Free walking tours in Navarcles and what to see

Must-sees

Navarcles is a village in the Bages, on the banks of the Llobregat about ten kilometres from Manresa. Its old centre grew up around the late 17th-century parish church, and the Plaça Vella, the oldest square in the village, is its most traditional corner. The 17th-century Pont Vell still spans the Llobregat, and in the Sant Bartomeu quarter a restored Romanesque chapel survives. For a stroll, the Parc del Llac surrounds an artificial reservoir on the Calders stream, with shady paths and adventure activities.

The big visit is a kilometre from the centre: the monastery of Sant Benet de Bages, which belongs to the parish of Navarcles though it lies in the municipality of Sant Fruitós de Bages. Founded in the 10th century, it keeps a 12th-century Romanesque church and cloister that are among the finest in the area. For centuries its abbots were lords of Navarcles. In the early 20th century the family of the painter Ramon Casas turned it into a summer residence, and today it is a cultural complex with a restaurant and a cooking and research centre.

Free tours and guided visits

There are no free walking tours in Navarcles, but the monastery of Sant Benet can be visited in several formats. One of the most complete is a medieval route with audio guide and projections covering more than a thousand years of the site's history. There are also themed visits devoted to the Modernista era and the Casas family, and cookery-related activities. For the rest of the village, the best option is to stroll on your own.

How long to spend

The monastery visit takes an hour and a half to two hours. If you add a walk through the old centre, the Pont Vell and the Parc del Llac, you have a full morning. With a whole day you can combine it with Manresa and its basilica of La Seu, or with the nearby Sant Llorenç del Munt i l'Obac Natural Park if you feel like walking.

Where to stay

Navarcles itself has little accommodation, though sleeping in the village puts you a stroll from the monastery and the Parc del Llac. Manresa, fifteen minutes away by car, is the best alternative if you want more options and services. If you prefer a rural setting, Bages villages such as Sant Fruitós or Sant Salvador de Guardiola have rural houses and farmhouses.