Sights:
Bellaguarda: This used to be an enclave of the French army. Here the panoramic views are stunning, especially when the Tramuntana wind blows. You will be able to see Empordà, Rosselló and the Pyrenees, with its impressive mountain of Canigó. On your departure follow the signs to Panissards. You will pass next to the castle's cemetery, and a small fort that was used to keep an eye on contraband and clandestine activities.
Panissards is an interesting archaeological site. Work takes place mainly during the summer, and if you are lucky a friendly archaeologist may be able to show you around.
Púbol: This is one of the vertices of the Dalí triangle, completed by Figueres and Portlligat. The Castell de Púbol is a Renaissance gothic palace that was restored by Dalí with his genius touch, and that he gave as a present to his wife Gala.
Ullastret: Iberian and Greek settlement dated back to the transition period between bronze and iron, up to III BC. Interesting things to see are the walls, the pagan temple and the remains of the city, as well as the Museu Monogràfic d'Ullastret.
Sant Pere de Rodes: This is one of the most mythical places in the area where one can enjoy the most splendid views of Costa Brava. Be careful with the coaches. Lock your car and visit the monastery either with or without a guide. On your way back take the road to Selva de Mar, where you will find good wine; It is also interesting to stop at Port de la Selva for a nice walk, as long as you do not go in the summer, when it is crowded.
Sant Quirze de Colera: The route to this monastery is not paved and it climbs through forest and vines. Although this is one of the best examples of Catalan Romanesque this place was used to keep cattle until recently. In the nearby village of Rabós you can buy good wine and olive oil.
Prehistoric caves of Serinyà: These caves, such as Reclau del Viver, form part of a park where there has been important findings from various prehistoric periods, mainly the superior Palaeolithic. The park is by the main road, so it is easy to find. Other accessible sites nearby are Bora Gran d'en Carreres, La Cova dels Encantats and L'Arbreda, although these do not take visitors.

Mountain:
La Molina: This is a ski resort that together with Masella has the biggest number of slopes in the Girona province. During the summer alternative sports are on offer. Alp, Das and Urús are lovely nearby villages to see.
Puigcerdà: Visit La Torre del Moro, the gothic bell tower which used to be part of the church of Santa Maria, the Plaça Major with its porticoes, the Renaissance houses, the church of the old convent of Sant Domènec, the Institut d'Estudis Ceretants and the lake. Nearby there is Llívia, with the Museu Municipal and a famous Pharmacy.
La Mare de Déu del Mont: Accessible through a paved road at about twenty kilometres from Besalú, this is the nearest highest mountain, at 1115 metres above sea level. At the top there is a Sanctuary where Mossèn Cinto Verdager, a famous Catalan poet stayed in 1884. From there, and on a good day, you will enjoy a majestic panorama: the Pyrenees, the Mediterranean, L'Empordà, La Garrotxa, and the lake of Banyoles.
Rocacorba: The lake of Banyoles is at the foot of this mountain, 934 meters above sea level, which offers splendid views over the region of Pla de l'Estany. It is situated at the top of a rock that stands out in a peculiar curved shape. On your way down, you will encounter interesting sites, such as the Castell de Pujarnol, the church of Sant Cebrià, and the Dolmen de Pujarnol.
Queralbs and Núria: You can leave your car at Ribes de Freser and then take the crane train that goes up to Queralbs and then to Núria. Check out the timetable, as it does not run all year round. Various excursions start at Queralbs, but you can also continue on the train all the way up to Núria. You can visit the church, sit in Sala de l'Estatut, go horse riding, boating round the lake, go for a walk, ski, archery…
Camprodón: In this small town one can visit the Monastery of Sant Pere, the church of Santa Maria and El Pont Nou, with its great arch above the river and double incline. This joins at the Portal de Cerdanya, which was part of the old town walls. A bit further away there is the beautiful village of Beget. In its church there is a very well preserved Romanesque sculpture of Christ in the cross, known as La Majestat de Beget. The road to Villalonga de Ter takes you to the beautiful village of Setcases and to Vallter. Here you can take the chairlift to Ull de Ter, the place where the river Ter is born.

