Getaway to Osona: Sau and the surrounding area

On the first afternoon, we head to Tavèrnoles, situated on the plain just where the Guilleries mountain range begins to make its presence felt. The town has many well-preserved old farmhouses and country cottages, some of which have been converted into rural accommodation for visitors. It also boasts four Romanesque churches of great historical and architectural value: Sant Esteve de Tavèrnoles, Sant Pere de Savassona, Sant Feliuet de Savassona and Santa Margarida d’Ardola. If you like walking, there are several possible routes to choose from that will take you to some of the churches and lead you through the town’s glorious natural surroundings.

Two of the most important heritage sites in this area are the Sant Pere de Casserres Monastery and the archaeological remains of L’Esquerda. If you're game, you'll spend the entire day discovering them, starting with the medieval monastery.

An example of the Catalan Romanesque, Sant Pere de Casserres sits on an impressive balcony overlooking a meander in the River Ter. It's a modest monastery but full of evocative details, such as its small cloister, the parlour, which was later used as a cellar, and the anthropomorphic tombs testifying to the fact that the building was constructed over a necropolis. Period furniture and tools dotted around the different rooms help you to imagine what life used to be like here and enhance its attraction.

After lunch, set off to explore the outskirts of Roda de Ter, where you'll find the remains of the archaeological site of L’Esquerda and an exceptional viewpoint offering magnificent views of the River Ter. The site has ruins which date from the 10th century BC to the 14th century AD. The settlement was abandoned in 1314 but holds 2,500 years of history that reveal secrets of the Bronze Age, the Iberians (absent in these latitudes), the Visigoths and the Early and High Middle Ages. At the Archaeological Museum of L’Esquerda, you can find many of the artefacts from the site on display.

On your final day, you can to take advantage of the various options on offer at the Sau Reservoir. But first, stop in Vilanova de Sau to visit Herbolari, a company that produces aromatic and medicinal herbs to create a range of concoctions for the food, medicine and cosmetic sectors. Not only can you visit the shop, but they also organise workshops (places must be booked in advance).

Now it’s time for a bit of exercise. The reservoir offers a wide choice of water activities, including canoeing, waterskiing and pedalos. If you prefer an activity you can do on dry land, not to worry: there are companies in the Sau and Collsacabra valleys that organise treks on horseback and routes with Segways, or you can rent mountain bikes. And for the more daring among you, there's rock climbing, flying in an ultralight aircraft, and even hot-air balloon rides – a great way to get a bird’s-eye view of the fantastic landscape. If you're looking for a less-energetic alternative to all these activities, you might want to simply take a dip in the freshwater Sau and relax under the sun before heading back to your home base.