Discover Maçanet De La Selva

Maçanet De La Selva combines a layered history with a distinctive natural environment. When planning your trip, you can consider historic buildings, archaeological traces, and forested and hilly landscapes as different focal points. If you’re looking for a hotel in Maçanet De La Selva, this variety can help you decide whether your stay should focus on heritage, nature, or a mix of both.

Landscape and natural environment

The protected natural area of Turons de Maçanet was included in the PEIN by Decree 328/1992. Its landscape consists of isolated, heavily forested hills amid extensive agricultural land. The volcanic hilltops also shape the scenery: they were left behind after a lake dried up. Turons de Maçanet is also home to one of Catalonia’s few communities of damp oak forest, which are of exceptional natural value.

Traces of different eras

The Poblat Ibèric de Montbarbat dates from the 4th to the 2nd century BC and covers 5,700 square metres. The Romanesque parish church of Sant Llorenç, built around 1050 in Maçanet, represents a much later period of history. Valldemaria was the first female Cistercian monastery in the Països Catalans. Together, these sites give an impression of the wide span of the area’s historical connections.

Medieval and more recent architectural history come together on Turó de Sant Jordi. The monumental complex includes the 15th-century chapel of Sant Jordi, which was fortified in the 19th century and converted into an optical telegraph tower, as well as the remains of the medieval castle of Torcafelló. Torre de Puigmarí stands at an altitude of 236 metres and was number 212 on the line.

Civil architecture is also represented: Pou de glaç de Buscastell is a notable 17th-century structure and is considered the country’s largest covered ice well. El Pont Vell, also known as Pont del Dimoni, was built in the 18th century to cross a drainage channel dug to drain the lake. Torre de Cartellà comprises a defensive tower and a courtyard with the chapel of Sant Jaume; its façade is designed in the Renaissance style.

The Safareig de la Font del Llop de Can Bosch washhouse was built in 1902, restored by the Taller d'Història de Maçanet de la Selva, and inaugurated on 6 August 2016. Opened in September 2023, the Taller d'Història displayed descriptions and QR codes in shop windows for virtual visits to heritage sites in Maçanet de la Selva, including Castell de Torcafelló, Torre Telegràfica de Puigmarí, and Pou de Glaç.

Routes and practical information

The two routes described differ considerably in their course. The linear route to Pou de glaç de Buscastell starts in the town centre and passes through holm oak forests, across fields, and through other wooded areas on its way to the ice well. The circular Ruta dels turons passes over Turó de Sant Jordi, where Castell de Torcafelló stands, goes by fields, farmhouses and small hills, and reaches Turó de Puig Marí. There you’ll find a recently restored 19th-century civil optical telegraph tower. You can choose between a route with a named destination and a circular route through a succession of varied landscapes.

Parc i Font d'El Molí is 1.5 kilometres from the town centre. In summer, poplar trees provide shade. The park has a children’s play area with a zip line, slide and swings, as well as picnic tables. The interior of Torre de Marata cannot be visited because it is privately owned. The manor house is on the road from Maçanet towards the Residencial Park development, a five-minute drive from the town centre.

Summer activities

The Festa Major features concerts, Sardana dancing and exhibitions, along with other summer activities. The programme changes from one edition to the next. The festival therefore offers a different way to experience the town from its historic buildings or landscape routes.

Discover more destinations: Mont Barbat, Mas Altaba, Cruïlles, Monells i Sant Sadurní de l'Heura, Lloret De Mar, Osor, Puigcerdá, Figueres, Alp.

For the broader travel overview: Girona.