In Bolvir, water has traced one of the most beautiful paths to get to know the town. It is a path that runs through the northern area of the municipality next to a ditch, while looking out over the spectacular landscapes of Cerdanya. The best thing is that it offers a way to get closer to this corner of the Girona Pyrenees: an excursion to explore it on foot and with a very different budget than La Pleta. Or what is the same: the luxury mountain urbanization that is located in the region, one of the most exclusive in all of Catalonia and where Risto Mejide has a house.
The presenter himself has shown it on several occasions on his social networks. Whether taking a dip in the pool, boasting a large library, built-in fireplace or large windows with privileged views of the best of the Cerdanya landscape.
Luckily, you don't need to have a big case to escape to Bolvir. It has only 493 inhabitants, but it is a small municipality where you can start by following a ditch and end up visiting the remains of a town that was already inhabited a long time before second homes existed.
Tretx
What to see in Bolvir
In El Castellot you can see how the residents of the Middle Ages built their town taking advantage of what those who had lived there centuries before had left behind. First an Iberian Ceretan town and then a Roman one. After a period of abandonment, the place was occupied again from the 10th century, until it was definitively uninhabited between the 11th and 12th centuries. We are talking about many lives on the same terrain and remains that archaeologists have had to distinguish one from another.
However, understanding what corresponds to each era and how the settlement changed is part of the fun of visiting Bolvir. In addition, there is still much to discover in the place. The City Council indicates that approximately half of its surface has been excavated and the investigation continues.
Girona Provincial Council
At the foot of the site is the Espai Ceretània, where recovered pieces and audiovisual resources help put the ruins in context. The set also includes the reconstruction of a Ceretan house, made with techniques and materials from the Iberian era. It is a good way to get a real idea of what those homes were like, beyond the walls that have managed to survive to this day.
Once in the town, the church of Santa Cecília is worth a stop. The building dates from the late 12th century and early 13th century, although the side chapels and bell tower were added later. Beyond its single nave, the Romanesque façade deserves special attention, with its arches and decorated capitals.
Consell Comarca de la Cerdanya
Where to eat in Bolvir
For the lunch break, Cal Torru focuses on homemade Catalan cuisine and local products, with a menu that changes according to the season. Those in charge began serving a small family dining room with six tables and, after a period in Llívia, they settled in Bolvir. Rice, meat and fish stand out on the menu.
Another possibility is Terra de Pics, on Calle de la Font. It is a gastrobar whose proposal combines Catalan cuisine with influences and allows you to eat tapas and mountain dishes. The Repsol Guide distinguishes it with a Solete and places it in its category of less than 35 euros per person. It also has a terrace and a good wine list.
Another option is L'Isard, on the Puigcerdà road, which offers Cereta cuisine to continue the getaway at the table and get closer to the local gastronomy.
Anselm Pallas
What to do around Bolvir
Of course, before getting in the car and going to discover other towns and villages, you have to spend some time on the Camino del agua (or Camí de l'Aigua), which follows the irrigation canal to the north of Bolvir. A three-kilometer route is enough, which translates into about two hours of walking. Although there are also two shortcuts, through the Ferratgeta and the Niula path, to shorten it.
On the contrary, you can also lengthen the walk. To do this, another option is to leave from the Remei hermitage, connect with the irrigation canal and return through the center of the town. This variant lasts about three hours and allows you to dedicate the morning to Bolvir, instead of chaining stops throughout the region.
Jordi Gili
To continue the getaway, however, Bellver de Cerdanya has a porticoed Plaza Mayor that preserves the traces of its commercial past. The weekly market and fair were held there. In the square are the 16th century customs house, where taxes were collected on goods, and the old Casa del Comú, current Town Hall.
Another stop is the Municipal Museum of Llívia, which preserves the furniture and utensils of the Esteva pharmacy, considered the oldest in Europe. Among its pieces are cobalt blue ceramic jars, polychrome boxes with figures of saints and wise men from ancient times, and a baroque cordialero. In this piece of furniture of great artistic value, containers with some of the most precious or dangerous products were kept. After churches and sites, it is a different way to end the review of the past, with the objects with which medieval remedies were prepared and preserved.
Cover photo | @ristomejide and Anselm Pallas
In 3D Games | Tomorrow the alien movie of the year opens in theaters, a madness considered an “instant classic” of science fiction
In Xataka | 21 years ago Jackie Chan created his martial arts school. Nowadays he is responsible for making Phantom Blade 0 look like a movie
