Guimerà, the most beautiful medieval town in Catalonia? We have to be honest and that Roger has ties with this people and although this may influence and you think that we are not entirely objective, we assure you that there are many reasons to consider it one of the most beautiful villages in Catalonia. So that you can judge for yourself we will make a route with a person, guide (and also an artist) of exception: Roser, Roger's mother, born and in love with the town, who discovered us a few days ago, along with the memories of a lifetime, every corner of this precious medieval town of the province of Lleida.
Any route worth its salt in Guimerà You must start by stopping on one of the sides of the road, before entering the town by the road that comes from Vallfogona de Riucorb, from where we will have the best perspective of the town, seeing the stepped form that it acquires on the side of a hill and from where you can see almost every house Guimerà.
Guimerà views
Following this road, before crossing the Corb river that passes just in front of the town, we recommend that you take a walk along the river, to continue enjoying some of the best views of the town.
Guimerà Fountain
Views of the village from the Corb River promenade
After this walk and an already concrete idea of Guimerà and what awaits us once we enter its cobbled streets full of charm, we recommend that you cross the bridge and make a stop for breakfast, lunch or snack herring with tomato bread, typical of Cal Moretes coffee and calls affectionately "breast harangues", which we assure you are delicious and will become part of the memory together with Guimerà.
We may even find ourselves there, since we, in addition to the family bond that binds us to them, do not miss each time we visit them an incredible breakfast, in the most beautiful corner of the town.
Bar Moretes de Guimerà
After this stop to enjoy the gastronomy of the area, before starting to tour the upper part of the town we will travel the lower part starting with Jussà Street and Les Piques Street, where you will see many elevated steps, with galleries covers and some fountain, all very well preserved.
In the corner of the fountain, make a small stop, to see a plate located at a high height, which indicates the height at which the riad of Santa Tecla which occurred in September 1874 and in which 90 houses were lost and 35 people died, due to the overflow of the Corb River.
Square with the Plate of the flood of Santa Tecla
The greatest charm of Guimerà is in the medieval part that forms the core of the town, a labyrinth of narrow streets that go up almost poetically towards the church of Santa Maria or the Tower, from where we will have incredible views of the rooftops of the town and the surrounding landscape.
Once we have traveled this area, we will begin to climb up to Calle de la Capella, a beautiful area to photograph, in which the arches, narrow streets and houses form an incredible setting.
Streets of Guimerà, the most beautiful medieval town in Catalonia
From here, following the direction of the street, we will pass through Calle del Cacao to the covered galleries of Calle de la Cendra. If it is a Sunday morning, do not be surprised if you cross with groups of tourists who come to enjoy the town and we can assure you, they are amazed.
Cacao Street in Guimerà
The houses of Guimerà stand out for their construction in stone with decorative details on the doors, windows, arcades that will take you to the medieval era, standing out for not being as restored as other medieval towns that we have known for Catalonia, this being one of the many reasons why we consider Guimerà, the most beautiful medieval town in Catalonia.
Streets of the upper part of town
After this tour of the lower part and the middle part of the town, we reach the upper part from where we can locate several viewpoints with views of the landscape of the Urgell region, dotted by the roofs of the houses of Guimerà.
Views of the village rooftops
On the church street we will pass in front of the ruins of the Castle of Guimerà, symbol of the town, of which an important part of the tower is preserved, which dominates the entire population, which can be climbed and from where we can enjoy the best views of the Corb Valley.
Guimerà Tower
Following the path we will arrive at the square of the Church of Santa María, Gothic style, from the 14th century, a unique place in architecture and ideal to rest after the climb.
Church of Santa María de Guimerà
The church has a beautiful Romanesque portico and three arches on the left. Approaching the one closest to the church, we will see a gothic sarcophagus in which an eagle is carved, which identified the Aguiló family.
Porch of the Church
Once we have regained our strength, we will go down the stairs until we reach the Calle de l'Estudi, passing under the Abbey, to the eastern Portal.
Church Stairs
Cadiraire's house. Guimerà
From here we recommend that you turn around and continue down until you reach Calle de la Goleta, where in the end we will have views of the Plaza Mayor, with its large windows and arches, ten in total.
Goleta Street
We will continue on Calle Mayor until we reach the end of the town, where we will find another fountain, near the Portal de Poniente, which was once the entrance to the town of Guimerà In medieval times.
Fountain near the Poniente Portal
From here we turn and go down Calle Mayor, where before reaching the Plaza Mayor, we find one of the most beautiful corners of Guimerà, the intersection of Calle Mayor with Calle de la Cendra, where we recommend Make a stop to enjoy the views.
Corners of Guimerà
Here you are Cal Minguella, few places in the town offer as many details as this place, this house full of windows and balconies of different backgrounds, with a mixture of popular and stately elements, which give it a special touch.
Cal Minguella
During the walk do not forget the small details. Many of the houses in Guimerà offer curious decorative elements in windows, doors, columns ... that have become part of the landscape over the years.
Guimerà's details
From here we will cross below Cal Minguella until we reach the Plaza Mayor again, where we can find a bakery and a small supermarket and from where we can appreciate the windows of the Goleta.
Main Square
We will leave the square along Capella Street, where the Capella de Sant Esteve is located, which being easier to access than the church of Santa María, in the upper part of the town, became a center of worship a few years ago of the population
Capella Street
To finish the route through Guimerà we recommend you to go down La Font Street, through which you will reach the road again.
In the surroundings of Guimerà you can also visit the ruins of the Vallsanta monastery, on the road that leads from Ciutadilla to Guimerà and the Bovera sanctuary, located west of the town, on the top of a hill. Both visits with Guimerà make a complete itinerary to spend a day of the most medieval
We do not want to end this article without making a special mention to Xavier Pedra, an artist who left us a few months ago and without being son of Guimerà, has become part of its history.
Xavi, to reveure
