Explore Catalonia on foot: Rupit – Salt del Sallent circular hiking route

From a fairytale village to the foot of a 115-meter-high waterfall. Are you coming trekking in Barcelona?

The Rupit – Salt del Sallent hiking route is one of those trails you can adapt to all audiences and tastes:

From families with young kids to hikers with a mountain-goat mindset. 😉

Which group sounds more like you?

Technical details

• Difficulty: Moderate.
• Distance: 12.5 km.
• Walking time: 3.5 hours (almost 6 h counting 300 photos and lunch breaks).
• Elevation gain: 300 m (1545 m accumulated in total).
• Start: Parking lot in Rupit.
• End: Parking lot in Rupit.
• Date completed (photographs): December, 2018 and March, 2019.

Where to park

You can leave your car in the Rupit parking lot for just €3 a day. I've marked the spot on the map at the end of this post.

It has free public restrooms, and you'll find the information office right next to the ticket payment machine.

Details of the circular route to Salt del Sallent

From the suspension bridge to the river

As you leave the parking lot and head toward the village, you'll see the sign for the suspension bridge on your left.

Even though it sways a bit as you walk, it's completely safe. That said, I recommend paying attention to the «maximum 10 people at a time» signs.

On weekends this can be tricky, as most tourists stop in the middle of the bridge to take photos.

Continue to the right along calle de la Iglesia and follow the signs to Salt del Sallent when you reach the square (this time to the left).

A few steps later, you'll see a downhill ramp on your right and some stairs that seem to go under a building on your left: go for the stairs, the slope will be your return path.

After walking for a few minutes leaving the village behind you (turn around, the views are totally worth it), you'll reach a second set of stairs going down to the left. Even if there's no sign, take them.

They lead straight to the river, and from there you'll just have to follow the trail along the riverbed.

Salt del Molì and Salt de Sabaters

Before reaching Salt del Sallent, you'll come across two small waterfalls, Salt del Molì and Salt de Sabaters.

The latter, besides being super photogenic, has a nearby fountain, the Pomareda fountain, perfect for refilling your canteen or reusable water bottle.

Salt del Sallent

When you've walked about 2.5 kilometers from the parking lot, you'll reach the top of Salt del Sallent.

If you walk a bit further along the path to the viewpoint and get lucky (meaning it's not hidden by fog straight out of a Stephen King novel), you'll see this wonder:

A waterfall tumbling over the layers of a 115-meter-high stone cliff and who knows how many centuries of sedimentation.

A picture is worth a thousand words.

Make sure you reach the official viewpoint: if you don't have a metal railing protecting you and can't see the base of the waterfall from your perspective, it means you haven't arrived yet. Keep walking. 😉

Climb down to the base of the waterfall

Heads up:

The trail up to here has been easy (unless it's rained heavily, in which case the ground gets pretty slippery).

However, this out-and-back section (which you can skip) is difficult and very steep.

If you want to reach the base of the waterfall, follow the trail cut into the grass that starts shortly after the viewpoint. I've marked it on the map at the end of this post.

The 140-meter descent in less than 1 kilometer is a bit tricky, so don't try it if you suffer from knee pain or have trouble walking.

But if you make it down… wow!

Impressive, isn't it?

The cliffs

Once you manage to climb back up to the starting level—meaning, on top of the crags and not below them—you can walk along the dirt trail that leads away to the left of the waterfall.

Although we didn't go much further, we took the chance to step off the route and enjoy a well-deserved lunch with a view after that previous climb. 😉

Church of Sant Joan de Fàbregues

After the break, we headed back to the top of Salt de Sallent and took the opposite road to start making our way back…

Except this way back was packed with real treats for the eyes.

As you move away from the waterfall, it's totally worth turning around to admire the rocky gorge from this side. There's a very obvious viewpoint that won't go unnoticed, you'll see.

And after taking a right bend, you'll spot a turnoff to the church of Sant Joan de Fàbregues.

It's only a few meters, but if you fancy grabbing a coffee or eating on the panoramic terrace of the restaurant next to it, La Rectoria, the short walk is well worth it. 😉

The Els Bassis viewpoint

Shortly after the previous intersection, once you're back on the main trail, you'll see a dirt and stone incline to your right.

Fancy playing mountain goat a little longer? Then take this detour.

It's true that sticking to the main path will get you back to Rupit with no problem, but you'd miss out on one of the most beautiful views of the entire route: the Els Bassis viewpoint.

This climb isn't as tough as the one down to the base of the waterfall, and it also takes you past a couple of anthropomorphic tombs carved into the rock.

