Fares brings together a church documented since 977, archaeological traces from different periods and a trail along the Fluvià. Different themes sit side by side here: Santa Maria de Fares and the Fortificació offer insights into the history of the buildings and the area; the Camí de les Rescloses heads upstream through a landscape of woodland and riverside vegetation. Add the typical cuisine of the Garrotxa at L’Arcada de Fares and a festival associated with 15 August. If you are looking for a holiday apartment in Fares, these themes can help you decide what to focus on during your trip.

Santa Maria de Fares: A Church with a Long History

Santa Maria de Fares has been documented since 977, when it was given as a subsidiary church to the collegiate church of Santa Maria de Besalú. The original building was Romanesque and was altered later. Both its Romanesque origins and its architectural changes are therefore part of its history; the church should not be understood as an unaltered Romanesque building.

Its ecclesiastical role also changed: Santa Maria de Fares was the parish church of Fares until the area was incorporated into the parish of Sant Vicenç de Besalú. The history of the architecture and the changes to parish affiliation thus offer complementary ways of understanding the area. The church provides a different perspective on the past from the archaeological finds and fortification remains in Fares.

Fortificació and Archaeological Finds

The Fortificació de Fares is situated on a small hill east of Santa Maria de Fares. The remains visible today include a perimeter wall and a rectangular room or tower. The wall remains suggest a probable military installation, but its layout and dating remain uncertain. This cautious interpretation is part of the picture of the site: the remains suggest a possible function, but do not clearly establish its exact form or date.

Other finds point to different periods. Three Palaeolithic tools were discovered in Fares in 1973. A 2020 report also mentions remains of a medieval fortified house found during archaeological work. The house’s area is given as approximately 500 square metres. According to the report, the remains were to be covered until further excavations. Taken together, the finds represent different chapters in the area’s history; however, they do not all belong to the same structure or historical period.

Along the Fluvià

The Camí de les Rescloses is about 4 km long and follows the Fluvià upstream to the Reserva de Fauna Salvatge de l’Illa de Fares. Holm oak and pine forests line one side of the trail, with riverside vegetation on the other. You can walk the route in either direction. The course of the river and the different types of vegetation give the trail a different focus from the historic sites: here, the riverside route and the surrounding landscape take centre stage.

The approximate length is a helpful reference for planning, without specifying a walking time. If you include the Camí in your trip, you can treat it as a nature and landscape experience in its own right; if you are more interested in local history, Santa Maria de Fares and the Fortificació offer different points of focus. This makes it possible to distinguish between culture and nature when planning your trip, without conflating the route with the historic sites.

Cuisine and Festival Calendar

L’Arcada de Fares serves typical Garrotxa cuisine with modern touches. If the dining options are important to your plans, check the current menu details, as they may change.

The Aplec dels Fares is associated with 15 August and the Mare de Déu d’Agost festival. If the Aplec is relevant to your trip, check the specific event details in advance. This lets you use the date as a guide without assuming it confirms current event details.

For the broader travel overview: Sant Ferriol.