Puigcerdà

Population: 8,845

Situated high up in the Pyrenean comarca of the Cerdanya, Puigcerdà has a distinctly French feel. In fact, it is the capital of a comarca which once stretched well into France, much of which is now called Cerdagne and was lost to Catalonia after the Treaty of the Pyrenees in 1659.

Although it’s a charming place with a very bourgeois café-bar feel and excellent shopping, there’s not a lot to visit in Puigcerdà these days. The town was founded in 1177 but most of its historical heritage was destroyed as a result of the heavy bombing it suffered throughout the Civil War.

One of the few monuments in the centre that survived the bombing was the forty-metre-high bell tower in Plaça de Santa Maria, and at the other end of town down the tree-lined Passeig de Deu d’Abril, which wasn’t so heavily bombed, you’ll find the church of Sant Domènec. This church is one of the largest in La Cerdanya and despite its gloomy interior, it’s worth visiting for its beautifully preserved medieval murals.

However, the best thing about Puigcerdà is the atmosphere of the place. If you’ve just arrived from France or are on you’re way out of Catalonia, it’s almost worth stopping the night here just to make the transition from one country to another. Lots of French trippers seem to think so anyway and the outdoor cafés in Plaça de Sant Maria or the adjacent Plaça dels Herois are great places to rest up for something to drink and eat. In the afternoon, you can always walk around the small manmade lake and admire the Modernist buildings.

Ajuntament de Puigcerdà, Plaça de l'Ajuntament s/n Tel. 972 880650