But, like I said, the best part awaits at the summit:

Sheer cliffs on both sides taking up your entire field of view, leaving you with that feeling that no matter how many photos you've taken, you need to snap one more just in case you haven't captured the sheer scale of this panorama.

Stunning doesn't even cut it. You have to be there to see it. Seriously.

Church of La Magdalena

The descent back to the main trail is gentler than the climb up, running smoothly along a wooded dirt path.

I'm sure in the height of summer it's an absolute dream, though it's a bit of a shame to see the picturesque perspective this part of the route offers over Rupit blocked by a thousand branches and tree trunks.

You can't have it all! 😉

Shortly after reaching the main path, the clearly marked turnoff to the church of La Magdalena appears, and this one definitely lets you take photos of the medieval village to your heart's content.

Return to Rupit

If you continue along the path leading down from the church of La Magdalena to the river, you'll reach another bridge that connects to the slope you left on your right when you started the trek.

Thirsty? You'll find water fountains on Calle de la Iglesia and at the playground right in front of the parking lot.

Just make sure you don't leave without wandering through Rupit for a bit and soaking in its charm.

Full route on Wikiloc

Want to follow this route on Wikiloc?

You can view the trail on the map at this link.

What to bring

• Food: unless you've planned to eat at La Rectoria, the restaurant next to the church of Sant Joan de Fàbregues, I recommend bringing sandwiches, fruit, nuts…
• Water: you'll find drinking water at several spots in Rupit and along the trail at the Pomareda fountain, but I recommend carrying at least half a liter of water per person (better if it's 1).
• A bag: to pack out all the trash you generate. Please help keep this wonderful place clean!
• Sun protection: sunscreen, a cap, sunglasses... the usual essentials.
• Comfortable footwear: hiking boots or, failing that, sneakers that give you good foot support.

Where to sleep

After a hike like that, you deserve to kick back in a hotel like this: the B&B La Rectoria de Sant Miquel de Pineda.

It's tucked away in a grove in the south of La Garrotxa, a 36-minute drive from Rupit (29 km).

This hidden gem of a rural hotel goes completely unnoticed as you drive along the road linking Sant Esteve d’en Bas with Sant Feliu de Pallerols. In fact, you'll probably miss the entrance if you don't pay close attention.

Why did I love it so much?

• They serve mouthwatering dinners, lunches, and breakfasts using seasonal local produce. Raw milk cheeses, tomatoes that actually taste like tomatoes, homemade cured meats... even artisanal ice cream!
• They provide organic shower gel and shampoo that smell so amazing I felt like taking several showers in a row (which I didn't do, of course, to respect the accommodation's eco-friendly energy-saving spirit).
• It's small, charming, and peaceful at night. Combine that with a bed that was pure heaven to sleep in, and all it needed was a roaring fire to be sheer perfection... Wait a minute, they had one of those too! 😉
• The couple running it are wonderful. They reminded me so much of the owners of a farmhouse we used to escape to all the time years ago... The kind of people who make you feel right at home.

We didn't have time to cycle the greenway trail right outside their door or take a dip in the garden's outdoor pool (despite the gorgeous weather we had back in March 2019).

So now we have a couple of excuses to go back. 😉

One night on half board (breakfast and dinner included) cost us €158. And seeing how incredible the food was, next time I'm booking full board.

Sustainable tourism in La Garrotxa

Do you know how I found such a special place to stay?

Thanks to EcoTravelDesign.

Honestly, it's amazing how well Cristina Vilà knows her land. You can really tell she loves what she does.

All I had to do was answer a few questions about my tastes and preferences and snap! A few days later, I had a suggestion for a route around La Garrotxa in my inbox that fit me like a glove.

It felt like she had known me my whole life.

She was the one who recommended spots like the B&B La Rectoria de Sant Miquel. I couldn't have picked a better one myself.

Looking for a sustainable rural getaway in Catalonia designed just for you? Ask Cristina. 😉

Useful links

• 5% discount when booking your adventure travel insurance with IATI.
• B&B La Rectoria de Sant Miquel de Pineda.
• Hotel deals in Rupit.
• Flights to Catalonia: Trabber, eDreams, Momondo, and Vueling.
• EcoTravelDesign.

More hikes and destinations in Catalonia:

• Montserrat trail: funicular-Santa Magdalena-Sant Miquel-monastery.
• Montserrat circular route: from the monastery to the summit of Sant Jeroni.
• Hiking trail in Alta Garrotxa: Beget-Rocabruna.
• Challenge your perspective at the Dalí Theatre-Museum in Figueres.

Map