El Castell d’Esponellà stands on a 196-metre-high hill west of the town centre and offers sweeping views over the village and the Fluvià River. The castle dates back to the 11th century. This gives Esponellà a distinctive combination of historic architecture and riverside scenery as a travel destination. Other specific points of interest include the Església de Sant Cebrià d’Esponellà, Salt de Martís, and routes that take in the municipality’s natural and cultural heritage.
Hills, river and waterfalls
Salt de Martís offers a different landscape from the castle’s hilltop setting. From Martís de Baix towards the Fluvià, it descends more than 100 metres and forms two waterfalls. Here, the focus is on the water’s drop, while the castle offers wide-ranging views over the village and river. These are two distinct ways to experience the area: the hilltop views and the waterfalls of Salt de Martís.
Church, art and local history
The Església de Sant Cebrià d’Esponellà has Romanesque origins and was altered with Gothic-style elements in the 15th and 16th centuries. The church also houses two 14th-century sculptures of the Virgin Mary: one made of wood and the other of alabaster. Its building history and artworks thus add distinct historical and material dimensions to the story of the town.
Pont d’Esponellà is also part of the town’s history. The bridge was 156 metres long, 4 metres wide and stood 17 metres above the riverbed. During the Festa Major d’Esponellà, a mass is held at which the Goigs are sung in honour of the patron saint, Sant Cebrià. Alongside the castle and church, this festival tradition reveals another aspect of cultural life in Esponellà.
Routes with different focuses
Esponellà’s tourist route programme offers geolocated routes with QR codes for discovering the municipality’s natural and cultural surroundings. One route described in detail is the “Ruta cap a la Central”: it is 6.60 kilometres long, is not a circular route, and runs from Esponellà via La Central to Serinyà. It follows the Fluvià along a Greenway. The route format is important when planning: the start and finish are in different places, so this route differs from a circular walk.
The programme’s categories cater to different interests. “Caminar en família” features easy, flat walking trails suitable for families with children. The “Caminar o córrer” category includes more challenging routes for physical activity and nature experiences. “Carretera i cicloturisme” brings together cycling routes that connect with other points in the surrounding area. This makes it easy to choose between flat family trails, more challenging walks and cycling connections.
The “Camí Quico Sabater” follows the route taken through the municipality of Esponellà by an anti-Franco guerrilla fighter on New Year’s Eve in 1959. The routes therefore extend beyond nature and activity to include a trace of local history.
Discover more destinations: Vilert, Ogassa, Ultramort, Albanyà, Cabanelles, Cantallops, Palau Saverdera, La Vajol.
For the broader travel overview: Girona.
