At the foot of the cliffs of the Serra de Finestres and surrounded by holm oak forests, Sant Aniol de Finestres presents a landscape where mountain scenery and Romanesque heritage stand side by side. When planning your trip, it is worth distinguishing between sightseeing and a longer hike: the historic buildings tell different stories, while Route 9, at 5 hours and 30 minutes, calls for a clearly defined block of time.
Landscape and history of the Serra de Finestres
Dense holm oak forests cover the mountain slopes around the village. The northern part of the municipality lies within the Parc Natural de la Zona VolcĂ nica de la Garrotxa. One notable historic attraction is Castell de Finestres: situated at an altitude of 960 metres in the Serra de Finestres, it has been documented since 947. The castle stood until the earthquakes of 1427 and 1428; today, some walls and parts of the cistern remain.
The location of Castell de Finestres affords views of the EmpordĂ plain, the Pyrenees and the Mediterranean. The valley of Santa Pau and the Serra de Finestres are also part of its wide-ranging landscape setting. The mountains are accessible on foot. Visitors interested in the castle will therefore find both historic ruins and a striking connection with the surrounding mountain landscape.
Romanesque churches and chapels
The religious buildings display various details of Romanesque architecture. The Ermita de Santa Maria de Finestres is a single-nave religious building. Its raised, semicircular apse area and vault remain from the original structure. The Església Romà nica de Sant Miquel de Bustins also has a single-nave layout; its apse has three windows, and the church also features a bell gable. The first mention of the Iglesia de Sant Aniol de Finestres dates back to 979. It is of Romanesque origin; the raised semicircular apse and some sections of wall remain from its first construction phase.
Smaller buildings offer their own distinctive features: the Capella de Sant Joan de les Medes is a small, single-nave Romanesque chapel with a raised nave. Its stucco paintings, created in 1859, imitate Gothic architectural motifs. Romanesque architecture and later Gothic-inspired designs thus meet in one building. The Capella de la Mare de DĂ©u de Bell-Lloc is dedicated to the Virgin Mary.
Traces of earlier use
Archaeological and geological evidence also forms part of the area's character. Roc de la Melca is a large sandstone block; beneath its overhangs lies a small prehistoric rock shelter used by people in prehistoric times. At Nimfeu de Sant Aniol de Finestres, there is an opus signinum mosaic decorated with white tesserae. It may have belonged to a nymphaeum or a water-cult sanctuary used at this site in the 2nd or 1st century BC. This tentative interpretation offers a different way of exploring the past from the surviving church walls or castle ruins.
Trails and planning your time
The CamĂ de Finestres leads to Finestres and starts right beside the Can Tura restaurant and Roc de la Melca. Route 9 to the Santa Maria de Finestres shrine and the Iberian settlement of La Palomera also starts and ends at the Can Tura restaurant. This route is listed as 12.5 kilometres long, taking 5 hours and 30 minutes, with +/-696 metres of elevation gain and a moderate difficulty level. The estimated time helps you set aside a longer part of the day; check the latest route information before setting off, as endpoints and figures may be updated.
The Ermita de Santa Maria de Finestres is just over five kilometres from the town of Sant Aniol de Finestres, along a forest track towards Mieres, and is accessible only on foot. Trail conditions may change, so check them before your visit. Another trail, the Itinerari: Santuari de Finestres i el poblat ibèric, runs along narrow paths and through damp forests. Its scenery includes panoramic ridges and natural viewpoints from which the Serra de Finestres gradually comes into view. Conditions here, too, may change after weather events.
An Aplec is held annually at the Ermita de Santa Maria de Finestres for the Mare de DĂ©u del Roser and is organised by the residents of Sant Aniol de Finestres; the date may vary. If you would like to include this occasion in your travel plans, check the dates in advance. This lets you weigh cultural sightseeing, your preferred hiking time and a possible event date as separate priorities for your stay.
Discover more destinations: Castellfollit De La Roca, Flaçà , Bordils, Vilobà D'onyar, Vidreres, Madremanya, Les Preses, Toses.
For the overview of the wider area: Girona.
