The San Miguel del Fai Natural Park is one of the most interesting and unique places in Catalonia, created by nature itself.
The monastery is just an hour’s drive from Barcelona and is the only Romanesque church in Spain, hidden in a cave with rocky walls and vaults. Inside the church, the Gothic choir stalls of the 15th century and the tomb of Count Guillem Berenguer of Ausona (around the year 1000) attract special attention. The inscription in Latin mourns the untimely death of the young son of Count Berenguer – Ramon I.
San Miguel del Fai has long been a place of worship: in ancient times, the Iberians, enchanted by the beauty of nature, held pagan rituals here. The first references to the cave church of Saint Michael date back to 997, when it was gifted by Ramon Borrell to Count Gombau of Besora. Until 1557, a community of Benedictine monks lived in the monastery. Then it was managed by priests who did not take a vow of solitude. In the 19th century, San Miguel del Fai was discovered by Romantic writers who told the world about its beauty, history, and legends.
The ringing voice of the Tenes waterfall, descending from the mountain and passing through a mountain pass filled with moisture and freshness, will delight you with the play of its streams and panoramic views of the surroundings at an altitude of 460 meters above sea level. Behind the Saint Martin hermitage lies access to the oldest and most famous stalactite cave, Faya-Toscas, from where a magnificent view of the valley opens up.
An individual guided tour will give tourists the opportunity to leisurely learn about the history and legends of this fairy-tale place, as well as admire the natural beauty of the mountain landscapes and this whimsical intertwining of pristine nature with historical and architectural heritage. If desired, the tour can be combined with lunch at a typical village restaurant.
