The Balcó de l’Empordà viewpoint offers views across the Empordà plain to the Gulf of Roses. If you are considering Garrigàs for a stay, landscape, architectural history and local culture come together here—with specific sights as well as traces of its rural character.
Landscape between hill, plain and the Fluvià
Garrigàs lies on the ridge and slopes of a low hill. From here, you can look out across the Alt Empordà plain; from the Balcó de l’Empordà, the Gulf of Roses also comes into view. The municipality is also defined by a predominantly agricultural mosaic landscape, with holm oak and pine forests, large cultivated areas and an extensive network of waterways. The viewpoint and this landscape describe two different sides of the place—the expansive views and the agricultural surroundings.
Within the municipality, the Fluvià flows through Vilajoan and Arenys d’Empordà. At Arenys, a 19th-century hydroelectric power station can be seen by the river. Here, natural surroundings and the history of technology sit side by side, without needing to be combined into a single walk.
Castles, churches and archaeological traces
Arenys d’Empordà is a settlement on a hill ridge, with a church, castle, rectory and several farmhouses. The settlement is less than 500 metres from the left bank of the Fluvià. The castle was built in the 14th and 15th centuries and later altered. The Romanesque church of Sant Sadurní d’Arenys d’Empordà is integrated into the castle’s defensive structures. In Arenys, therefore, the history of the castle and the church’s incorporation into its fortifications are directly connected spatially.
The architecture of the church of Sant Miquel de Garrigàs also offers a way to understand its history: the simple, single-nave building has a pointed barrel vault and a semicircular apse. It stands on level ground in the Veïnat de l’Església, about 500 metres north of the town. Its distance and location are useful points of reference if you want to include this part of the area’s architectural history in your plans.
In Vilajoan, the castle also dates from the 14th and 15th centuries. The church of Santa Maria de Vilajoan contains a tombstone for Garsenda, Lady of Vilajoan, who died on 23 May 1270, and her husband, Bernat de Pontós. The archaeological site at Ermedàs offers a different view of the past: 14 silos and the remains of two hut floors were discovered there. Together, these places represent different historical points of interest, from medieval buildings to archaeological finds.
Routes and local culture
The Itinerari saludable Garrigàs is a short health route following Itinerànnia’s yellow markers. It runs along local streets and paths, including Carrer de l’Església and the path from Garrigàs to Santa Eulàlia. As of November 2024, the Via Verda between Garrigàs and Arenys d’Empordà was planned as a link that would provide safe and sustainable access to the natural surroundings.
Mirador Photo Garrigàs brings together photography, audiovisual media, nature and literature. The 2025 edition was the festival’s 13th edition.
Traditional cuisine is also part of the local character. Traditional dishes from Garrigàs include “platillo” d’ànec, farcit de pomes and, in particular, botifarra dolça.
When deciding what to explore, you can weigh up your interests: the Balcó de l’Empordà and the landscape turn your attention to the surroundings, while castles, churches and archaeological sites bring the area’s architecture and history to the fore. Mirador Photo Garrigàs and traditional dishes add perspectives on culture and local traditions.
Discover more destinations: Vilajoan, Llanca, Figueres, Castelló D’empúries, Sant Pau De Seguries, Santa Coloma De Farnés, El Prat de Llobregat, Sant Julià De Ramis.
See the broader travel overview: Girona.