Historical Villages:
Castelló d'Empúries: In the past this was the capital of a county. Interesting sights are the church of Santa Maria, the remains of the town walls, La Llotja de Mar or old sea market, (today the Town Hall). Other sights are the remains of Palau Comptal, now part of the convent of Sant Domènec, La Casa Gran and La Presó. Castelló has also a Parochial Museum and a Butterfly Park. A visit to the seaside resort of Empuriabrava is also worthwhile.
Lladó: This small village has a good amount of civil and religious buildings, such as the church of Sant Feliu or the old church of Santa Maria, under the canonical rules of Saint Augustine. The Monastery is also very interesting, especially the Sala Capitular and the Romanesque chapel of Sant Joan.
Near Lladó there is Navata, where golf lovers will enjoy a game at the Torremirona Golf Club.
Pals: This village has a very interesting old quarter known as El Peiró. This was built around the old Castell de Pals, of which only a tower remains. This place has beautiful cobbled streets and alleyways to explore. The parochial church of Sant Pere and the old town walls are very interesting too.
Around Pals there is various fortified farmhouses: El Molí de Pals, Mas Roig, or Mas del Puig.
The Museu d'Arqueologia Submarina Ca La Pruna is also worth a visit.
Peratallada: Walking around this village feels like going back to medieval times. Here there is also a castle, the remains of the old walls and various watchtowers, one of which is known as La Torre de les Hores. Other sights are the church of Sant Esteve de Peratallada, Sant Esteve de Canapost, Santa Maria de Fonteta, Santa Coloma de Fitor and the Dolmen dels Tres Peus.
Torrent: This is an old fortified village that still keeps with its medieval look. The church of Sant Julià stands out. This is a pre Romanesque building with two very interesting arches and the remains of mural paintings.
In the nearby village of Llofriu, one can visit the old house of Josep Pla, a famous Catalan writer, who is buried in the local cemetery.
Vilabertran: Santa Maria de Vilabertran is an outstanding monastery. The building is set around a cloister with alternating pillars and columns engraved with decorations of plants and vegetables. The church of Santa Maria, with a remarkable main door, is also very interesting, as well as the chapel of Sant Ferriol, the Sala Capitular, La Sagristia, the dormitory, the refectory, and the chapel of Els Dolors, also known as La Vera Creu. The Abbatial Palace, consisting of three buildings, is one of the best examples of Civil Gothic architecture in Catalunya.
Sant Joan de les Abadeses: Apart of the monastery, this town has other interesting sights, such as the church of Sant Pol, the main square, and the remains of the old town walls.
The monastery itself consists of the church of Sant Joan, the cloister, the chapel of Els Dolors, and the monumental front door known as Porta de Santa Maria. Next there is the Abbatial Palace and the chapel of Sant Miquel, as well as the Museu del Monestir.
Ripoll: The main sight in this town is the Monastery of Santa Maria, with its church, its monumental front door, and its cloister. Nearby there is the church of Sant Pere. Other interesting sights are the Plaça Mercadal and the medieval bridge, as well as beautiful neoclassical and art nouveau buildings. The Museu-Arxiu Folkloric d'Etnologia, Arqueologia, Art i Història Local is also worth a visit.
Beuda: This little village has a very rich Romanesque architecture and includes some of the most important works of this kind in the Girona area. Coming from Besalú, the first church that we find is Sant Pere de Lligordà. A little bit further there is the old Benedictine Sant Sepulcre de Palera. Those who visited it had the same indulgence as in Jerusalem' Saint Sepulchre. Nearby there is the church of Santa Maria de Palera. Finally, the village of Beuda is situated on a little hill, built around the church of Sant Feliu that has a beautiful old front door made of wood and iron.
Peralada: The old village of Peralada preserves remains of two different wall precincts as well as two watchtowers. It also has an interesting main square.
The most popular sight is the Palau-Castell de Peralada, with its famous casino and private museum, as well as the Convent del Carme. Other interesting sights are the parochial church of Sant Martí and the cloister of Sant Domènec.
Sant Miquel de Fluvià: After Vilaür (medieval walled precinct and church of Sant Esteve) and Sant Mori, you will find the village of Sant Miquel de Fluvià with its interesting church of Sant Martí. This used to be part of a Benedictine abbey, and it is really worth a look.

