Camino Catalán Girona

At a Glance

• Start / Finish: Monastery of Sant Pere de Rodes → Monastery of Montserrat
• Length: 235.4 km
• Elevation gain: ↗ 3,355 m / ↘ 3,147 m — Coastal Mountains, Guilleries, Moianès, Montserrat
• Duration: 8–11 days (10 stages)
• Waymarking: Yellow arrows, plus the Generalitat's blue signposts and seashell-shaped cobblestones in the towns; download the GPS track for the Guilleries
• Access route: From France via the Coll de Panissars / la Jonquera (joins the trail in Vilabertran); from Barcelona via Sant Cugat and Terrassa to Montserrat
• Connection: In Montserrat, the Camino Catalán heads toward Lleida; beyond that are the Camino del Ebro and the Camino Francés
• Character: A culturally rich monastery trail from monastery to monastery—the Empordà Plain, secluded mountains surrounding reservoirs, three episcopal and monastic towns; no network of inns

Overview

The Camino Catalán Girona It begins at the top, not by the sea: at the Benedictine monastery Sant Pere de Rodes On the slopes of the Serra de Verdera, overlooking Cap de Creus—first mentioned in records dating back to 878, consecrated in 1022, and, according to legend, home to the head and right arm of the Apostle Peter since the year 608. From there, it runs 235.4 kilometers across Catalonia: through the Empordà region, via Peralada and Vilabertran, to Girona, whose cathedral has the widest Gothic nave in the world, then up the Ter into the Guilleries — where the bell tower of a village that sank in 1962 rises from the Sau Reservoir —, through the episcopal city Vic and the monastery of l'Estany to Manresa and finally up to the rock spires of Montserrat.

It is the easternmost starting point of the entire Spanish system, since March 22, 2007 The Generalitat’s official Camí de Sant Jaume—and yet a route with no lines: no network of hostels, hardly any pilgrims, but three monasteries dating from the 10th to the 12th centuries, two St. James hospices with charters from 1210 and 1420, and, at the end, a handover at the monastery gate. In Montserrat, the Black Madonna awaits—and the Camino Catalán, which continues the route westward. From monastery to monastery, and then on and on: That's how the pilgrimage to Santiago begins here.

608: invented; 1370: disputed; 2007: officially recognized

This trail begins at a monastery that has made a name for itself. According to legend, three monks in the year 608 Relics from Rome—the head and right arm of the Apostle Peter—were brought to safety and hidden in the place where Sant Pere de Rodes would later be built. Scholars today view this story with remarkable detachment: as a deliberate replica of the Santiago model, built to attract pilgrims on the Way of St. James. The Museu d’Història de Catalunya puts it literally as “un intent de captar aquests pelegrins”. Rodes wanted to be located along the pilgrimage route—and today stands at its very beginning.

The story gets even better: The monastery promised its visitors the same indulgences as Rome, based on a privilege granted by Pope Urban II—of which, however, it possessed only a notarized copy. In the 14th century, a “fabulosa storia” circulated that explained why the original was missing, and 1370 The inquisitor Nicolau Eimeric and the canon Miquel de Santjoan declared the document to be suspicious. Nevertheless, the monastery continued to celebrate — throughout the entire 15th century, marking jubilees with generous indulgences. The quiet evidence along the way, however, is genuine: 1210 In Vic, a woman named Florència bequeaths six denarii to the Hospital of St. James, and in 1420, a will refers to the chapel at the north entrance of Girona, stating literally: “Sancti Jacobi de Petreto” — Both buildings were located where the sick and strangers were cared for.

