Day Trip Guide to visiting Medieval Vic
Large town (population 50,000) 70km inland from Barcelona with medieval historic centre. One of the largest arcaded plazas in Spain, cathedral & several museums
About Vic Medieval Town
Vic, sometimes known as Vich, is the capital of the Osona county of the province of Barcelona in Catalonia, Spain. Vic can be found 69 km inland from Barcelona halfway between Barcelona and the Pyrenees. Vic lies in the middle of the Plains of Vic on the banks of the river Mèder. The small Catalan city of Vic is an excellent day trip from Barcelona by train, bus or car.
The Buildings in Vic today are of Roman and medieval origin, with the city being founded in the 4th Century BC by an Iberian tribe known as the Ausa. The town fell under roman Rule and later Visgoth rule. Vic was completely destroyed by fire in 826 in a battle with the Saracens. Since then Vic has thrived and grown into a prosperous town thanks to industries like leather and meat (saussage) production. The construction of the Transpirinenc railway in 1875 from Barcelona to Vic (today known as the R3 Rodalies line) brought connection to the the capital of Barcelona and helped to secure Vic as a popular tourist destination.
Vic is famous for meat products such as llonganissas (long thin chorizo like saussage that is served sliced and cold or hot), fuet (peppered sausages served sliced and cold) and Butifarra (pork Sausage served hot with ali-oli garlic and mayonnaise sauce and white beans).
Vic has plenty of old world charm and a collection of very good museums. Vic is a popular day trip for tourists and residents of Barcelona and hosts several events throughout the year which make it especially worth a visit and is one of my favourite Winter destinations.
History of the town of Vic
Vic dates from at least the 4th Century BC when it was called Ausa for the Iberian Ausetanos tribe. During the Roman Empire the town grew is size and was an important town in the Region gaining a temple in the second century AD.
Ausa continued to expand under Visigoth rule until until it was isolated between the Moorish invasion of the Iberian peninsula from the south of Spain and the Christian lands to the north. Ausa was almost completely destroyed during a Cristian-Moor battle in 788 AD.
The town was conquered by Cristian forces under Wilfred, Count of Urgel and renamed it Vich, derived from latin Vicus Ausonae. A castle was built in the area of the Roman temple burying it in the foundations of the castle.
In the Middle ages, the city had two parts, the Episcopal part under the jurisdiction of the Cathedral and the part around the castle controlled by the counts. Wilfred raised a defensive wall around the town with seven gates.
The land belonging to the church was handed over to the crown and in 1450, Alfonso V of Aragon bought out the Montcada counts. The three centuries which followed Vic suffered the consequences wars against the French and then during the War of the Spanish Succession, when Vic sided with the Archduke of Austria.
The 17th and 18th centuries saw economic recovery in Vic with the emergence of a world famous leather tanning and leather goods industry that during the the Industrial Revolution grew into an efficient mechanised process. The arrival of the railway from Barcelona once again made Vic the capital of the Osona Region of Catalonia.
During the Spanish Civil war (1936 to 1939) Francoist forces took the town and many churches and medieval buildings were damaged or burnt.
To read more about the historic buildings of Vic, follow the Historic walking route below.
5 Things to do and see in Vic Medieval Town
Vic Medieval Art Museum - Museu Episcopal de Vic (MEV)
Premier Religious medieval art museum of 29,000 artefacts distributed over 4 floors of space that includes paintings, sculptures, jewellery & iron work
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Vic Medival Town Centre Walking Guide
The buildings, squares, streets & points of interest on a historic walking route through medieval Vic town centre
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Vic Leather Arts Museum | Museu de l'Art de la Pell de Vic
The Vic Leather Arts Museum houses the collection of Andreu Colomer Mommany (Owner, Vic leather factory) & is comprised of artefacts gathered from his travels
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Vic Roman Temple | Temple romà de Vic
Dates from early 2nd century at height of Roman Empire. Rediscovered 1882 in the ruins of the former Vic castle. Today a small art Gallery and fascinating relic
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Map of Vic Medieval Town
Attractions
Events in Vic Medieval Town
Tickets for Attractions in Vic Medieval Town
If you would prefer a day visiting Romanesque medieval architecture rather than museums, then try one of these tours.
