A Trip to Rupit

Rupit is located about an hour drive from Girona and it is one of our favorite places to visit. This medieval town dates back to the year 955 and it is the perfect day trip. The drive from Girona is incredibly picturesque with gorgeous views of the valley as you make your way up the mountain. There are several places to stop and take photos, so be sure to do just that!

Rupit is a small village with buildings made of stone from the local area. It sounds so simple, but the construction of these houses and shops will take your breath away as you wander around town. Kids love the bridge that connects the parking area to the town. The bridge was built by locals in 1945 and be aware---only 10 people on the bridge at a time! Your feet will creak on the wooden beams as you cross over the river and my kids always think this is great fun. 

 The natural stone forms stairs throughout the village.

 Families will enjoy ambling around town and peeking in the shops. There are several good bakeries with treats and shops that sell local ratafia. 

Wandering around this beautiful village is fun, but most people come enjoy this area for the hiking. There are loads of great trails right from the village, but there are several that tend to be most popular with families.

For those with young children who want a short hike (maybe 30 minutes in total), I suggest hiking to the Ermitage--the Santa Magdalena Church. There are signs throughout town directing you towards the correct trail and the views from the church cannot be beat:

 The church was built in the early 17th century and there is plenty of space for kids to run around or enjoy a picnic.

 One of the most popular hikes in the area is walking to Salt de Sallent, the waterfall. This is a beautiful hike with lots of shady areas, so it is perfect for those warm summer months. Aurelia (age 4) is capable of walking most of this and I usually bring a pack and carry her here and there when she is fatigued. This trail is also marked from town--just follow the signs that say "Salt de Sallent."

 I apologize for not having any waterfall photographs in this post...we were crossing the rocks to sit and watch the waterfall and I managed to slip in to the water and drag Aurelia with me...whoops! Parent-of-the-year award for me! It was just a shallow pond of water, but we were both soaking wet, so I was more focused on getting her changed to dry clothes and forgot about taking my phone out for pictures. 

We did discover a colony of tadpoles after we slipped in the water, so that was super exciting and made up for the wet jeans and muddy shoes. 

We enjoyed a lovely picnic (at least our lunch was dry) near the falls and then made our way back to town:

 Yes, Aurelia is wearing my sweatshirt as that was the only dry article of clothing we had with us. She said it was a dress and didn't seem to mind.

Walking back through town is always a treat with wildflowers, beautiful views of the local gardens, succulents growing on rocks, and fun tunnels to explore!

Rupit is definitely worth a visit for anyone staying in Girona or Barcelona. Our favorite time of year would have to be summer, but I once went in February when there was a light snow and the town was completely deserted and it was amazing.