The Fígols-Vallcebre de Fumanya site contains 3,500 dinosaur footprints; the Tramvia de Sang transported coal from the Fígols mines to Berga. Romanesque churches and the Cançó del Pegaire round out the picture. This gives you three themes to explore when planning your trip: palaeontology, mining, and architectural and cultural history. Each of the following places and routes has its own focus—from a fossil track to evidence of coal mining and medieval sacred architecture.

Dinosaur Footprints and Fumanya

The Fígols-Vallcebre de Fumanya palaeontological site is 65 million years old. It covers more than 38,000 square metres and has 3,500 dinosaur footprints. These figures give the site a clear palaeontological focus. The “Dinosaures Fumanya” exhibition features dinosaur bones, dinosaur eggs and an exceptional fossilised skin impression, alongside displays on geology and open-pit mining. As well as fossils, it also explores the geological context and the open-pit mining landscape.

The Ruta del Cretaci offers another perspective: it crosses the Fumanya site via a footbridge that leads to two life-size sauropod replicas. The exhibition, the site and this route each have a different focus and should not be treated as a single circuit. Those interested in dinosaurs can see the specific differences between fossil footprints, geological interpretation and the replicas along the footbridge.

The “Fígols i la vall de Fumanya” route is a separate trail. It leaves the GR 270 and follows the PR-C 73 towards Fígols. The route passes the entrance to the Curro mine, which illustrates the area’s mining history. Before setting out, check the mountain conditions and the route markings.

Mining History and Trails

The Tramvia de Sang was the first mining railway in Berguedà and transported coal from the Fígols mines to Berga. This offers a different way of exploring the mining history from the path by the entrance to the Curro mine: here, the focus is on transporting the coal. Near Fígols, a restored section of the Tramvia de Sang provides a walking route between Sant Jordi de Cercs and Berga. The route passes through woodland, tunnels and over footbridges.

The transformer tower in Peguera is another reminder of the industrial past. It was part of the infrastructure that supplied electricity to the miners’ colony and the coal-mining facilities. The tower therefore reveals another aspect of mining: alongside coal extraction and transport, supplying power to the colony and mining facilities was also part of this history.

The Font del Bullidor, also known as Font de la Llet, is near the path to the Fumanya palaeontological sites. Over the years, it served as a resting place for hikers and day-trippers. Its location places it along the route; its traditional use as a resting place does not indicate that facilities or opening hours are available today.

Romanesque Churches and Oral Tradition

The buildings vary in age and state of preservation. Sant Mateu de Fumanya is a Romanesque church in the hamlet of Fumanya. The church of Sant Cecília in Fígols dates from the 11th to 12th centuries. Sant Miquel de Peguera is one of the oldest religious buildings in Fígols. Despite its ruined state, the church retains the character of a single-nave Romanesque mountain church. These three details show that churches can be understood through more than just their period: their location, date and present physical condition each offer a different perspective.

Castell de Peguera also adds to the architectural history: it is protected as a Cultural Asset of National Interest, or BCIN, under the decree of 22 April 1949. Another form of cultural heritage is the Cançó del Pegaire, an exceptional example of Catalan oral folklore. The song preserves the memory of the now-vanished profession of the pegaire. Its lyrics describe a pegaire getting up early, taking an axe and going into the forest to make pitch, which was used to seal vessels made of clay or wood. Alongside the buildings, you can therefore encounter a traditional working practice—not as a surviving activity, but as the subject of a song.

Discover more destinations: Capellades, Argençola, Sant Boi De Lluçanès, La Torre De Claramunt, Guardiola De Font-Rubí, Fonollosa, Muntanyola, Palafolls.

For the broader travel overview: Barcelona.