Holiday cottages in Vilabertran

What can I do in Vilabertran and its holiday cottages?

If you want to get to know the popular Canònica de Santa Maria de Vilabertran , don't hesitate any longer: Vilabertran lacks people! This small town in the Alt Empordà, located near Figueres and Peralada, is known, above all, for its monastery and for always being the vegetable garden of the capital of the Alt Empordà.

The history of Vilabertran and its surroundings

The history of this small town on the Empordà plain is closely linked to that of the monastery of Santa Maria de Vilabertran. Although the municipality grew around the monastery, before its construction there was already a small settlement with a small church dedicated to the Virgin Mary. The canonry was erected where the church was and was founded by Pere Rigau who, in the 11th century, gathered a community of clergy there and began to build the monastery. The Canon of Santa Maria de Vilabertran was consecrated in 1100 by the Bishop of Girona. As a historical curiosity: in the 13th century, the bond between James II of Aragon and Blanca of Anjou was celebrated there. In Vilabertran, however, you will not find old houses, probably because of the Sant Lluc flood of 1940, the most important of the 20th century.

What to do during your stay at a tourist accommodation in Vilabertran?

Get to know the Canònica of Santa Maria de Vilabertran

Without a doubt, if you are staying in a rural house in this small town in the Empordà plain, you must visit the monastic complex of Santa Maria de Vilabertran , one of the best-preserved examples of medieval canonical architecture built between the 12th and 13th centuries. This architectural ensemble was initially formed by a central cloister that communicates with the monastic outbuildings and the church. The most unique element is the processional cross, the largest piece of Gothic goldsmithing in Catalonia. Later, the canonry was expanded with the funeral chapel of the Rocabertí, the abbey palace and the walled courtyard. All in all, it deserves a good visit. In addition, it currently hosts the Schubertíada concerts.

Stroll by the Abat Rigau fountain and the waterwheels

If you feel like walking, you can't miss the waterwheels of Vilabertran. There are more than twenty of them! Most of them are in the fields and orchards on the outskirts of the town and had, therefore, an exclusively agricultural use. Others, however, are also in the town centre, such as the one in Carrer Josep Reig i Palau and the one in Plaça dels Hortalans. Another way to discover the landscape of the Empordà plain. You can also go as far as the Abat Rigau spring, a few meters from the monastery, where you will find a jet of water and an ideal area for a picnic.