Around Berguedà, visiting a company town and the sanctuary of Queralt

Located on top of the Queralt mountain range, from the sanctuary of the same name you can enjoy exceptional views, so much so that someone called this placed ‘the balcony of Catalonia’. At its feet lies the capital of the region, Berga, and you can almost reach the peak of the mountain by car; but we recommend a little exercise and that you go there on foot, which takes almost an hour from Berga. You have to locate the Trencacames and the old road of Queralt. Later you can decide if you want to climb the mountain or follow the road on a beautiful path scattered with springs and shrines. Whether you take your time or go by car, you can ascend the last few metres by the staircase or the funicular. In the sanctuary you can greet the Virgin of Queralt. The church dates back to the 18th century, and the site also includes an interesting attached building that housed the hostelry, and the church of La Cova, where legend has it that the statue of the Virgin was found.

When you’ve descended from the heights, you’ll head to L’Espunyola to visit Cal Pauet, an estate with two centuries of history where they work today just as they’ve always done, with closed cycle production. This means that the whole production process, the crop, preparation of the grain and the flours, as well as birthing, breeding and feeding sheep, is done on the estate itself and using its own resources. It’s a fully organic farm where you can buy its cereals, pulses, flours ground on its stone mill or ripollesa lamb.

You can have lunch in Casserres, specifically at Emphasis, located in a beautiful spot in the region and designed with the harmony of feng shui. They have a menu suitable for vegetarians, meat eaters and fish lovers, based on quality local products. They also provide accommodation.

You’ll spend the entire afternoon in the Colònia Vidal. The site has around thirty places of interest, including a cinema, theatre, bakery, outdoor laundry areas, the owner’s house and even a slaughterhouse. The Museu de la Colònia Vidal will take you back in time to discover what life and work were like here in the early 20th century. The heritage of the site well preserved but it’s always good to start the visit with an audiovisual guide that will orient you a little and then follow the route through this site on the bank of the Llobregat River.