Besalú

What makes it special

The Pont Vell is the town's symbol, a fortified bridge in a style between Romanesque and Gothic. It runs 105 metres over the Fluvià on eight unequal arches, set in two angled sections.

In the old Jewish quarter lies the micvé, a bath for ritual purification. It is an underground Romanesque hall of worked stone under a barrel vault, with a central pool still fed by spring water from its original source.

For a long time it was the only medieval Jewish bathhouse known in Spain, until another turned up in Girona in 2014. A resident who owned the land above it found it by chance in 1964.

Back in the lanes, see the Romanesque church of the former monastery of Sant Pere on its square.

Visiting

At the start of the Pont Vell, the tourist office on Carrer del Pont runs the guided visits, and the micvé opens only with a guide, so stop there first. The guided town visit includes a short film on the history of Besalú.

Before you cross, take the stairs down to the river bank for the view of the bridge from below. Then walk over the Pont Vell and along the northern bank, where you see the arches away from the crowds.

Back in the old town, the guide leads you down stone steps into the micvé, cool and dim under its vault, and explains how the bath was used. Finish at Sant Pere, on its square in the lanes.

Guided or on your own

Guided visits leave from the tourist office on Carrer del Pont every day, in several languages, and on weekends all year one sets off at noon. Reserve your place at the desk and confirm the day's times there.

A separate walk covers the Call, the old Jewish quarter. Take a guide for the Jewish history, which a walk on your own cannot give you.

Tips

The micvé chamber is small and groups go down in turns, so expect a short wait at the top. In summer the town is hot as well as busy, so plan the walk for the cooler hours and step into Sant Pere if the heat gets to you.