A weekend of walking and wine tasting in Catalonia
This tour of the Priorat region is an in-depth tour of the area famous for it’s wine, its people and its traditions.
The Priorat is a well-known wine region but it is also a spectacular region for walking or hiking due to the Montsant Natural Park. Over two days, you will have the opportunity to discover the best spots in this mountain area thanks to Miguel, our mountain guide: Stunning views of vineyards and nearby mountains, as well as the Mediterranean Sea.
The mountain range is compact, surrounded by sheer cliffs and rocky areas. The villages are nestled against its foothills. The central part is a wild area accessible only on foot.
To reach it, you must choose a grau, one of the passes which allow you to scale the cliffs. Some are quite easy and broad because they were once used as pack-horse trails to get from one village to another. Others are just wide enough for a person to walk in single file.
Miguel takes great pleasure in helping guests discover just what makes this captivating region so special.
Learn more about the Priorat in our articles: Priorat History, Talking about Priorat is talking about wines and the Priorat’s Miracle.
Distance: 15km – Elevation gain: 780m – By 7 hours (breaks included)
This long, awesome hike takes in three villages: la Vilella Baixa, la Figuera and Cabacés. We follow the paths that villagers of the Priorat walked for centuries to travel from one to the other. Nowadays the villages are connected by paved roads.First, we walk from La Vilella Baixa to la Figuera. Most of the path was paved with stones. Unfortunately, in some parts the stones have disappeared.
La Figuera is a vantage point over the Priorat, and was the base for the Republican army during the Ebro battle of the Spanish Civil War in summer and autumn 1938. Some trenches are well preserved and can be visited. The itinerary doesn’t take us there, but can be changed if the group is interested in visiting them.
In la Figuera we can see the vineyards which are the origin of the wine Espectacle del Montsant, one of the Spanish wines most highly ranked by Robert Parker, the famous North American wine expert.
Between La Figuera and Cabacés there is the last flour mill in the Priorat, which stopped working in the 1950s. It took advantage of the Montsant river water. The river is dry during some parts of the year, so the mill had a tank to store water so it could keep going all year round. Wheat, rye and barley were grown in the area up to late 19th century.
When you arrive in Cabacés, you realize that there are more olive trees than vineyards. This is the only part of the Priorat where wine is not the most important crop. There are two olive oil mills in the village. The olives harvest starts in November and can last until February.
The path between Cabacés and La Vilella Baixa was the only way to go from one village to the other until 1926, when the road was built. You will be amazed by the long, continuous stone walls, built long ago by hand, before there were machines to help.
Before arriving at la Vilella Baixa, we cross the Cavaloca ravine via a medieval stone bridge, one of the main highlights of the hike.
Non-walking activities: you can choose either a visit to a wine cellar in la Figuera or an oil mill in Cabacés.
Distance: 11.7km – Elevation gain: 670m – By 6 hours (breaks included)
This hike crosses the Montsant park from south to north-west. We will be able to use a grau to summit the range. From the top, we can see the Pyrenees as well as the Mediterranean Sea. Solitude, quietness, infinite views.
In the middle of the walk, we visit Toll de l’Ou, a series of gorges running along the bed of a ravine. We are in the heart of the range.
Later on, and before finishing the walk, we enjoy infinite views to the north from the top of the cliffs faced to Ulldemolins.
In Ulldemolins we can buy local products made by local producers in the cooperative. We strongly recommend both the olive oil and the wine.
Hotel-Hostal Sport ****
Family-run charming hotel located in Falset, the capital of the Priorat.
Double and twin rooms. Single rooms upon request. Dinner and breakfast at the hotel. They also provide the packed lunch on both hikes.
- Included:
- One night, full-board ensuite accommodation
- Meals: two picnic lunches, one breakfast and one dinner. Wine is included with the dinner
- All road transfers in Priorat
- All scheduled non-walking activities
- Qualified English-speaking local mountain guide
- Accident insurance while in the wilderness
- The guide has the right to change the itinerary at any time if deemed necessary to guarantee the security of the group
- Walking gear & equipment – I send you a list when you book
- If you want to stay longer at the hotel, or arrive before Saturday, contact us by completing the form at the end of this page.
Available places at any weekend in:
> March 2019
> April 2019
> May 2019
> October 2019
> November 2019
> December 2019