Santa Eulàlia de Riuprimer brings together the history of the Church of Santa Eulàlia, local festival traditions and a landscape shaped by the Mèder. This offers different ways to plan a stay: cultural history, festival dates and natural sites each call for a distinct focus.
Church, Romanesque architecture and traces of early settlement
The Church of Santa Eulàlia was first mentioned in 899. In 1041, Abbot Oliba consecrated a second Romanesque place of worship. An old wooden matraca is preserved in the church. During Holy Week, this instrument replaced the bells; it has been restored and is one of the few well-preserved examples of its kind in Catalonia. The building’s history is therefore accompanied by a tangible testament to historical sound and festival culture.
An exhibition room in the church displays the Romanesque stone roof, a model of the church and an original 18th-century Catalan clock. Excavations in the basement uncovered an anthropomorphic tomb and the remains of the walls of a building older than the 11th-century Romanesque church in 1987. Castell de Torroella also belongs to the town’s early history: it has been documented since 1130.
Festivals rooted in agricultural traditions
The Festa Major d’Estiu takes place on the first weekend of September. Its history dates back to a celebration at the end of the 19th century; in the 1970s, it was reshaped into its current summer festival format. On tornaboda day, a communal rice meal and a sardana performance at La Font Gran are part of the festival tradition. Specific arrangements may change, so it is worth checking the current festival dates before visiting.
The Festa del Segar i el Batre celebrates the agricultural work of the villagers’ parents and grandparents and began in 1997. The programme for the 30th edition in 2026 included hand harvesting, threshing, building a haystack and a workshop on identifying different types of grain.
The Mèder, waterfalls and geological formations
El Gorg de la Truja is on the Mèder. Along a stretch with several small waterfalls, the river drops nearly 30 metres; the largest waterfall ends in a wider, deeper pool. A local legend tells how a burning sow and her piglets appeared there by magic. This traditional tale is said to explain the name of the gorg.
Two different starting points are given for accessing the site: a path runs alongside the Mèder from La Font Gran. Alternatively, a route starts at a turn-off near kilometre 8 of the BV-4316, leads to Mas de la Codina and then continues along a trail to the upper part of the gorg. The routes described are not signposted, so plan your wayfinding according to the route you choose.
Other natural sites also have their own distinctive character. El Roure Gros is a centuries-old oak at the entrance to the town and was designated a tree of local interest on 4 May 2009. In Parc de Ventallola, there is an elevated viewpoint near the southern entrance. Les Costes Males has fossil-rich, carbonate-bearing marl formations that are of interest for education and research as well as tourism; the area is also characterised by dense scrub and steep slopes. Its runoff drains into the Mèder.
The Mèder, also known as the Riera de Santa Eulàlia, and the Riera de Muntanyola, also known as the Rieral, flow through the town. Both are part of the Ter river basin. Cycling enthusiasts can also explore a non-motorised mountain biking loop between Muntanyola and Santa Eulàlia de Riuprimer. It comprises three routes: two run within the two municipalities, while the third connects them. When planning a stay, cultural interests, festival traditions and the area’s varied landscape can thus be considered as distinct themes.
Discover more destinations: Esparreguera, Fogars de la Selva, Sant Joan Despí, Mollet Del Vallès, Sant Martí Sesgueioles, Castellnou De Bages, Viladecans, Gavà
For the broader travel overview: Barcelona.
