Vilanant: Architecture, Dry-Stone Heritage and Festivals

Vilanant can be explored through several themes: historic religious buildings, the dry-stone landscape of La Garriga d’Empordà, cycling routes and festivals. You can choose your focus based on whether you want to prioritize architecture, landscape, a bike ride or an event date. When looking for a hotel, this distinction can help you decide on the purpose of your stay first and then explore suitable options.

Building history and architecture

The chapel of Sant Jaume dels Verders, also known as Sant Jaume dels Solers, is an 18th-century building; older remains date from the 11th century. It is located a few metres from Castell dels Moros. The age of the building and the older remains represent two distinct periods. The parish church of Sant Martí de Taravaus is late Romanesque and dates from the 13th century. Its single-nave layout and semicircular apse are distinctive features of its design. Single-nave means that the main body of the church has one central nave; the apse rounds off the church interior. The tall bell tower of Santa Maria can be seen from anywhere in Vilanant and from neighbouring municipalities. It adds a prominent architectural landmark visible from afar to the churches and chapel.

Dry-stone landscape and viewpoints

La Garriga d’Empordà is a landscape shaped by dry-stone structures. Its features include dry-stone walls, stone piles, paths and huts built from stones cleared from cultivated plots. The origin of the material connects these different forms: stones cleared from the land were used not only for walls but also for paths and huts. The landscape can thus be experienced as an interplay between cultivated plots and dry-stone structures. The Mirador de La Garriga comprises two viewpoints with different purposes. One is for birdwatching, while the other is for interpreting the landscape. This offers two different ways to take in the surroundings: watching birds or interpreting how the landscape is shaped.

Two cycling routes, different highlights

The cycling routes also have different highlights. BTT Route 15 La Garriga d’Empordà leads to Vilanant and follows the Rissec between wooded areas and meadows. BTT Route 24 Vilanant runs through the area around Vilanant, Avinyonet de Puigventós and Taravaus. Route 15 thus draws attention to a named watercourse and its surrounding wooded areas and meadows, while Route 24 focuses on the area around three towns. This is a useful point of comparison when planning: one description is based on a specific route, the other on the area around three towns.

Festivals in May and August

Vilanant also has events in May and the second week of August. The Fira de la Flor i el Jardí takes place in May as the Sant Isidre festival. It combines Sardanes and devotion to Saint Isidre with a flower fair. The Mostra Gastronòmica takes place at venues in the town during the second week of August; its dates and programme may vary from year to year. The events differ in both their timing and focus: the Fira brings together a flower fair and the Sant Isidre tradition, while the Mostra focuses on gastronomy. If you are making an event the reason for your trip, check the dates for the relevant year in advance.

Discover more destinations: Sant Miquel De Fluvià, Alp, Fornells De La Selva, Juià, Madremanya, Cabanes, Campdorà, Anglès

For the broader travel overview: Girona.