- Includes:
- Discover the city of Vic with its old town, its cathedral and its markets
- Visit Besalú, the most spectacular medieval town of Catalonia
- Catch a spectacular view of Castellfollit de la Roca and take beautiful pictures
- Enjoy stunning views of the Garrotxa Volcanic Natural Park
- Tour in a small group of 8 guests with hotel pickup and drop-off included
- Includes:
- Travel in time to a medieval Catalonia, full of charm and landmarks
- Visit Vic, its market square, the Roman temple & the cathedral
- Explore the Roman ruins and Romanesque temples spread across the countryside
- Visit Santa Pau in the heart of the volcanic region of Garrotxa
- Stop by Besalú, renowned for its bridge and monasteries
- Includes:
Discover the history, architecture, and culture of Catalonia on a day trip
Visit the picturesque town of Besalú and see its 12th-century Romanesque bridge
Explore the charming town of Rupit and see the church of Sant Miquel
Enjoy free time to have lunch at one of the local restaurants in Vic
See the Cathedral of San Pedro Apóstol and the Roman Temple in Vic
See the Catalonian historic city of Vic from a unique perspective as you glide through the sky on a hot air balloon ride. Fly above the beautiful Catalonian landscapes with gorgeous views over the Mountains of Montserrat, the Montseny Natural Park, the Sau Reservoir and the Pyrenees. Finish with a breakfast with cava and pastries upon landing. Pick up and drop off from from your hotel in Barcelona (option) or meet in the centre of Vic. Watch the setting up and preparation of the balloon before getting in for take-off.
Getting to Vic Medieval Town
- By Train: Take the Renfe RODALIES R3 Line. Journey time of about 90 minutes. Trains run every 45 to 60 minutes from 06:00h till around 22:00h. See the Train map in the documents section.
- By Bus: Use the e12 Sagales bus service. This is an express bus service from Barcelona direct to Vic. Busses run approximately every hour, more frequent during the week at rush hours. The journey time is one hour and is quicker than the train. See the timetable and bus map in the documents section. Tickets for the bus can be bought online via the Sagales website, or a 6 zone T-casual or 6 zone TT usual card can be used. It is also possible to pay the driver in cash when boarding the bus.
- By Car: Take the C33 motorway leaving Barcelona. Take the exit onto the C17 Dual carriage way. Take exit 57 of the C17 sign posted vic. Saba Pay parking near plaça Major or free parking in Avinguda d'Olímpia 1, 08500 Vic.
Where to Eat Vic Medieval Town
- Restaurant Àgape: Vegetarian food. Carrer del Progrés 2.
- El Jardinet de Vic: Traditional catalan food. Set menu for €21 or order from the menu. Restaurant has beutiful interior patio. Carrer dels Corretgers 8.
- Carbó Brasa: Grilled meats, cava and wine in a historic medieval building. Carrer de Dues Soles 8.
- El Racó Pizzeria Mediterrània: Small chain of Catalan Restarants serving Pizza's, Pasta and burgers. plaça Major 8
- La Flama: Pizza Restaurant. Carrer de la Riera 5
- El Caliu: Grilled meat & Salads. Set menu Medieval for €28 or order from the menu. Carrer de la Riera 13
- Viena: Is a local catalan fast food chain with the typical burgers, sandwiches, deserts & international beer. plaça Major 6.
- La Plaça: Tapas and drinks outside in the terrace with views of the plaça Major.
- Dining Tips for Vic:
- Pan de Pagés / Torrades: Traditional rustic sliced bread served with tomatoes, olive oil and garlic. Peal the garlic clove and rub it in a grating manner into the lightly toasted bread. now take the tomato half and place it flat open fac down and squeze or push in the tomato juice. Finally a dash of Olive oil. Garlic-Tomato-Oil in that order. On top of this goes the cold fuet or Llonganissa saussage slices.
- Main dishes: Unless it explicitly says so, main dishes are not served with a side of vegetables so order them seperately.
- Cava: Catalan sparkling wine similar to Champagne.
- Traditional food: Vic is inland 70km from the coast so traditional food is based around meat and dairy.
Documents for Vic Medieval Town
Click on any one of the 6 PDFs to view in full screen and download.
Weather for Vic
What to take with you for Vic Medieval Town
For the Vic day trip I pack a small 10L rucksack with a fleece jersey and if the weather forecast says rain, a waterproof poncho.
Take headphones for the Episcopal museum audio guide.
Wear comfortable shoes so that the uneven cobbled streets do not murder your ankles.
Wikiloc Trail for Vic Medieval Town
vic01 - Vic Medieval Town Centre Walking Guide
The buildings, squares, streets & points of interest on a historic walking route through medieval Vic town centre
Distance: 3.75 Km
Difficulty: Easy
Return Travel Fare: €17.10
Transport Network: Rodalies or Bus