And then everything happened just as it does everywhere—only with precise dates: In 1345, the plague killed 24 monks in Rodes; in 1693, a French general stole the monastery’s Bible (it is now in Paris); in 1798, the community left, and in 1962, with Sant Romà de Sau There’s even an entire village submerged in the reservoir—its church, dating from 1061, has been considered the world’s oldest church still standing underwater since a 2021 study. Its revival then became a matter of national importance: designated a National Monument in 1930, it underwent a major restoration from 1989 to 1999, and on March 22, 2007 The Generalitat in Vilajuïga has designated the Camí de Sant Jaume—with blue markers, yellow arrows, and signage installed starting in 2009. A trail that began with a fictional legend has thus finally become an official route.

Other Names

In Catalan, this trail is simply called Camí de Sant Jaume — that’s what it says on the Generalitat’s blue markers, and that’s what people call it along the way. But since several Catalan trails bear this name, a distinguishing feature is added: Our route is the Camí de Sant Jaume Gironí, the Girona route—unlike the route from Barcelona and the continuation from Montserrat, which we simply call Camino Catalán is called. Officially, the Generalitat lists the entire route as “de Sant Pere de Rodes a Alcarràs,” 389 kilometers to the Aragonese border. Between Girona and Vic, our route follows the Guilleries-Variant, the “Camí de les preses” along the reservoirs—not the Garrotxa route via Amer, which is often referred to by the same name in hiking guides. And in Manresa, it’s best to mention that you didn’t take the Camí Ignasià You mean: That's where the two trails intersect, and the locals usually know the Ignatius Trail better.

Who It's Ideal For — and Who It's Not So Ideal For

This trail is for you if you enjoy a rich cultural experience and can do without crowds: In ten days, you’ll hike from a Benedictine monastery above Cap de Creus to a Benedictine monastery in the rocky peaks of Montserrat, and in between lie the widest Gothic church in the world, a sunken village, three monasteries dating from the 10th to the 12th centuries, and the town where Ignatius spent eleven months writing his Spiritual Exercises. It’s perfect as a ten-day segment of a regular vacation, logistically convenient (both the start and finish are connected to the rapid transit network), and offers a variety of landscapes unlike almost any other side route: coastal mountains, plains, reservoirs, plateaus, and rocky peaks.

To be honest, this isn't for you if you're looking for hostel-style accommodations: There's no hostel network—one pilgrim hostel at the destination, one with four beds In Bonmatí, there are three youth hostels in Girona, Vic, and Manresa; otherwise, there are hotels and bed-and-breakfasts. If you’re looking for bunk beds and twenty new friends in the evening, you’re better off on the Camino Francés. It’s no walk in the park physically either: 3,355 meters of elevation gain, two stages around 33 kilometers long—and between Anglès and Vic, a day through the Guilleries where you can’t count on a single bar.

Route & Landscape

You'll start in one of the most beautiful parts of Catalonia—and up high, not by the water: From the sea at El Port de la Selva, it's about 600 meters of elevation gain over a little more than three kilometers up to the monastery Sant Pere de Rodes. Then we head down into the Alt Empordà: Vilajuïga, nestled among dolmens and vineyards, Peralada with a castle and a library containing 80,000 volumes, Vilabertran with its canonry dating from 1100—this is where the border with France joins it—and then Figueres. You'll run south along dirt paths and old country roads, following the Fluvià River through Bàscara and you'll reach Girona, which you can reach through the old hospital and pilgrim quarter Pedret as you walk in—past St. James' Chapel, built in 1333.

Past Girona, the landscape turns green and then becomes desolate: You follow the Ter upward, partly along the abandoned railroad right-of-way, through Bescanó, Bonmatí, and Anglès — and then the trail turns onto the “Camí de les preses” and heads into the Guilleries past the Susqueda and Sau reservoirs, at elevations of more than 1,000 meters, through holm oak forests where you won’t see a soul for hours. Rising from the waters of Lake Sau is the bell tower of Sant Romà de Sau. Then the Plana de Vic with Folgueroles and the bishop's seat Vic, you get into the Moianès To the monastery l'Estany, you run through the hilly Bages past Sant Benet to Manresa — and on the last day, the sawed-off silhouette of Montserrat Keep going straight until you reach the monastery.

