Last September, Catalonia celebrated la Diada de Catalunya, the national day of Catalonia and we went on an impromptu weekend in Vic.
About the Diada de Catalunya bank holiday
This day commemorates the defeat of Catalonia during the War of the Spanish Succession. The Catalan troops that supported the Habsburg’s claim to the Spanish throne were defeated at the Siege of Barcelona by the army of Philip V of Spain (a Bourbon king). As a result, the Catalans lost their constitutions. That was on 11 September 1714. Suppressed by Franco in 1939, the Diada has been reinstated in 1980 and since then the 11th of September is a bank holiday. This year as a result, we had a 3-day bank holiday.
I cannot pass up this opportunity. I have to travel somewhere. Following my researches, I discovered that the most interesting places in Catalonia require the use of a car. Ah… That is difficult when you don’t have a valid driving license. So I looked for a place that was simple to go to from Barcelona and settled on Vic.
One of my colleagues frequently mentioned this town. I decided that we will spend our Diada weekend there. That is what I enjoy about my life: the freedom to go on adventures whenever I want.
Reaching Vic and getting accomodation
Vic is accessible by Rodalies train from Plaça Catalunya. A regular train runs all day long and the journey takes about one hour and twenty minutes. There is a timetable accessible here. Round trip ticket costs 12.5 Euros. So cheap and close!
We were travelling on a short notice. Only the Hotel J. Balmes (Carrer Francesc Pla, 6, Vic) had a room. We made our reservation on booking.com. And we had the last one available. It is a little outside of town but it is still walkable. The good news is that it is close the Anella verde, the town’s green belt. This green belt goes around the city and showcases Vic’s cultural and historical assets.
What to do during a weekend in Vic – day 1
We checked into our accomodation after arriving in Vic. Then we had lunch in a nearby restaurant close to the hotel. Nothing exceptional there. Funny anecdote, desserts were said to be “homemade”. “Homemade” indeed they were. We saw the waitress taking a box of ice cream out of the freezer and cut it into cups. I can make that kind of homemade dessert too :). This restaurant is not worth a mention.
This was our first experience of a deeper catalan culture. The staff was talking to us entirely in Catalan during the whole time. I don’t speak the language but thankfully I could understand some of the words which made communication easier.
After lunch, we went to town but we did not stay long because it began to rain. When the rain stopped, we went for a walk in the countryside outside the hotel on a section of the Anella verde as mentioned above. It is a lovely rural area with cow farms and ricks. It was really quiet. Perfect for anyone looking to unwind and disconnect.
What to do during a weekend in Vic – day 2
On Day 2, we enjoyed breakfast in town at La Plaça‘s terrace on Plaça Mayor: chocolate churros, two ham toasts, orange juice and tea. Once our breakfast over, we visited the saturday market on Plaça Mayor. We were really impressed by the variety of mushrooms on offer at the market. Some of them I have never seen before. Alas, we cannot cook them. We are in a hotel. As a note, there is a Medieval market in Vic in December. That seems intriguing!
Vic’s tourist office was our next stop. We needed a map of the walking paths around Vic. I typically prefer do to my own research, but the tourist office in Vic was quite helpful. We took the 5.1 Km walk to the Pont d’en Bruguer (En Bruguer Bridge). It is an easy walk that starts at the Xavier Roca y Viñas park. The start of the walk is not easy to spot but there are indications to the path. All you have to do is pay attention or else ask people around you. Following the river Gurri is a lovely stroll. It is also possible to observe life on the river which includes ducks and crayfish. Yes, crayfish. I swear I saw one.
There are two points of interest on this walk or should I say two “ponts” (bridge in French) of interest. Lol! On the way, we can view an iron bridge, the puente del Ferro built in 1930 as well as the En Bruguer bridge, a gothic bridge from the 14th century. And guess where this path leads to? To the part of the Anella Verde close to our hotel. Great! We have a light picnic on the grass with things we bought in the supermarket close to the hotel. The weather was perfect for that. The surroundings also.
For dinner, we went to a Spanish caterer to try escalivada (a traditional dish from Catalonia of smoky grilled vegetables) and other Spanish delicacies. We also got some Llonganissa de Vic. This pork sausage is a traditional delicacy typical from Vic with a strong reputation for quality.
I did not go out here in Vic. Our aim was to relax, sleep early, enjoy the nature and eat good food.
What to do during a weekend in Vic – day 3
On day 3, we returned to town to follow the touristic circuit of the city. If I had known about Barmutet earlier on, I would have gone there for breakfast. The setting looks lovely and the menu intriguing. That was just a parenthesis.
There are slabs showing “ruta turistica” everywhere so you cannot get lost. This circuit links 30 places of interest throughout Vic and can be done within one hour. You would not believe that such a small city can actually harbor so many architectural gems and historic places. My favourite is the Casa Bayes.
After that, we had our sunday lunch in Divicnus. We also looked into going to Okashi, El Jardinet, Magda Subirana but they were closed. Divicnus is elegant, chic and immaculate. We chose a table at the terrace. The food was just alright though. My cannelloni were delicious but my duck was undercooked. They did not ask me how I wanted it. The service was mediocre. Based on our overall food experience, I won’t recommend a lunch here.
The end
Vic is a fantastic place. I had no expectations going there yet I had a lot of fun exploring the town, trying out dishes and walking in the nature. Vic is also a good base to discover the Osona region. Next time, I will visit the nearby forests and natural parks. It looks magnificent. Hopefully by then I will have my driving license!
Our itinerary: Alrededores del río Gurri – Puente d’en Bruguer
Vic’s tourist office: http://www.victurisme.cat/