Vic: Roman temple, Episcopal Museum and Catalan gastronomy

The Plaça Major is one of Catalonia's most beautiful squares, an immense space surrounded by modernist buildings with arcaded porticoes. This has been the commercial and social centre of Vic since medieval times.

The square hosts a market twice weekly:

• Tuesday market: general produce, clothing, household goods
• Saturday market: the famous food market with local sausages, cheeses, vegetables, mushrooms and meat

The Saturday market is legendary throughout Catalonia. Arrive early (9am) to see the square filled with stalls selling:

• Llonganissa de Vic: the city's famous dry-cured sausage, protected by PDO status
• Fuet: thin salami-style sausage
• Local cheeses: fresh and aged varieties from Osona farms
• Seasonal produce: wild mushrooms in autumn, cherries in summer

Even on non-market days, the Plaça Major is lovely to stroll, with cafés perfect for people-watching.

Vic's Roman Temple is one of the best-preserved Roman structures in Catalonia, dating from the 2nd century AD. The temple stands in the centre of town, with:

• 11 Corinthian columns still standing to their original height
• Part of the podium and walls preserved
• Free to visit: you can walk around the exterior and peer inside through the fence

The temple was dedicated to the imperial cult and shows Vic's importance as the Roman city of Ausa.

Nearby, the medieval old town preserves narrow streets, noble houses and remnants of the city walls. The Episcopal Palace (now the museum) is a magnificent Gothic building.

Vic's Cathedral has a complex architectural history, with Romanesque, Gothic and neoclassical elements. The most striking feature is the interior decoration by Catalan artist Josep Maria Sert, who covered the walls with dramatic golden-brown murals depicting biblical scenes in his signature monumental style.

Highlights include:

• Sert's murals: completed in the 1940s, replacing earlier murals destroyed in the Civil War
• Romanesque bell tower: the oldest surviving part, from the 11th century
• Gothic cloister: peaceful cloister with carved capitals
• Crypt: containing relics of Vic's martyred saints

Entry to the cathedral is 7 EUR (includes cloister and crypt). The murals are truly spectacular and unlike anything else in Catalonia.

The Museu Episcopal de Vic is one of the world's most important collections of Romanesque and Gothic art, with over 29,000 pieces. The permanent exhibition includes:

• Romanesque murals: spectacular frescoes rescued from Pyrenean churches
• Polychrome wood sculpture: carved Madonnas and crucifixes from the 12th-13th centuries
• Gothic altarpieces: panel paintings by Catalan masters
• Metalwork and textiles: liturgical objects, vestments and tapestries
• Egyptian and Mesopotamian collection: acquired by Catalan archaeologists

The museum is exceptionally well curated, with English labels and audioguide. Art historians consider this one of Europe's finest medieval art collections. Entry is 7 EUR adults, 5 EUR concessions. Allow 2-3 hours for a thorough visit.

Morning: Drive from Montclar to Vic (1.5 hours via C-16 south). If visiting on a Saturday, arrive by 9am for the market in Plaça Major. Buy sausages, cheese and other local products to take home.

After the market (or if visiting on another day), visit the Episcopal Museum when it opens at 10am. Spend 2 hours immersed in Romanesque masterpieces.

Lunch: Vic is famous for Osona cuisine. Try:

• Pa amb tomaquet i llonganissa: bread with tomato and local sausage
• Escudella: hearty Catalan stew
• Fricandó: veal stew with wild mushrooms (autumn/winter)

Restaurants around Plaça Major offer set menus for 15-20 EUR.

Afternoon: Visit the Cathedral to see Sert's murals, then explore the Roman Temple and old town. If time permits, the Leather Museum (Museu de l'Art de la Pell) displays historic and contemporary leather work - unique in Europe.