Stages, Terrain & Difficulty

Ten stages are the natural rhythm — An average of just under 24 kilometers per day, and each stage ends at a place with a bed. It’s not individual climbs that make this route difficult, but the combination of factors: 3,355 meters of elevation gain, two stages of around 33 kilometers, and a middle section with no infrastructure. Two days deserve some serious planning — Bàscara → Girona (which can be divided into Cervià de Ter) and, above all, Anglès → Vilanova de Sau through the Guilleries, where you’ll be carrying water and food for the whole day. If you have eleven days, you can split the Girona leg; if you want to make it in eight, you’ll average 29 kilometers a day—doable, but then finding a place to stay won’t be a matter of improvising anymore; it’ll be something you’ll have to plan ahead.

1. Sant Pere de Rodes → Figueres — approx. 26 km — Descent from the monastery, then through the Empordà Plain via Vilajuïga, Peralada and Vilabertran, where the border trail from France joins it. Figueres is the first convenient town; if you want a shorter trip, you can stay overnight in Peralada or Vilabertran.
2. Figueres → Bàscara — approx. 17 km — A flat, short stage through Borrassà and Pontós, passing through small villages in the Empordà region. If you have the energy, continue on to Orriols.
3. Bàscara → Girona — approx. 33 km — The longest stage. Via Orriols, Cervià de Ter, and Sant Julià de Ramis along the old north-south corridor; entering Girona through the pilgrims’ quarter Pedret featuring the St. James Chapel from 1333. Junction: Cervià de Ter (approx. 19 km).
4. Girona → Anglès — about 23 km — I have Ter upward, following the Via Verda—the old railroad line—in places, through Salt, Bescanó, and Bonmatí (Small hostel, 4 beds, reservations required).
5. Anglès → Vilanova de Sau — approx. 33 km — The tough stage: the “Camí de les preses” through the Guilleries, past the Susqueda and Sau reservoirs, at altitudes over 1,000 meters—no villages with supplies, no bars. Pack water and provisions for the whole day; it’s best to spend the night before in la Cellera de Ter and set out early.
6. Vilanova de Sau → Vic — approx. 18 km — View of Lake Sau and the church tower of Sant Romà de Sau, then down to the Plana de Vic via Folgueroles, the birthplace of the poet Jacint Verdaguer. Vic is the most convenient stopover in the central section.
7. Vic → l'Estany — approx. 21 km — Via Sentfores and Santa Eulàlia de Riuprimer, up into the Moianès To the monastery Santa Maria de l'Estany with its cloister featuring 72 capitals.
8. l'Estany → Artés — approx. 21 km — The hilly Bages hinterland via Santa Maria d'Oló — wine, grain, sweeping views.
9. Artés → Manresa — approx. 19 km — Via Navarcles and Sant Fruitós de Bages, past the monastery Sant Benet de Bages (consecrated in 972), according to Manresa — Stamp and pilgrim information at the Museu Comarcal.
10. Manresa → Monestir de Montserrat — approx. 25 km — The final climb via Castellgalí and Santa Cecília up to the monastery — the same route that the Camí Ignasià takes in the opposite direction. At the destination: pilgrim hostel, Credencial, and the Moreneta.

You’ll split the Girona leg at Cervià de Ter for eleven days; for eight of those days, you’ll average 29 kilometers per day and have confirmed reservations. The Guilleries leg isn’t split—there are practically no places to stay between Anglès and Vilanova de Sau.