The area of La Garrotxa:
The area where Besalú is situated is very diverse, and it is known as La Garrotxa. There are various possible routes that you can do.
The Alta Garrotxa is the highest part of the region. From Besalú you can drive to Castellfollit de la Roca. This village is built on the edge of a cliff, which you can admire from its Mirador. Then continue towards Oix. After Oix take the rural road that will take you to Sant Pau de Segúries.
Another route through the Alta Garrotxa is to go to Montagut and continue towards Sadernes and Santa Barbara. Within the district there is many interesting buildings, such as Santa Maria del Cós, Sant Eduald de Jou, Sant Martí de Toralles, Sant Llorenç d'Oix, Castell dels Baturell, Santa Bàrbara de Pruneres, Sant Feliu de Riu, Mare de Déu de les Agulles and Sant Aniol d'Aguja.
Another interesting itinerary is through La Vall d'En Bas, a very beautiful and flat valley. Visit the villages of Les Preses, La Pinya, El Mallol, Sant Privat de Bas, Joanetes and Hostalets de Bas.
You can also go to the volcanic park of La Garrotxa and visit the Croscat and Santa Margarida volcanoes. Stop also at the Fageda d'en Jordà, a famous beech forest, and then continue to the beautiful village of Santa Pau.
A final itinerary is to La Vall de Bianya. Start at Sant Joan les Fonts, visiting its church and its basaltic rocks. Then continue direction Andorra and visit Santa Margarida de Bianya, Sant Pere Despuig, Sant Martí del Clot and Salvador de Bianya.

France:
Perpinyà: Perpinyà is the capital of Catalunya Nord. We recommend that you visit El Castellet and the Museum of Catalan Art and Traditions. Also the city's old quarter, with beautiful old buildings, the Palau de la Generalitat, the Ajuntament, La Llotja, Sant Joan el Vell, the Cathedral, the Cemetery, the church of Sant Jaume, and the Palau dels Reis de Mallorca. Not far from Perpinyà there is Elne, with its Romanesque Cathedral and Cloister, and the Museum of Archaeology and History.
Other places nearby are Salses, with an interesting castle, Baixas where you can visit its church, and Tautaüll with its Prehistory Museum and cavern, known as La Gruta d'Arago.
Ceret: From the motorway, take the exit direction Ceret, and before getting there, stop at Maureillas to visit the church of Sant Martí de Fenollar and its paintings. There is also a Cork Museum.
After Mourellas stop at Ceret and visit its old quarter, the Casa de Cultura Catalana and the Museum of Modern Art.
Continue on the same road towards Amèlie les Bains, a thermal baths spa. And to Arles sur Tech, that has the oldest Benedictine Abbey in Catalunya. You can go all the way until Prats de Molló where you can visit the Castell Lagarde, the gothic church and the old quarter. The surrounding countryside is beautiful too. For a quicker way back, go direction Camprodon and through the tunnels.
Prades: Take the motorway towards Perpinyà. Near the "Catalan Village" you will find the exit to Prades. You will pass through Thuir, which has the biggest wooden barrel in the world. You can find it at Caves Byrrh. Not far, there is Castellnou, a medieval village with a castle. Once on the RN 116, you can also stop at Serrabone and visit the Romanesque priory, with its cloister and the famous Bishop's tribune.
At Prades you can visit the Museu Pau Casal, and the Baroque church of Sant Pere. Near there, there is Sant Miquel de Cuixà with a Historical Monument of Catalunya. A little bit further there is Vilafranca del Conflent, a fortified city with an interesting fort. Take the road towards the thermal village of Vernet. On the way, there are the Canaletes caves, and later Cornellà del Conflent with its Romanesque church. After Vernet you can continue all the way up to Sant Martí del Canigó, and if you wish, you can climb to the top of the mountain.
Carcassonne: The centre of this medieval city is all for pedestrians, so you will have to leave your car in the specified parking areas. This city is a monument in itself, it has many interesting places to see: the Castle, with its Lapidari Museum and watchtower, the Pinte Tower, the Marquiere Tower, Our Lady's Barbican, the Treasure Tower, the Narbonne Gate, the bridge, the Vade Tower, the Church of Saint Nazari, the Cathedral, the Fine Art's Museum, the Hotel Rollard… beautiful streets and many lovely corners.
