El Catllar, Tarragonès

About the place:

If you like the stories of warriors, knights and princes, the itinerary of the Low Gaià castles will inspire you. From the 11th century they started building fortifications around the Gaià River in an attempt to protect the region from Al Andalus, and scroll the Hispanic Mark to the South. As time passed the strategic value got lost, some suffered the consequences of the wars and became ruins and other changed their functionality which changed the architecture of the  building.

A different way to discover the small villages of the Tarragonés!

Direction tips:

The route is initiated in the Castle of the Catllar, future Interpretation Centre of the Castles of the Low Gaià, located at the  TP2039 village of el Catllar. The next stop is the castle of La Nou del Gaià at about 7km. You’ll arrive there by taking the Catalonia Avenue (T203) in el Catllar heading to la Riera del Gaià. After passing la Riera, you have to take T202 to la Nou del Gaià.
To arrive to the castle and its oriel, from where you will have a magnificent view of the rural landscape, you have to turn to the left at the first semaphore that you will find entering the village by the T202. Follow the indications towards the Castle.

We continue the route to the Castle of Montornés by the T202 in direction Salomó. Once you get out of La Nou del Gaià, you will have to take the T211 towards the Pobla de Montornès. At about 4 km you will find a roundabout. Continue straight on, but taking the lateral side of the road to be able to access the parking of Mas Solé, known as Mas del Castell where you will find a children’s playground. From this point to the next stop, the Castle of Creixell there are about 7 km.

Follow the T211 until the round point. Take the first exit to incorporate to the T210 in direction La Pobla de Montornés. Once you are arrive at the N340 Tarragona - Barcelona, turn to the left in Barcelona direction. Continue at the N340 until arriving to Creixell. Exactly in front of the Camping Creixell, you will have to turn left to enter the village by the Catalonia avenue (TP2112). You can park the car at the end of this street. You will find the castle in the Church street. Follow the signs to the Police office and the town council.

We will take again the N340 in direction Roda de Barà (Barcelona) to go to the castle of Vespella (24 km). In the first round point you have to take the second exit towards Roda de Barà (TV2041). Once you have passed Bonastre (in direction Mas Llorenç) the road starts to be attractive. You will go torough fields of olive trees, almond trees and vineyards. At the end of the TV2041, you will have to turn to the left to take the TV2042 in Salomó direction. At a certain point you will cross the T204. You have to turn to the left to go to Salomó. Once you pass km12 of the T204, you will find on your right a road that will take you to Vespella del Gaià. Take it. After enjoying of some nice views, you will enter in a residential area. Follow the main road down passing the Bar Sant Miquel. After crossing the bridge, the rise starts. On arriving at a wall (end of the street), you have to turn towards the right and to continue upwards. At a certain point when leaving the residential area you will pass to a shack of dry stone on your left. Then you will arrive to a fork. Turn right towards “el pantà del Gaià”. You will arrive to Sant Miquel de Vespella where you will find a green zone with toboggan and a castle in ruins.

Leave the village by the T2021 in Torredembarra direction, passing trough the Massos de Vespella. You’ll have to connect with the T202 direction Tarragona. At about 8 km from Vespella you will find on your right the residential area of Castellot.  At the end of the main street (Via Tarraco), you can park the car. At the end of the Via Tarraco, you will find a smaller path that takes you to the fields. After some meters, you’ll find a sign towards the castle of Santa Margarida (GR62). In about 7 minutes and following the white and red marks of the GR, you will arrive to the castle.

We continue our way, again by the T202 in Tarragona direction. Cross the bridge. On arriving to the round point continue straight on towards Ferran (1,7 km). Here you will find another castle in a very small, but cosey village.

We continue the route by the T202 towards Altafulla (aprox. 2,7 km), one of the most charming place of he route.  On arriving at the N340a, we turn towards the left. On arriving to the round point, we take the fourth exit (C/ de la ronda d’Alatafulla). Take the third street towards the right (C/ Onze de Setembre) until the roundabout where you will have to search for a parking place. Enter the walls and follow the signs to the castle.

