Sant Joan de les Abadesses Voyage Tips and guide

Sant Joan de les Abadesses is a town in the Ripollès region of Girona. It occupies the centre of a valley in the Pre-Pyrenees, crossed by the Ter River and surrounded by high mountains such as the Serra Cavallera.

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Map of Sant Joan de les Abadesses

The origins of the town lie in the founding of the Monastery of Sant Joan de les Abadesses by Wilfred the Hairy in 887. This was one of the first nunneries founded in Catalonia, and its first abbess was Emma of Barcelona, daughter of Wilfred. The Benedictine community grew in wealth and importance throughout the 10th century. However, in 1017, the nuns, accused of violating the rules by which they were supposed to be living, were expelled in a bull by Pope Benedict VIII. Around the monastery, the town of Sant Joan was founded.

At the beginning, the laypeople lived around the Church of Sant Pol, in the neighbourhood today known as El Raval. But the town's growing population necessitated the construction of a walled town (the Vila Vella) on land that had been known as El Vinyal. This part of the town was home to numerous medieval guilds.

In the mid-19th century, coal mining began in Ogassa, precipitating the construction of a railway from Sant Joan to Barcelona. The railway was finished on 17 October 1880. This accelerated the town's growth and industrialisation.

The town sits at an altitude of 775 m above sea level.

• 42.2324542.2858291 Tourist office (Oficina de turisme - Palau de l'Abadia), Plaça de l'Abadia, 9, ☏ +34 972 72 05 99, [email protected]. M-Sa 10:00-14:00, 16:00-19:00, Su 10:00-14:00. (updated Sep 2025)

The nearest airports are in Girona (GRO ^IATA) 85 km (53 mi) and Barcelona (BCN ^IATA) 130 km (81 mi).

Closest train is in Ripoll.

• 42.1960282.1957861 Ripoll train station (Estació de tren de Ripoll), pl.de l'estació. R3: L'Hospitalet de Llobregat - Puigcerdà  
• then take Teisa bus until Sant Joan de les Abadesses

• Autocars Teisa, ☏ +34 972 70 20 95. (updated Feb 2025)

• From Barcelona
  • The   C-17  (  N-152  ) from Vic (Barcelona) to Ribes de fresser and then the   C-26  (  N-260  ) Eix pirinenc from Berga to Figueres
• From France   AP-7  to Figueres and then   C-26  (  N-260  ) Eix pirinenc

• From Girona take   C-66  and then   C-26  (  N-260  ) Eix pirinenc

• 42.2353252.2841632 Sant Joan de les Abadesses Motorhome area (Àrea d'autocaravanes de Sant Joan de les Abadesses). (updated Sep 2025)
• 42.2330492.287583 Can Creuet parking (Aparcament de Can Creuet), passatge de Can Crehuet. (updated Sep 2025)

• 42.232652.2863361 Monastery of Sant Joan de les Abadesses, Plaça de l'Abadia. The monastery was founded in 885 by count Wilfred the Hairy, who destined it to the education of his daughter Emma, who later became the first abbess. Wilfred had previously founded the monastery of Santa Maria de Ripoll for his son Radulf.The church was consecrated on 24 June 887 by the bishop of Vic. In 1017, by request of Bernard I of Besalú, a papal bull suppressed the nunnery; Bernard acquired them, and brought into the monastery (now part of the bishopric of Besalú) a community of monks. From 1083 to 1114 it was under the Monastery of St. Victor of Marseille, who sent here a community of nuns of Greek origin. In 1114 the intervention of the Pope allowed a community of Augustinian canons to take possession of the monastery in a definitive way. Ruled by local abbots until 1484, later it was under commendatory abbots. In 1592 the monastery was secularised and converted into a simple collegiate, suppressed in 1856. It was declared a Historical Monument in 1931. (updated Sep 2025).
• 42.2349032.2849862 Old Bridge (Pont Vell). The bridge was built between 1128 and 1138 by order of Abbot Berenguer Arnau thanks to the financial and personal help of the nobility and peasantry of the valley. During the 14th century, several repair works were carried out, and the earthquake of 1428 certainly affected its structure. On February 8, 1939, it was dynamited, and on July 4, 1976, the rebuilt Pont Vell was inaugurated. (updated Sep 2025)

• 42.232772.2848133 Old city (Vila Vella). Step into the story of Vila Nova, whose roots reach back to the early 1200s. Imagine visionary abbots—Pere de Soler and Ramon de Blanes—transforming old monastic fields into a bustling medieval settlement. Rather than winding, haphazard streets typical of the era, Vila Nova was cleverly designed in the image of ancient Roman cities, with broad, straight roads crossing each other in neat grids. At its heart lies the Main Square, which for centuries has been the lively center of everyday life. Here, traders mingled and neighbors exchanged news, while the nearby streets—like the bustling Tints Street—welcomed craftsmen and artisans whose handiwork shaped the town’s reputation.As visitors wander the Old Town today, they encounter the silent sentinels of Vila Nova’s past: the remnants of its sturdy medieval walls. First raised in the 12th century and strengthened over generations, these fortifications once boasted 24 watchful towers and six prominent gates, shielding the townspeople within. Exploring these ancient remains, one can almost hear echoes of vibrant market days and see glimpses of medieval life playing out within the safety of the walls. Every corner invites you to imagine life in Vila Nova, where history breathes from the stones underfoot and every street tells a story. (updated Sep 2025)
• 42.2328552.2836734 Remains of the Medieval walls (La Muralla). including two extant towers, and parts of the wall itself. In the 13th century, construction began on the wall that would surround the entire Vila Vella, along with the monastery and its outbuildings. In order to protect the city from pillage, Abbot Ramon de la Bisbal (1230-1248) had the walls of the monastic houses reinforced with two towers and began construction of the wall, with twenty-four towers and drawbridges at two of its three gates: one next to the Ter bridge and the other at the Malconsell spring; one of the gates connected with the monastery enclosure, south of the church's head. The wall was reinforced on several occasions and came to have up to six access gates. (updated Sep 2025)

