The Riu Ter forms Bordils’s northern boundary and, together with the agricultural landscape, shapes the character of the town. Poplar plantations, a historic irrigation system and paths leading to notable trees sit alongside buildings and places of cultural remembrance. There are different ways to plan your visit: take a walk through Bordils, cycle from Girona or take a closer look at the history of water and local architecture.
Ter landscape and irrigation culture
On the banks of the Riu Ter, Ban de Bordils preserves emblematic poplar plantations. The agricultural plain is also part of the local landscape: the irrigation area of the Séquia Vinyals covers about 804 hectares. Of this, 224 hectares are irrigated in Celrà , 305 hectares in Bordils, 90 hectares in Sant Joan de Mollet, 75 hectares in Flaçà and 110 hectares in Juià . The plain includes fruit trees, cereal and vegetable cultivation, poplars and plane trees, as well as internationally recognised nurseries for garden and ornamental plants. The irrigation area extends across five municipalities, with 305 hectares in Bordils.
The SĂ©quia Vinyals is a historic water-management and irrigation system. It uses public waters of the Riu Ter at CampdorĂ and comprises more than just a main channel: the system includes a diversion weir, secondary channels, sluices, pipelines, pumping installations and other technical facilities. Visitors interested in cultural landscapes can see a tangible connection here between the river, water management and the cultivated plain.
Architecture and local heritage
The church of Sant Esteve de Bordils was built in the second half of the 16th century in the late Gothic style, with Renaissance details. Its architecture can be described through several features: the bell tower is octagonal and has pointed-arch openings, gargoyles and balustrades; the façade and portal are decorated. On the west façade, a large rose window made up of 25 panels sits above the entrance. These details give the church a distinctive, easily recognisable form.
Smaller public buildings also form part of the town’s history. The washhouse on Carrer Almeda is one of two public, municipally owned washhouses in Bordils and was last restored in 2007. Three sardanas are dedicated to the town. The Bordils audio archive collaboratively collects audio memories of places in the town. Together, these different records offer a way to explore architectural history, musical tradition and personal stories of the place, without requiring a single, fixed visiting programme.
A walking route through the works of artist Leo Alejo is planned in Bordils. This is another cultural focus alongside the church and washhouse. No current schedule is available; anyone wishing to include the route in their plans should check in advance whether it is taking place.
On foot and by bike
The 8.5-kilometre “Ruta dels arbres monumentals” is a walk through Bordils’s green spaces and paths, passing twelve emblematic trees in the municipality. The route combines a specific distance with a clear destination: the trees given special prominence by the municipality. The cycling route “De Girona a Bordils (per la passarel·la de Celrà )” is 14 kilometres long and rated easy. It starts in Girona, follows the course of the Riu Ter to the church of Sant Esteve de Bordils and crosses the pedestrian bridge over the Ter near Celrà . The two routes differ both in how you travel and in their itineraries: the cycling route comes from Girona, while the walk passes through the green spaces and paths of Bordils. Check the cycling route conditions before setting off.
Food culture and getting there
“Menja’t Bordils” brings together local bars, restaurants, bakeries and products to introduce the town through its food culture. This offers a culinary perspective alongside the landscape and architectural history. As individual businesses may change, it is advisable to check specific places to visit before your trip.
Bordils is served by the Barcelona–Portbou railway line; check current services and timetables when planning your journey. This makes it possible to combine your choice of focus for the visit—such as a walk, the cycling route or exploring the cultural heritage—with practical travel arrangements.
Discover more destinations: Figueres, La Vall De Bianya, CornellĂ Del Terri, Selva, Salitja, Sant Mori, Olot, Riudarenes.
For the broader travel overview: Girona.
