Moianès getaway: Three heartland towns

First up it's a viit to Santa Maria d'Oló, a rugged terrain situated in the extreme north of the region which also gives its name to the area's most densely populated town. Other inhabited towns include Sant Joan d'Oló, La Frau, El Pla de Grasseest, Raval de la Rovirola, Arrabal de Santa Eulàlia, Sant Feliuet de Terrassola and Sant Vicenç de Vilarassau.

In Santa Maria d'Oló you can enjoy whiling away the hours exploring hundreds of years of history, be it wandering down beautiful old streets in the town, or a little farther out of the urban centre, searching for old country houses dotted around the area. The oldest part of Santa Maria d'Oló is found on the hillside surrounding the castle, of which remain some well-preserved walls and part of a tower, and the ‘old church’, as it's known. Though the old church as it stands dates back to the 16th century, its foundations reach back to the medieval period. Moving through time after visiting the old church you can also enjoy the ‘new church’, blessed in 1963 and built to celebrate the marriage between the Roger and Vidal families, owners of the town's first factory.

On the second day you'll move on to Moià. Capital of the region it may be, but heaving metropolis this is not; rather, you'll find a little town of about 6,000 inhabitants. Though small, it is perfectly formed and full of interesting and beautiful features to enliven the day. Try the following route to discover the treasures of town.

Starting out in Plaça Sant Sebastià, you'll see many flagstones emblazoned with songs and homages to trees, such as 'Himne a l'arbre fruiter' ('Hymn to the Fruit Tree'), by the Catalan poet Joan Maragall. Continue down Carrer del Forn, lined with ancient and typical houses, one of which is Can Carner, the headquarters of the Moianès Consortium and Hotel d'Entitats. Another building of interest is No 25, which was the first house of the Escola Pia of Catalonia (a Catholic educational order), founded in 1683. Reaching Plaça Major your eyes will enjoy a rich feast of 13th-century bridges, and the 17th- to 18th-century church of Saint Mary, with its stunning sgraffito engraving. On Carrer de Rafael Casanova, you can visit the birthplace of the historic Councillor of Barcelona and symbol of Catalan resistance in the fateful year 1714. In the same building you'll find the Archeological and Palaeontological Museum, where you can learn about the fascinating Coves del Toll caves found on the outskirts of the area.

On leaving the church you'll notice the monument dedicated to Casanova. Observe the sculpture at the far end of the Plaça to see a set of stately homes in the modernista style. Here, on Carrer de Richard Wagner, the façades bear the names of operas written by the composer. This homage to Wagner came about because of the 1863 birth in Moià of Francesc Viñas i Dordal, one of the most celebrated tenors to perform the German composer's scores. Complete this stimulating walk with a walk through the tranquil Municipal Park.

On the third day you move on from the capital Moià to the village of Collsuspina, just some ten minutes away from the capital. The name of the village comes from Mas de l'Espina, or ‘farmhouse of the thorn’. This building, around which the village grew, dates back to 1550 and was once collectively owned by the residents of the area you're exploring today. The farmhouse long since became a restaurant, which you can visit today and which is, in fact, at the end of the walk we suggest you do today.

To find Mas de l'Espina, and to explore the village and its charming and fascinating surrounding area, start your walk from Plaça Major. Near the Ajuntament (town hall), take Carrer Nou until you reach the church – once a simple chapel which was transformed at the end of the 19th century. Following the same street you'll arrive at a car park. From there, take the path marked for l'Espina about 1 km away.

Take a BTT walking route, and you'll enter a forested area, and soon after you'll notice a gentle gradient, offering, as the fruit of your labour, wonderful views of the village and the surrounding area. On your descent, you'll come across a farm and the N-141c road. At the other side of the road, farms and farmhouses dot the way to Raval de Les Casetes, a neighbourhood of stone houses dating to the 18th century. Crossing the road again you'll soon enter Collsuspina along a wide road called Carrer Major, where a cross signals the ancient boundary line between parishes. And here lies your destination, the now rather ramshackle restaurant which was once Mas de l'Espina, a wonderful place steeped in history to complete your day, and your getaway to Moianès.