Between cliffs full of caves, ponds and rivers that leap into the void, a church was built a millennium ago and still stands. This architectural wonder is in Spain and allows you to enter a waterfall while you walk along the edge of rock walls. Do you know the Monastery of San Miguel de Fay?
History of the Monastery of San Miguel de Fay, Barcelona
The Benedictine monastery was built around the church of Sant Miquel, an old Romanesque hermitage from the year 887 located in an impossible location, hanging from cliffs and crossed by waterfalls. One hundred years later, construction began on the rest of the architectural complex, which was completed in the 15th century and is in the Gothic style.
The church is built inside a cave, using the rock as if it were the interior wall of the temple itself and being a perfect effect of including nature in the building, which almost merges with the rocky cliffs of Cingles de Bertí, with the water flowing between the stones and creating channels, lagoons and ponds. Today, it is privately owned and can be visited.
What to see in the Monastery of San Miguel de Fay, Barcelona
Foradada Pass
The route to discover the Monastery of Sant Miquel de Fai is spectacular. It begins at the Rossinyol bridge and the Foradada Pass, a natural passage between rocks crowned with an arch that marks the access to the fortified area and almost looks like a scene from 'The Lord of the Rings'.
Fortified Portal
Just after this is the Fortified Portal, a 16th century gate with a beautiful viewpoint of the cliff, where you ask for an entrance ticket to the enclosure. Inside is the Gothic-style Priory House, with the waterfall falling over it in the rainy months. Next to it, following a stone corridor, is the original church, closed to the public but spectacular to see from the outside.
Tenes Falls
Under the church is the San Miguel cave, 60 meters deep and closed to the public. However, next to it is the famous Tenes waterfall, with a 300-meter drop and a gallery at the back where you can cross and admire the curtain of water.
On the other side of the waterfall is the Sant Martí hermitage and the Toques caves, but in 2026 they will be closed for rehabilitation. There is also the Nuns Lake hidden under a rock and accessed by a narrow path through the mountain.
How to visit the Monastery of San Miguel de Fay, Barcelona
Currently, the Monastery of Sant Miquel de Fai is a beautiful visit just 50 kilometers from Barcelona, being one of the most magical and surprising postcards in all of Spain. It looks like a place from science fiction, but only a few tourists know it exists. Admission is free, but you must have achieved your capacity: you must have reserved access and parking, if you go by car.
Where to eat near the Monastery of San Miguel de Fay, Barcelona
Up there in the middle of the mountain there are no bars or restaurants, so you can bring your own sandwich or go to Riells del Fai, the closest town 20 minutes away by car. There is a typical Catalan restaurant called La Sala de Can Sabater, where you can eat sausage, calçotscinnamon and various types of meat from the area.
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