Sant Antoni de la Grella, the muleteers' chapel by the Valira

Some churches are built to preside over a village and others to keep a road company. Sant Antoni de la Grella is one of the latter. It’s a small Romanesque chapel set against the rock of the Grella gorge, below Sispony, where the Valira del Nord runs sunk between stone walls and riverside woodland. I like it precisely for its setting.

The royal road chapel

It stands on the old royal road that linked the parishes of La Massana and Escaldes-Engordany, which is why it’s dedicated to St Anthony the Abbot, patron of the carriers and muleteers who moved goods through these valleys. It was restored in the late 20th century. Close by, the river is crossed by one of the country’s old bridges, which I cover in Andorra’s medieval bridges.

When is the pilgrimage?

On 17 January, St Anthony the Abbot’s day. If you’re in Andorra then, it’s a good excuse to walk down to the gorge in the depths of winter. What else happens that month is summed up in Andorra in January.

If you would rather have a local show you round, book a guided tour in Sant Antoni de la Grella and choose by the reviews.

How to see it

Visits to Andorra’s churches are free, with the calendar published on museus.ad, and on other days you see the chapel from the path. I’d fit it into a walk between Sispony, La Massana and Anyós along the old royal road, rather than as a standalone visit.

Getting there

There’s no road to the chapel itself, and the nicest way in is on foot. Andorra Turisme’s suggested walk sets off from the car park at Prat del Molí and follows the royal road, with no climbs, to the bridge and the chapel. To reach La Massana by public transport, take the L7, which on weekdays runs every quarter of an hour, or the L5 and L6, which also stop in the village.

A car frees you from timetables: search car hire in Andorra la Vella on DiscoverCars and compare companies.

What’s nearby

The bridge that gives the spot its name is 21.20 metres long and 5.55 metres high, rebuilt in the mid-20th century, so you see bridge and chapel together. Up in Sispony, Casa Rull, the Perich family’s 17th-century house, is now a museum of rural life, and on top of Anyós, Sant Cristòfol d’Anyós keeps Gothic and 16th-century paintings.

Who it’s for

For walkers who want a quiet Romanesque corner, the Grella is a small but lovely reward. For anyone driving on a tight schedule, or looking for painted interiors, it isn’t worth the detour, because the chapel is tiny and usually seen from outside. I’d keep it for a spring or autumn morning, when the river is running high and the gorge is cool. With children, the riverside stroll feels short and keeps them busy, and it’s flat enough for almost anyone. Bring a camera, because the gorge, the bridge and the chapel together make one of the prettiest corners of the parish. Spring and autumn suit it best, when the walk is cooler.

So you do not pay over the odds, look at trains, coaches and flights to Andorra la Vella on Omio and pick the one that suits you.