A European Charming Village
In the northeast of the Iberian Peninsula, Rupit is one of the jewels of Catalonia in Spain. The village, of medieval origin, preserves baroque buildings from the 17ᵗʰ century. Located in the heart of the Collsacabra Space of Natural Interest, the town is surrounded by the Rupit stream, lush forests, caves, prehistoric tombs, waterfalls, and miles of cliffs where you can breathe the silence and calm of nature.
The cultural and natural heritage of Rupit has a unique singularity that must be protected. Hence, it has been named as a “European Charming Village”. Much of its resources are recognized and protected at regional and national levels. Rupit has also initiated “Mobile Week Rupit” for the development of sustainable and responsible tourism to promote new technologies in the rural world. The program strengthens multilevel governance and active community participation. The 2022 edition has focused on valuing the role of women in the rural world and on how technology can enhance it. Initiatives such as the Tactile Gaze show how technology can bring the tourist experience closer to all audiences, overcoming visual, auditory or cognitive barriers.
HIGHLIGHTS
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Heritage promotion
Rupit is committed to heritage as a driver of sustainable and responsible development of the local area. It is developing the Collsacabra Futur joint project, a participatory process whereby clearly defined goals have been set in order to ensure the sustainable development of the territory.
This initiative has resulted in housing and job opportunities, a short cycle economy, the growth of organic food to work towards establishing food sovereignty, and the production of semi-natural pastures with herds of local and adapted breeds
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Tackling traffic woes
The village has established an advanced technological system which oversees vehicle parking for visitors and controls access to the old town. Rupit has led a joint initiative with neighbouring municipalities to reduce vehicle traffic in the area at busy times which, in turn, has tackled one of their main challenges, the overcrowding of tourists during peak season.
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Night Sky wonder
Rupit has obtained the distinctive “Quality Night Sky Site” award, an environmental distinction that is awarded to those municipalities where there is excellent visibility to enjoy the natural environment at night. It is also part of the Landscapes of Barcelona, Charming towns of Catalonia and the European Charming Villages.
