To discover Camós through its architecture and landscape, you can focus on different aspects: churches and archaeological traces, the Matamors stream or the Salt Dalmau waterfall. Two routes offer their own highlights—one connects the churches of Santa Maria and Sant Vicenç, while the other recalls a school route from the 1950s. Local festivals also provide specific dates to help you plan your trip.
Romanesque churches and historical traces
Original elements of the Romanesque building have been preserved on the south side of the Church of Santa Maria de Camós. These include carefully worked sandstone blocks and a double-splayed window with a round arch made of small wedge-shaped stones. In 2017, paving work in the church square brought to light a fragment of the Romanesque apse, contemporary burials and a rectangular structure belonging to an older building. Santa Maria’s elevated position offers views towards Banyoles and across the plain there.
The building history of Sant Vicenç de Camós is also worth a closer look: the adjoining rectory is a fortified farmhouse dating from the 13th century. Two twin windows with round-arched arcades have been preserved in its tower. Another Romanesque church is Santa Magdalena de Noves. It dates from the late 11th century and has a single-nave layout. “Single-nave” describes a church with one nave; its furnishings provide a distinct historical feature. The surviving altarpiece dates from the 16th century, is painted in oil on polychrome walnut wood, and consists of sixteen pieces.
Vilauba complements these churches with an archaeological site. It has been classified as a Cultural Asset of National Interest (BCIN) since 2020. The site has been restored and prepared for visitors with a signposted route and explanatory panels. If you plan to include Vilauba in your trip, check the current opening hours in advance.
Routes with different highlights
The Camí de les Esglésies de Camós connects Santa Maria and Sant Vicenç. Its shaded roads and paths, together with panoramic views of the surrounding area, add a landscape perspective to the churches. The “Ruta camí de tornada a l’escola” has a different historical connection: it follows the route taken by children from Corts to school in Camós in the 1950s. It runs almost parallel to the river and leads from Gorga Blava to Salt Dalmau. The two routes therefore focus on different questions: would you like to visit the two churches, or follow a local memory to a named landscape destination?
Salt Dalmau and the Matamors
The Salt Dalmau waterfall on the Matamors River was mentioned as early as 1017. The rock immediately beside the waterfall consists of travertine. This rock is associated with ancient lacustrine deposits from springs along the Matamors and with the same groundwater system as Lake Banyoles. The area around Salt Dalmau also includes a spring, a blue-green shimmering pool, and notable examples of oaks, holm oaks, plane trees, riverside vegetation and elder trees.
The Matamors stream also offers its own natural attractions: restored stretches have riparian woodland and animal species typical of these habitats. The geological features at Salt Dalmau and the habitats along the stream offer different highlights within the landscape. If you are especially interested in water and rock, the waterfall provides a specific point of interest; the described stretches of the stream, by contrast, are known for their riparian woodland and wildlife.
Festivals throughout the year
The Aplec de Santa Magdalena takes place on the third Saturday in July at the hermitage of Santa Magdalena. The Festa del Roser, Camós’s main festival, is celebrated jointly by the two parishes on the fourth weekend in May. Both dates may influence your choice of travel period. As the annual programme may vary, check the details for the relevant year in advance.
Discover more destinations: Cabanelles, Sant Andreu Salou, El Prat de Llobregat, Llívia, La Pera, Castell-Platja d’Aro, Das, Susqueda.
Go to the main travel overview: Girona.
