Discover Romanya De La Selva: Dolmens, Church and Cork Oak Forests

Culture and History

In Romanyà de la Selva stands the Dolmen de la Cova d’en Daina, one of Catalonia’s most complete and best-preserved megalithic monuments. The Cova d’en Daina is a representative burial monument of the “Catalan gallery” or “wide corridor” type.

Sant Martí de Romanyà is a pre-Romanesque church dating from the second half of the 10th century or the beginning of the 11th century. It has a cruciform floor plan with projecting arms. The church also has a trapezoidal apse and vaulted roofing throughout. In 1019, Sant Martí de Romanyà is mentioned as belonging to the canonry of Girona.

Mercè Rodoreda chose Romanyà de la Selva as a place to write and live during the last years of her life. She completed writing “Mirall trencat” there. Mercè Rodoreda’s grave is located in the Romanyà cemetery. The Creu de Romanyà is seven metres high, was erected in 1904 and rebuilt in 1945. The Menhir de la Murtra is 2.35 metres high and was erected in 1952 by Lluís Esteva and other contributors.

The guided literary tour “Rodoreda–Romanyà” includes texts and readings from Mercè Rodoreda’s books, leading visitors to her characters and the landscapes of Romanyà de la Selva. At Sant Martí de Romanyà, Mass is held in winter on the second Sunday of each month at 12:15 p.m., and in summer on the second and fourth Sunday of each month at 12:15 p.m.

Hiking

“Els Gegants del Bosc” is a three-kilometre circular route around Romanyà de la Selva. The Font del Prat landscape area is part of this circular route. Several monumental cork oaks are also part of “Els Gegants del Bosc”. The route also includes the Romanesque church of Sant Martí de Romanyà and the Dolmen de la Cova d’en Daina.

The “Gegants de Romanyà” hiking route includes the Menhir de la Murtra. The GR 92.1 Puig d’Arques–Romanyà de la Selva is designated as a hiking route. The PR-C110 hiking route leads from S’Agaró via Castell d’Aro and Santa Cristina d’Aro to Romanyà de la Selva. The GR-92.1 section from Romanyà de la Selva to Solius is designated as a hiking route.

Landscape and Nature

The cork oak forests of Romanyà are sparse and open Mediterranean forests. They are dominated by cork oaks and accompanied by pine trees. The forests offer rich undergrowth and very high biodiversity.

The Les Gavarres massif contains a group of megaliths. This group stands out for the number and close spatial proximity of its monuments. Large parts of Les Gavarres are protected under Natura 2000 and the Catalan Plan for Areas of Natural Interest (PEIN).

The Cova d’en Daina is considered easily accessible to visitors.

To the overarching travel overview: Santa Cristina De Aro.