The medieval centre, from the castle to the Plaça de les Voltes

What it is

Peratallada is one of the most important ensembles of medieval architecture in Catalonia, declared a historic-artistic site and a cultural asset of national interest. The village has barely grown beyond its walls and keeps its medieval layout: narrow, cobbled streets full of twists and turns, stone houses and a castle-palace in the centre. All of it sits on a sandstone rock, worked in many ways, which gives the village its name: Petra scissa, carved stone, documented since the 10th century.

You walk it in an hour or two, depending on stops. It is free and self-guided.

A walk through the centre

1. Plaça del Castell and the castle-palace. Start here, where the tourist office also is. The castle is documented in 1065, although there was an earlier fortress. It was the centre of the barony of the Peratallada lineage. It stands on a rock mound of 4 or 5 metres, carved to make it vertical. On top, the keep stands out, rectangular in plan and crowned with square battlements, the village’s trademark. The palace, from the 11th to the 14th centuries, faces east, towards the square.
2. The inner streets. Go down the alleys and look at the houses: many are from the 16th century, on top of older walls. The traditional house has stone-vaulted ground floors, which served as storerooms and cellars; above, the living quarters, and sometimes an attic or granary and a courtyard behind.
3. Plaça de les Voltes. The arcaded square, with its arches. Many of the village’s restaurants are concentrated on these streets.
4. The Torre de les Hores. One of the towers of the wall, with the village clock. You can climb to its viewpoint.
5. The moat and walls. Walk around the outside of the village to see the moat cut into the rock and the wall, 7 to 8 metres deep where visible.
6. Portal de la Verge and Sant Esteve. Leave by the north gate. About 200 m away is the church of Sant Esteve, Romanesque from the early 13th century, with two aisles and a semi-cylindrical tower over the north apse that gives it an unusual silhouette. The interior is not open to visitors today.

One fact to remember: Berenguer de Cruïlles, bishop of Girona and first president of the Generalitat de Catalunya, was born in Peratallada in 1310.

Where to park

Leave the car in one of the three car parks on the outskirts and walk in:

• Upper car park (Aparcament de Dalt), to the west, with about 200 spaces and toilets.
• Lower car park (Aparcament de Baix), to the east, with 200 spaces, room for coaches, vans and motorhomes, and toilets.
• Church car park (Aparcament de l’Església), opposite Sant Esteve, with 40 spaces.

In high season the blue zone applies. In 2026 it was in force from 2 to 6 April, from 14 June to 14 September and on 3 and 4 October, from 9:00 to 22:30: the first half hour is free and the maximum, for 13 hours, costs €6.

When to go

On weekdays and outside summer the village is quiet. On summer weekends and long weekends it fills up, especially at lunch and dinner time. First thing in the morning and the end of the afternoon are the best times to stroll and for the light on the stone. On the first weekend of October the Fira Medieval is held, with a market and tournaments in the streets.

With children and with a dog

With children it is a short and entertaining walk: towers, a moat, a castle and stairs. The cobbles and slopes make a pushchair heavy going; a baby carrier is better. Dogs can walk with you, on a lead.

Information

The tourist office is at Plaça del Castell, 3 (872 987 030, [email protected]). They give you the village map and the heritage leaflet there.