Highlights Along the Way

• Monestir de Sant Pere de Rodes — Your starting point: the Benedictine monastery above Cap de Creus, first mentioned in a document in 878; the church was consecrated on October 5, 1022. According to legend, the head and right arm of the Apostle Peter have been kept here since 608—and the indulgences were supposedly the same as those in Rome, based on a document that an inquisitor had already deemed suspicious as early as 1370.
• Santa Maria de Vilabertran — Kanonika, consecrated in 1100; King Jaume II and Blanca of Naples were married here in 1295, and this is where the coastal trail and the border trail from France converge.
• Peralada — A castle, a Carmelite monastery, and a castle library containing about 80,000 volumes, including some 1,000 editions of Don Quixote in over a hundred languages.
• Girona Cathedral — the widest Gothic nave in the world: 22.98 meters, with a height of 34 meters; only St. Peter’s Basilica is wider. Inside is the sarcophagus of Countess Ermessenda (died 1058), and at the northern entrance to the city is the Capella de Sant Jaume de Pedret Dating from 1333; first mentioned in a document from 1420 as “Sancti Jacobi de Petreto.”
• Sant Romà de Sau — the church from 1061/62 in the Sau Reservoir: according to a study published in 2021, it is the oldest church in the world still standing upright underwater. The village disappeared in 1962; the bell tower almost always rises above the water.
• Vic — A bishopric with a 46-meter-high Romanesque bell tower dating from 1038, the Sert frescoes (painted 1926–1930, and repainted after the fire of 1936) — and Sant Jaume dels Malalts, the St. James Hospital from 1210, the oldest dated St. James house along the route.
• Santa Maria de l'Estany and Sant Benet de Bages — two monasteries setting the pace: l'Estany (consecrated in 1133, with a cloister featuring 72 capitals, scarred by the 1448 earthquake) and Sant Benet (consecrated in 972, now the “Món Sant Benet” cultural center).
• Manresa and the Cova de Sant Ignasi — Ignatius of Loyola stayed here for eleven months beginning on March 25, 1522, and laid the foundation for his Spiritual Exercises. The Museu Comarcal has been an official pilgrim reception center since 2015—and stamps both credentials, the Way of St. James and the Ignatian.
• Monestir de Montserrat — Your destination: the Benedictine monastery nestled among the rocky spires, the Black Madonna (“Moreneta”), the boys’ choir — and the junction with the Camino Catalán, right at the monastery gate.

How Pilgrims Find Their Way onto This Path

Most people come by train and get on at the top station: Figueres and Girona Both are located along the high-speed rail line; the regional train takes you as far as Llançà — From there, it’s just a few kilometers to El Port de la Selva and the 600-meter climb up to the monastery. Anyone coming from France If you're coming on foot, take the border path across the [...], instead of the coastal route. Coll de Panissars and la Jonquera: Both lines meet at Vilabertran. And anyone in Barcelona Once you arrive there, you can start your hike from there as well—the Barcelona trail has been fully marked since October 2022 and runs through Sant Cugat and Terrassa to Montserrat, where it joins your route.

This route is itself a feeder route—the easternmost starting point of the entire Spanish system. In Montserrat, the Camino Catalán and continues westward through Igualada, Cervera, and Lleida. That’s why many people walk both routes in one go: the distance from Sant Pere de Rodes to the Ebro Valley is just under 485 kilometers—and if you follow it all the way, you’ll eventually end up in Santiago.

Continue the pilgrimage?

This path does not end in Montserrat; it continues on: From the monastery gate, the Camino Catalán Westward in ten stages—Igualada, Cervera, Tàrrega, Lleida, through the Monegros to Pina de Ebro. There, the Camino del Ebro pick up the thread and follow the river until Logroño, where you can click on the Camino Francés you'll come to. If you'd rather take the Pyrenees route, turn onto the Camino Aragonés from there and reaches the Francés at Puente la Reina.

And then there's the direction no one expects: In Montserrat, the Camí Ignasià, the Ignatius Trail from Loyola to Manresa—about 650 kilometers in 27 stages. Its final stage is your final stage, only in reverse: Montserrat → Castellgalí → Manresa, about 25 kilometers. At the same kilometer marker, two types of pilgrims pass each other—and in Manresa, the same museum stamps both pilgrim passports.

