Rupit i Pruit a Lover’s Getaway

BY JACINTO VIDRÓ

Cradled away at the foot of the Pyrenees lies the small village of Rupit, but unlike other Catalan villages in and around the foot of the mountains Rupit is truly a unique piece of rock.

Why rock? Well, because most of the village is carved out of it, simply put the streets are carved out of the side of the mountain and the medieval buildings that compromise the hamlet are picturesque, as is the hanging bridge that gives you access to the town.

Many of the shops in town are filled with varying local delicacies and the mountain cheese and regional sausages are of absolutely the highest quality.

The church of Sant Joan de Fàbregues and its castle are documented from the year 968. The church, which was the main church of the municipality, is located about 3 km from the castle. In the XII century, the town grew around the castle of Rupit. Noble families built a new church, Sant Miquel, where they had built their houses. This church now is the parish church.

In 1959 the municipality was officially named Rupit. In 1977, the hamlet of Pruit was united with Rupit village.

In origin both the hamlet of Pruit and the village of Rupit already shared the same jurisdiction under the viscount of Osona. According to the tradition, he lived in the castle of Rupit before moving to Cardona.

Nowadays Rupit is best known as a tourist town, because of its medieval appearance, stone houses and street made of natural rock. There are also interesting walks and sightseeing around the village and nearby cliffs.

The “Riera de Rupit” is a small river running through Rupit and forms the Sallent waterfall when it meets the cliffs. There is a hanging bridge which provides access the center of the village.

Getting There: The best way to get to Rupit is to drive, don’t take local busses don’t take coaches from Barcelona or Girona, hire a car and drive. The road to the village is beautiful, but windy, so do be caregul.

Staying There: There are a number of local B&B’s in and around the town, but we’d like to recommend Hotel Estrella – a wonderful place, with a friendly staff, and great service.

What to do: Rupit is by no means a large town, and can easily be seen in a few hours, as such we recommend using what the nature around you has to offer. If you go during the summer, you can always go hiking in the mountains o visit the lake at Puigcerda, in the winter, skiing is just and hour away, and the scenery covered in snow is absolutely breathtaking.

After all is said and done, I wouldn’t recommend staying in Rupit any more than a weekend however, while it does have something very special to offer, it is small, and during certain seasons can get packed with tourists which in all can make your stay less than enjoyable. But as a weekend getaway during the right time of year, it just can’t be beat.