Getaway to Berguedà: A land of mushrooms and industrial colonies

A slim bell tower and a considerable dome stand out in the profile of Gironella. If you look up, Alexandre Soler's neo-Gothic construction dominates, while the winding streets of medieval origin and the passage of the Llobregat River through the centre of the town are also charming. Some specific architectural elements you cannot miss are the tower of Cal Metre, the Teixidor Bassacs stately home, the old church of Santa Eulàlia or the 14th century Gothic bridge. You will see all this and more in Gironella.

This morning we are going to Viladomiu Nou, an industrial colony south of Gironella, and actually forming part of the same municipal area. We recommend that you go to Torre del Amo, where today the Tourist Office of the Llobregat River Park is located. Tomàs Viladomiu and his family lived in the tower. He was founder both of the Viladomiu Nou colony and the neighbouring Viladomiu Vell. Although not absolutely certain, the building is attributed to Valentí Canudas, and inside we can learn about how the owners of an industrial colony lived. In Viladomiu Nou we walk around to see many other elements common to all colonies: the workers’ dwellings (102 in this place, and today around 200 people still live here), the church, the nursery, the school, the factory and even a theatre-cinema.

In the afternoon we want to delve a little further into the world of industrial colonies. Cal Vidal was the last one to be built. Ignasi Vidal, descendent of a family from Manresa distinguished in the manufacture of silk, bought what were practically the last pieces of land available in the region adjacent to the Llobregat River to build his factory and, around it, the colony. There is a very comprehensive museum to find out what it meant to live and work in a textile colony and, if you join a guided tour, you will also discover all the parts of Cal Vidal, from the factory to the shops, and you can go into one of the dwellings.

The trip we present in this report is designed to be done in autumn or winter. In these seasons – especially in autumn – you cannot miss the opportunity to explore the mycological world of Berguedà. As we do not know your skills in hunting mushroom in the woods, and also would not want to be responsible for you getting lost, it is best that we err on the side of caution and encourage you to go to some of the markets held in this area. You will find saffron milk caps, grey knights, chanterelles... Both the Mushroom Market of Cal Rosal and Guardiola de Berguedà open every day between September and November. So you can take home a good selection of mushrooms to make the most mouth-watering dishes. And if you have some time left over, you can also discover the villages of Olvan and Guardiola de Berguedà before making your way back home.