We will finish the route on the beach with the Castle of Tamarit at about 5 km. From here you will be able to see how the afternoon enters and the sun goes down, while you enjoy of the beach. You will arrive to Tamarit, by the N340a in direction Tarragona.  You will have to go until the second round point and ake the exit to Altafulla (you will be again at the N340a in the opposite side). Take the first street towards the right following the signs to the Tamarit Camping. You’ll find the castle at the end of this street.

The best season:

winter, autumn, summer, spring

Lunch tips:

We propose you a series of places where you will be able to make a stop:  you will find a picnic area with barbecues, fresh water, tables and a play zone at la Nou del Gaià (Els Safarejos). Also in Sant Miquel de Vespella you will find a green zone.  If you prefer a restaurant, you can go to La Bota in Roda  de Barà, the Rocamora Castle in Montferri or eat at the restaurant of Camping Torre de la Mora near Tamarit.

More info:

Castle of Catllar: even though at this moment the castle is being restored, it will become the center of interpretation of the Castles of the Low Gaià. It is worthwhile to make a stop.  If you are lucky, you will find Josep, the bricklayer entrusted of the reconstruction. He will walk you through the castle and explain you in details that the first references to the castle date from the XII century. You will have a good perspective on the Iberian villages that they have found during the excavations and on which the castle has been built. And you will discover curiosities like a hanged man or a couple dancers painted on the walls of a tower, a grafitti of the XVI century. And finally you will enter in a giant dome where the ice was kept.

Castle of the la Nou del Gaià: if on arriving to the village you do not find the typical medieval castle l, do not worry. The XI century castle transformed during the centuries into a residence of noblemen who among XVII and XIX century adapted the house to their needs. Nowadays you can find the Town Council there.  However it is a recommended stop, because of its nice views and the charming village. There is also a nice picnic area (Els Safarejos) with a playpen and tables. You will arrive to it, following the indications to the public parking place.

Castle of Montornès: the last elements of the castle constructed in the XI century disappeared in the XIX century during the Carlist wars. What you will see is Mas de Solé or Mas del Castell, documented already in the XVII century. It is a simple construction that only can be visited from the outside.

Castle of Creixell: although the most ancient parts of the castle date from the end of the XI century, the majority of the one that today can be seen is from the XVI century. Even though the castle can not be visited, it is worthwhile to make a stop for visiting the old quarter of these village with its four towers that were part of the walls that surrounded the village and the parish church with Gothic, baroque and Renaissance elements.

Sant Miquel de Vespella: on the hill you will find what is left over of the castle of Vespella. (probably of the XI century). Walking to the top you will find a few tunnels excavated in the rock. This are rests of the mediaeval village. Suddenly you will find the small church of Sant Miquel. You have to continue your way towards the top, by taking some stairs which will take to what had been the entrance of the castle. As a curiosity: among the village of Vespella and els Masos de vespella, you will find sculptures that decorate the village.
Castle of Santa Margarida or Montoliu (Castellot): It is a ruin, but a great part of its circular tower is still preserved (XI-XII century).

Castle of Ferran: this village seem a small island. The two streets and the square are really charming when on sunny days the neighbors take out their chairs on the street and chat a while enjoying of some fresh air. Although the interior of the castle can not be visited, have a look at the curiosities of the exterior of this building arealdy mentioned in the documents of the XII century: the phantasmagoric animals of the gargoyles.

Castle of Montserrat (Altafulla): walking through the old quarter of Altafulla you’ll enjoy of its medieval past with its castle of the 11th century and the turrets, doors and ennobled houses of the period of splendor in the XVII and XVIII centuries.

Castle of Tamarit: the original castle of the 11th century was destroyed during the war of the reapers in the 17th century. In the 20th century a reconstruction has been made  keeping some Romanesque and Gothic elements.

Difficulty: easy
Type: linear route (none of the castles can be visited inside)
Distance: aprox. 72 km
Duration: a whole day. It is recommended to do the route in different stretches and days, so that the children won’t pass a whole day in the car.
Recommendations: Even though you’ll take the car, there are some parts where you have to walk, so take good walking footwear with you. When walking to the Castle of Santa Margardida in Castellot, be carfull of the holes, you0ll find on your way.

Photo: © ExploraTgn.cat