Limoux: This is the place where Blanquette de Limoux is produced, one of the world's oldest white wines; it is good as an aperitif, digestive, or to accompany any meal. You can visit the cellars and taste it.
On your way back, stop at Saint Hilaire to visit its cloister, decorated with a chessboard. You can also stop at Lagrasse and Fontfroide to visit their Abbeys.
Rennes Le Château: This is land of Knight Templars and Brushwood. The village's old church is simple but very curious. The baptismal stoup is held by the devil, and there is a group of people that shout and look at you in unusual postures.
A priest called Saunier ordered this peculiar works. Apparently he was very poor, but suddenly became rich, and had a better life than the bishop. There is a lot of mystery surrounding his sudden wealth, as well strange things such as tomb changes that he did in the church. No solution has ever been found, and still today there are a lot of questions and hypotheses. Some believe that he found gold: Did it come from an old Visigoth's treasure? Was it Dagoberto's? Is what happened written in the Via Crucis? Has it anything to do with the Rosencreutz? Is it coincidence that the names of the nearby places are similar to those in and near Jerusalem? Is any of this related to the alchemist search, the Great Monarch and the subterranean kingdom?
Catharist land: this is the land of majestic forts, castles and villages, and the symbols of a lost religion. After Perpinyà take the D 112 direction Quillan. You will pass near the castles of Queribus, Peypertuse and Puilaurens. Continuing in the direction of Foix you will find Puivert and Montsegur. Taking the road D 12 you will see the castles of Arques, Termes and Villerouge-Termenes. A bit further away, after Carcassone, there is the villages of Lastours and Minerve.
Foix: It was the capital of an old county known by the same name. Its most impressive sight is the Catharist castle, which stands at the top of the hill. It has an interesting museum with historical and medieval collections. Foix is well worth a visit, as well as some of the places around it, such as Pamiers, Mirepoix and Fangeaux.

Andorra:
Meritxell: This is the Sanctuary dedicated to the patroness of Andorra. It is situated between Encamp, which has a Museu Nacional de l'automòbil, and Canillo, with an interesting chuch, Sant Joan de Caselles.
The Sanctuary of Meritxell has a good exhibition, and from it, there are various sign posted walking routes to the oratories and to the nearby village of Prats. You can then go back to Canillo, from where you can do two possible panoramic drives. One drive is to Pas de La Casa, and the other one to Ordino. Here you can visit various museums: Museu d'Areny Plandolit, Museu de la Microminiatura, Museu Iconogràfic Sant Jordi, El Portal d'Andorra , beautiful noble homes, and a Romanesque church.
Engolasters: From the town of Les Escaldes there is a beautiful drive all the way to the lake of Engolasters. On the way there you can stop and visit the church of Sant Miquel. When you get at the end of the road you will find footpaths to and around the lake. It is so tranquil and beautiful.
From Les Escaldes you can also drive to La Massana, then to Sispony to visit the Museu Casa Rull, a typical old house. There is also two good drives to Pal and to Arinsal.
Pessons: Accessible by chairlifts from the ski resort of Grau Roig, these are a dozen little lakes fed by the melting snow of the nearby mountains, all at around 2800m above sea level. It is possible to visit them all year round. On your way back, from Encamp, take the road direction Anyòs through the Bordes de Baixals mountain range, and admire the fantastic views. On you way down stop at Sant Antoni de Grella and visit the church and the bridge. Then go through Andorra La Vella, and stop to visit the Casa de la Vall, with its gardens, the baptismal stoup, the cross and various sculptures.
Tristaina: From La Massana go direction Ordino, El Serrat, and up towards the Tristaina lakes. You will have to park the car and walk for a while, but the scenery is well worth it. There is three lakes, a lower one, a middle one and an upper one. If you can, go all the way to the top one, which is surrounded by mountains around 2800m above sea level. On the way back go direction Sant Julià de Lòria. If you have plenty of time and don't feel like driving on the main road, there is an alternative route: from the village of Aixovall follow directions to Bixessarri and to Santuari de Canolich, then continue on the same road, which goes through La Gallina mountain range, and will take you to Fontaneda and finally back to Sant Julià de Lòria.