• Way of Iron and Coal (Ruta del Ferro i el Carbó)). A trail along the former railway bed. Starts in Ripoll ang goes until Ogassa, a small village in the nearby mountains, where the mines were. (updated Sep 2025)
  • Sant Joan de les Abadesses rail station. In 1980, the section of the Ripoll-Sant Joan de les Abadesses railway line was closed, and as a result, the buildings that were part of the complex began to deteriorate. For this reason, between 1998 and 1999, the City Council carried out the urban planning of the area, characterised by the conservation of some emblematic buildings and elements of the railway past of Sant Joan de les Abadesses. Some of these buildings, such as the station or the warehouse, have been converted, the first into a restaurant and the second into a hostel (rehabilitated in 2006). (updated Sep 2025)

• Pirinexus runs along the city
• Way of Iron and Coal from Ripoll until Ogassa

• Joan Maragall Literary Contest: everyone from the age of eight can participate and is structured in two categories: schoolchildren with mandatory format and modalities, and adults in poetry or narrative modalities. The prizes are awarded on Saint George's Day.
• 3 Days Trial Santigosa: the most prestigious trial event in Spain. Organised by the Abadesses Moto Club, it was the first long-term event in Spain and the second worldwide, after the '6 Days Trial in Scotland'.
• Fira de Sant Isidre: which promotes the world of farming as part of our tradition. Among the emblematic events of the fair, it is worth highlighting the morphological competition of brown cows, the hand-milking competition, the parade of old tractors through the streets of Sant Joan, the craft products fair or the guided tour A trip through the life of a farmer.
• Reception of the Flame of Canigó: Every year, in June, the traditional reception of the Flame of Canigó is held at the Monastery of Sant Joan. It is an activity organised by the Unió Excursionista.
• The Aplec de Sant Antoni is celebrated annually on the occasion of the feast of this Saint, around June 13, and is organized by the pabordes de Sant Antoni. Many villagers come to the mountain of Sant Antoni to attend the mass in honor of the Saint. Afterwards, sardanas are danced and a fellowship meal is offered. The day ends with another sardana audition.
• Festival del Comte Arnau: In July and August, the Festival del Comte Arnau takes place. This is a cultural project with a clear objective: to recover the legend of Count Arnau, one of the main identifying and differentiating cultural features of the town. This cycle includes theater, dance and music shows about the Myth and, around it, other activities are scheduled such as the dinner - show Alimentem el mite, the night walk Cercant les pejades del count Arnau, guided tours.
• City festival (Festa Major): is celebrated every year on the second Sunday in September and is dedicated to the Holy Mystery. The events extend from Friday to Tuesday of the same week. The events of the festival are many and varied: liturgical acts, cultural acts and exhibitions, concerts, dances in the marquee, sardanas, meeting of giants, shows for young and old, sports activities, recreational activities such as the Bogeria and the Diana Florejada, fireworks... It is worth highlighting the Ball dels Pabordes, declared a Festive Heritage Element of National Interest: a traditional dance danced by four couples in the Plaza Mayor on Sunday afternoon and Monday evening following the music played live by a cobla.
• Festival "del Grito": is celebrated on the Saturday around September 15 to commemorate the Independence of Mexico. Sant Joan de les Abadesses has maintained a close relationship with Mexico since the composer from Sant Joan, Jaume Nunó i Roca, won, in 1854, the international call to compose the music for the national anthem of Mexico. On June 3, 1980, the twinning agreement was signed with San Luís Potosí, the town where Francisco González Bocanegra, the author of the lyrics to the Mexican anthem, was born. This twinning agreement united the towns where both authors were born.
• Autumn Fair: This is an event to celebrate the arrival of autumn. It is usually held around the first weekend of November and is a party for all senses and ages. There are stalls selling artisan products, children's workshops, gymkhanas, inflatables, street theatre, and music. Attendees will also be able to participate in raffles and enjoy autumn tapas in restaurants.
• Christmas Market: It fills the main streets of the center of Sant Joan with stalls selling artisan and Christmas products. You can find nativity scenes, figurines, fir trees, accessories, decorative products, and food products. In addition to the stalls, there are also different activities, such as children's workshops, lantern making, and nougat-making. And, to warm up, in the afternoon there is a popular hot chocolate. As part of the Christmas Market, the Toy Market is also held, which brings together stalls specialising in games and toys and the toy exchange table, a space for children to bring unused toys and exchange them for others.

• Ripoll
• Camprodon
• Olot
• Capçaleres del Ter i del Freser Natural Park

Molló ← Camprodon ←

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