Sant Martí Vell: Hiking and Cultural Heritage

Sant Martí Vell lies on the northern edge of the Gavarres Massif. The municipality is predominantly mountainous, with pine and holm oak forests shaping the landscape. Several signposted hiking trails add a practical way for hiking enthusiasts to explore the landscape; the history of local buildings provides a second focus. Two main roads connect Sant Martí Vell with Girona, Madremanya, and La Bisbal. These road connections offer a point of reference when considering the town in relation to these three destinations. If you are looking for a hotel for your trip, nature, trails, and history can help you decide on your destination and the focus of your stay.

Hiking Trails and Their Points of Reference

Several signposted hiking trails offer access to the municipality’s cultural and scenic diversity. They give you the opportunity to consider nature and cultural experiences as themes for your trip. A route from Sant Martí Vell to Vilosa passes through the hamlet of Puig and continues to the Vilosa spring. This sequence names the starting point, the place along the way, and the endpoint, making the choice of route more tangible through specific place names.

The long-distance trail PR-C 195 offers a different geographical reference: it runs along the northern side of the Gavarres from Girona to Sant Martí Vell, also passing through Celrà and Juià. The Vilosa route focuses on the spring as its destination; the PR-C 195 has Girona and Sant Martí Vell as its endpoints, with Celrà and Juià along the way. The difference is clear when choosing a trail: the route to Vilosa leads to a named destination, while the PR-C 195 includes several places along a long-distance trail. This lets you distinguish between the options according to whether the Vilosa spring or the route between Girona and Sant Martí Vell matters more to you.

Building History and Architectural Details

The Església de Sant Martí Vell is documented as early as 1035; the present-day church dates from the 16th century. These details should be distinguished when placing the building in its historical context: 1035 marks an early documentary record, while the 16th century dates the present-day church. The exterior of the Església features numerous gargoyles. This architectural detail adds a specific aspect to the chronology and offers those interested in culture a distinct perspective on the building.

A different historical sequence relates to the Santuari de la Mare de Déu dels Àngels: its history goes back to a permit granted by the parish priest of Sant Martí Vell in 1409; the sanctuary was completed around 1420. This timeline differs from that of the Església: there, the focus is on the early documentary record and the 16th-century building, while for the sanctuary, it is on the permit and its completion in the early 15th century. If you are interested in the history of buildings and churches, these two topics can be clearly distinguished by their respective dates.

Discover more destinations: Vilallonga De Ter, Figueres, Forallac, Sant Mori, Avinyonet De Puigventós, Sant Climent Sescebes, Sant Tomàs De Fluvià, Sarriá De Ter.

For the broader travel overview: Girona.