We had a hair raising drive down the south west slope of the Cap de Creus from Cadaques. Once down the mountain, we travelled through the verdant valleys and fields of the Alt Empordà on our way to the La Garrotxa region of Catalunya. Along the way, we stopped in the breathtakingly beautiful village of Castellfollit de la Roca. Perched atop a balsam cliff between the Fluvià and Toronell rivers, the first sight of the village is awe inspiring.

We drove up to the top of the cliff, parked the car and strolled through the cobblestone streets of the old town. There were few people out, and no tourists – as often happened once we made it out to the back roads of Catalunya.  I went into a restaurant for a break and it seemed that the entire town was in there having their midday meal, thus explaining the deserted streets. Following the winding paths we strolled along, slightly lost but enjoying the peaceful serenity of the seemingly deserted village.One disappointment was that Poch’s, an local cervesa which brews artisanal  beer, was closed. Oh well, a sign that some day we must return to Castellfolliet de la Roca! Eventually, we came out from the dark winding streets and reached the precipice of the cliff.Leaving the darkness of the streets we walked into the blinding sunlight of the Plaça Josep Pla. From there we enjoyed viewpoints of the entire valley spread out below us. The townspeople cultivate shared gardens along the valley floor.Looking back in the other direction we can see the Fluvià River flowing through the valley below with the houses of Castellfolliet de la Roca perched along the clifftops above.Turning away from the view, behind us in the square is the Church of Sant Salvador, with someone’s laundry hanging out to dry.Reluctantly, we walked back to our car, passing one last time through the quaint streets, marveling at the ancient houses and the quiet beauty of the town.Driving back towards the highway, where we were to continue our journey on to Olot and ultimately Santa Pau, we stopped one last time to view the striking view of Castellfolliet de la Roca.