Preparation & Practical Information

The best times are Spring and Fall. In the height of summer, the Guilleries are shady, whereas the Empordà Plain and the Bages are hot and open; the Tramuntana in the Empordà can be unpleasant in winter. For a day trip through the Guilleries, you can go any time of year two to three liters of water There's simply nothing between Anglès and Vilanova de Sau.

The trail is marked with yellow arrows, the blue signposts from the Generalitat (three meters high, with a seashell flag) and seashell-patterned cobblestones along the roads through the towns—installed starting in 2009. In the Guilleries and Moianès regions, the trail markers overlap with hiking trail networks in some places, and reports indicate that there are a few unclear sections there: On this trail, a GPS tracker is a piece of equipment, not a luxury. You should plan your accommodations before you set out, at least for the middle section: the pilgrim hostel in Montserrat, four beds in Bonmatí (reservations required), and youth hostels in Girona, Vic, and Manresa—everything else consists of hotels, guesthouses, and country inns.

As on all Camino de Santiago routes, you'll need a Pilgrim's Pass (Credencial) — In Montserrat, you can get it at the sanctuary for two euros; in Girona, through the local St. James Association. You can get it stamped at the Girona Cathedral, in Sant Feliu (where you’ll receive a pilgrim’s blessing), in Anglès, and at the Museu Comarcal de Manresa; For the Compostela, only the last 100 kilometers before Santiago count—you’ll walk those much further west, so here you’re collecting the stamps for later. It’s best to order the passport online in advance so it arrives in time for the start of your journey. And plan your daily stages in advance, because accommodations are limited and unevenly distributed—the easiest way to do this is directly in the Camino Ninja app, where you can put together your stages and plan suitable accommodations at the same time.

What the journey will cost you

Expect 50 to 75 € per day (Estimate based on local price levels, as of August 2026) — Because there are hardly any hostels, this route is more expensive than the classic Caminos. In Girona and Vic, you’ll pay the higher end of the price range; in the villages of Bages, the lower end. Those who consistently take advantage of the affordable lodging options can keep costs significantly lower: the small hostel in Bonmatí for a modest fee (€10, 2023 rate), the youth hostels in Girona, Vic, and Manresa, and, at the end of the route, the pilgrim hostel in Montserrat. There are also some smaller expenses: the Credencial for two euros, admission fees to Sant Pere de Rodes, the Girona Cathedral, and Món Sant Benet—and, for those who’d like, the cog railway from Montserrat down into the valley.

Getting Here

The starting point is at the top of the mountain, but getting there is surprisingly easy: The express train runs from Barcelona to Girona in 37 and after Figueres in 53 minutes, and from Figueres-Vilafant there are direct trains to Paris, Lyon, Marseille, and Toulouse—if you're coming from Central Europe, you can reach this Camino practically without flying. To get to the starting point, take the regional train to Llançà, head to El Port de la Selva and climb the roughly 600 meters in elevation to the monastery. If you'd rather skip that, start in Vilajuïga — that's where the trail was designated in 2007 — and includes the monastery as a detour.

From the destination, you can take the Cogwheel Railway or take the cable car from Montserrat down to Monistrol and then the FGC train to Barcelona; from there, continue on to the airport or the long-distance train station. Those who continue their pilgrimage directly don’t need any of that: The Camino Catalán begins at the monastery gate.

• Getting to the starting line: High-speed train from Barcelona to Girona (37 min.) / Figueres (53 min.); Regional train R11 to Llançà or Vilajuïga; nearest airports: Barcelona-El Prat and Girona-Costa Brava. The night before the climb, it’s best to stay in El Port de la Selva or Llançà.
• Return trip from Montserrat: Cogwheel railway or cable car to Monistrol; FGC Line R5 to Barcelona’s Plaça Espanya; from there, connections to the airport and long-distance trains.
• Intermediate entry: Girona and Vic are accessible by train and are evenly spaced along the route—from Girona, there are about 140 km (6 stages), and from Vic, about 86 km (4 stages).