill amid the plain, and as a descent from the massif towards the village.

Architectural History Across Several Periods

The history of Sant Joan de Bedenga dates back to the late-antique Visigothic period of the 6th century AD. Successive building phases and architectural styles can be traced there. Building phases refer to the chronological sequence of construction developments; architectural styles draw attention to the design of each period. Together, they make it possible to read the development of a building across different stages.

Restoration work and excavations at Sant Joan de Bedenga in the 1980s led to the creation of a system that allows the oldest architectural remains preserved beneath the floor to be observed. The site’s history therefore encompasses its early origins, later building phases and traces preserved below ground.

Ca la Pepeta, also known as Mas Quintana, is a 16th-century farmhouse incorporated into the centre of Bellcaire d’Empordà. The Molí de Bellcaire presents a different distinction between periods: its origins date back to the Middle Ages, but the part visible today reflects architectural alterations commissioned by the Marquès de Ciutadilla in the 18th century. These buildings therefore prompt different questions about the town’s history: for Ca la Pepeta, its classification as a farmhouse, its period of construction and its location in the town centre are key; for the Molí, its medieval origins differ from its visible 18th-century appearance.

Discover more destinations: Els Hostalets D'en Bas, Sant Miquel d'Aro, Vilanova de la Muga, Bordils, La Bisbal D'empordà, Sarriá De Ter, Montagut, Les Olives.

For the main travel overview: Girona.