The Miracle of the Priorat region
1990. René Barbier, a Catalan wine-maker who had studied and worked in France, arrives in Paris with three bottles of red wine he has just made in the Priorat region. He goes for lunch at the restaurant run by the best sommelier of the moment, Jean-Claude Jambon.
René asks Jean-Claude to taste the wine he has brought from Catalonia. Jean-Claude uncorks the bottle, smells the wine, tastes it and leaves. During the meal, Jean-Claude comes back several times to Rene’s table to taste the wine.
Eventually, Jean-Claude says to René: “I can’t guess the region where this wine was grown”. René does not give him any clues, but asks him: “Will you buy this wine for 1,500 pesetas?” (Ten times the normal price for a bottle of Priorat wine at that time). Jean-Claude answers: “To start with, give me three cases — that’s not expensive for this wine”.
This episode marks the turning point for the Priorat region, a poor and rundown wine area in Catalonia which ten years later had become one of the most prestigious wine regions of the world.
To learn more about the “miracle” of the Priorat, click here.
During our trip we pass beside the vineyards that have made this change possible on our way into the Montsant Natural Park. We would like to take you by the hand and introduce y ou to local winemakers through private winery tours, and to the restaurateurs and others who make the Priorat such a special place.
We use our knowledge of the people and the area to offer our customers a unique insider experience that only a Catalan resident can give.
September, October and November are special times for visits to the region, as you will experience the wine harvest. In December and January you will see the olive harvest.
The Priorat is not just a well-known wine region, but also a spectacular area for walking or hiking due to Montsant Natural Park. 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.
This mountain range is compact, surrounded by sheer cliffs and rocky areas. The villages are nestled against its foothills. The central part is a wild mountainous 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, 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.
Read through our articles Talking about Priorat is talking about wines and The Priorat wine region history. The origins of the DOQ Priorat if you have not read them yet.
In the morning, you will meet Miguel, our guide, in Barcelona or Barcelona airport.
Transfer to the pretty village of Ulldemolins, our base for the next four days. We’ll have lunch at a local restaurant.
In the afternoon, after a guided visit of the Escaladei monastery (founded in the 12th century by the monks who introduced the growing of vines in the region), a gentle circular walk in the mountains near Escaladei will be our last activity today. Distance: 7 km – Elevation gain: 226 m.
We will finish the day at the hotel in Ulldemolins, enjoying dinner and local wine.
Today we explore the heart of the Montsant. Our hike is circular and starts and ends in La Morera del Montsant. The walk will take in two graus and the Toll de l’Ou gorges. We will have the chance to overlook the Mediterranean from the plateau which forms the top of the Montsant mountain range. Picnic lunch en route. Distance: 16 km – Elevation gain: 865 m.
After a break at the hotel, we’ll drive to La Vilella Baixa where we will enjoy the vineyards and hospitality of a local winery (wine tasting included).
Our third day in the Priorat region starts with a drive to Sant Antoni, a church near the tiny village of Ulldemolins in a corner of the Priorat re. We’ll have the chance to explore the ravine that the Montsant river has carved out over thousands of years.
In a hidden part of this ravine there is Sant Bartomeu church, home of hermits for centuries. The route then takes us to Els Ventadors, a crag with breath-taking scenery over the heart of the Montsant. Picnic lunch en route. Distance: 12 km – Elevation gain: 640 m.
After this challenging circular walk, we’ll drive to Cornudella del Montsant where we will visit a wine cellar (wine tasting included).
Today we visit the north side of the Montsant mountain range. After a 45-minute drive to Margalef, our trailhead today, we will walk along the Montsant River and then the path deepens into one of the many wild ravines which populate this part of Montsant.
We’ll pass by many caves and eventually reach la Cogulla (1063 m), the highest summit in this part of the park. On the way down, we will have a break in the Sant Salvador hermitage.
This is the most remote circular walk of the tour, where you will hardly find a soul.
Distance: 17 km – Elevation gain: 700 m
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An afternoon drive to Sta. Llúcia Cave then provides a chance to visit a former underground hospital used during the Spanish Civil War, where British nurses volunteered, before we end the day enjoying the vineyards and hospitality of another local winery.
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Our last day in the Priorat region begins with a drive to Siurana, classed as one of the most beautiful villages in Catalonia, perched on the top of vertical cliffs. We will learn something of the history of its 12th century Romanesque church, its former resident SS officer escapee and its castle, the last Moorish stronghold in Catalonia.
We’ll do a gentle circular walk to discover the cliffs which surround Siurana. Picnic lunch en route. Distance: 5.3 km – Elevation gain: 350 m.
Return to Barcelona.
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Accommodation in the Priorat
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Four nights, half-board, in a pretty and charming family hotel in Ulldemolins, a small village where tranquility is guaranteed. The traditional style hotel is located in the centre of the village. It is run by the second generation of the Toldrà family. Carme, the owner, is well-known in the Priorat because of her excellent cuisine which can be accompanied by local red wine.
Single, double or twin-bedded en-suite rooms are available. Dinner and breakfast at the hotel, which also provides packed lunches on request.
Still available places for the Priorat tour:
– March 16 2024
– April 13 2024
– May 18 2024
– October 12 2024
– November 23 2024
Price from: contact us by completing
this form
What’s included:
– Four nights at a hotel in La Morera del Montsant. En-suite double/twin room. Single supplements are available on request.
– Meals: four breakfasts and four dinners.
– All road transfers.
– Guided visit to Escaladei Carthusian monastery.
– Accident insurance while in the wilderness.
– Qualified English-speaking local mountain guide
Excluded:
– Flights.
– Personal equipment.
– Travel insurance.
– Bodega visits (average price 15€ per person).
– Lunches.
Essential info:
– 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 – We send you a list when you book
Tailormade tour: let us know the dates that best suit you and/or the changes you would like to do on the trek by completing
this form