About the place:

If you want to discover how wind and water can model the rocks, pay a visit to the ravine of the Valley in the Nature Reserve of the Ports. In the middle of an impressive landscape you will find some spectacular rocky formations: one beside the other vertically positioned the rocks for a semicircle. A very singular place baptized as the corner of the Priests (el racó dels capellans).

For the children it’s an adventure: a bridge of wood, canals with fresh water, some easy climbing, a cave, a rock with a big hole and giant stones. A curious itinerary to enjoy of a magnificent landscape.  (See photos)

Direction tips:

To arrive at the start point of the route (a wooden bridge), you have to take the TV3421 between the Sénia and Mas de Barberans. Between km 12 and 13 you will find a sign towards the “camí del barranc de la galera”. Take it. You will find the wooden bridge at your right side 4,8km further on the path. At 1,7km you will have to turn towards the right leaving the paved track and following the signs to “Area de lleure de la Vall”. Continue during 3,1 until you arrive at the wooden bridge. You can park the car here. The way is very narrow, so try to park in a way that other cars can still pass.

Cross the bridge and the canalization of water. The impressive pillars of the Corner of the Priests will be waiting for you. As indicated by the sign, continue straigt on to find the Marc Cave (Cova d’en Marc). First you will pass big stones and little by little (always rising) you will go into the bushes of pine and Holm oaks through some narrow paths.  Even though you will find different paths, you always have to follow the one with wooden steps.  At the first fork go towards the left. You will a second fork when the path gets a little more open. Go towards the right following the stairs upwards passing a huge stone. After ten minutes counting from the start of the route, you will arrive to Marc’s Cave (Cova d’en Marc).  There you will find a bench where you can enjoy of the landscape and rest a while, since the path rises for about 10 more minutes. Clim to the cave. On your right side you will find a rock with the inscription: "Racó dels Capellans – Mas de Barberans”. Take the stairs you will find behind this rock. This stretch is quite hard, because it rises a lot. It stops rising when you find a signal which indicates the way to the Forat de la Vella. Follow it and you will find just next to this huge rock with a hole, a bench to rest again. The hole is a suitable frame for the landscape that you will see: simply fantastic!

At this point, you will leave the bushes and go down through a rocky path full of granite until you find the canalization. Follow the canalization of water towards the right until you arrive again at the bridge. (Start and end point of the route).

The best season:

autumn, spring

Lunch tips:

You can continue enjoying the landscape having a picnic lunch at the Vall area, located aprox. 1,3 km from the bridge. You can arrive there by car. You will find some tables, a good space to play football and some wonderful views. If you prefer to have lunch in a restaurant enjoying of the  Ports of Beseit from another perspective, you can go to the  Celler d'en Panxampla in Els Reguers, at aprox. 38 km.

More info:

Difficulty: average
Type: circular route
Duration: aprox. 50 minutes (without stops)
Distance: aprox. 1,1 km
Accessibility: during the first 20 minutes the path is a continuous rising (accumulated rise 140 m). Children from 4 years can climb without problems. Once you start to go down, it’s important you give the children a hand, because you will find a lot of stones, where you can slide.
Recommendations: use good footwear to walk on stones and rocks. Take sufficient water. It is not recommended to make the route in the summer, since the part you go down of the ravine has no shadow. If anyway you go in the summer, avoid the hours of maxim heat; use sun protectors and take a spry to protect yourself of  mosquitoes and insects.

Foto: © ExploraTgn.cat (See more photos)

Type:

Rural house

About the place:

If you want to leave the city and enjoy some days at the country yard, pay a visit Olga and Lluis’ home just outside Amposta. Between fields of rise, mandarin, olive and orange trees,  you will be able to enjoy some days of calmness at the farmhouse with a tower of the 15th century cataloged as a national cultural patrimony. In the morning the children will be able to collect the eggs in the henhouse to prepare breakfast. In the evening you will be able to harvest fresh tomatoes or beans of the vegetable garden for dinner.

The house is very well located if you want to visit the delta ebro Lands and the Nautuarl Reserve of the Ports.  But if you prefer to stay at home, you can enjoy the swimming pool or the living room of the tower with board games, books and an infinity of guides and maps to prepare the itineraries. The children can spend playing hours in the garden where the can find swings, pursue the goat and the hens or play ball. And if it rains or it is cold, they can play at the playhouse full of toys and a special hiding place: a dream for the youngest.

The house has 7 very simple rooms with bath (4 double rooms, 2 triple rooms and 1 fourfold room with TV) and a community zone with living room and dining room. Olga prepares home cooked meals with products of the vegetable garden and fresh fish.

A place to discover the farmer’s life with the children!

Timetable:

Open all the year with the exception of the period between the 24/12 and 7/01.

Price:

High season: fourfold room: 105€; triple room: 76€; double room: 56€. Low season: fourfold room: 100€; triple room: 73€; double room: 53€. Breakfast: adults: 6€; children: 4€. Dinner: adults: 14,5€; children: 8€.

The best season:

winter, autumn, summer, spring

More info:

Location: E0º35'142 - N40º40'062

There are plenty of excursions you can  do:
-    the route of the Marc cave at the Ports (recommended in this weekend special);
-    a tour by bike at the Encanyissada lake
-    During Easter time you can go to Ulldecona and enjoy of one of Catalonian most famous representations of the passion of Christ.

Photo: © ExploraTgn.cat

Type of cuisine:

Traditional Catalan

About the place:

If you expect to find the bandit Panxampla at the restaurant that has his name, you are wrong. Who will be greeting you at the ancient oil mill, will be Ares, the youngest daughter of the Montalà family.  She will offer you a menu full of traditional Catalan dishes prepared with very personal touch, which did not pass unnoticed by the Michelin guide. With the ember in sight, you will be able to attempt to find out which is their secret to prepare some excellent escargots with pepper.

The restaurant is decorated with a lot of taste in a rustic style maintaining the wheel of the antique mill. As a curiosity: an element that can entertain young and old is the scale model of the Oil Mill made by Ares’ father with a lot of patience. And after some curious homemade desserts such as ice cream of balsamic vinegar, of pink pepper or rosemary, the children can play a while at the garden where they can find swings, a toboggan and ropes to drill.

A place where you can enjoy of a fantastic cuisine located just at the beginning of the Ports of Tortosa and Beseit.

The best season:

winter, autumn, summer, spring

Timetable:

Open all the year. From Tuesday to Thursday from 13:00 to 16:00 and from 20:00 to 22:00. From Friday to Sunday from 13.30 to 16:00 and from 20:00 to 23:30. Closed Monday all day and Sunday night.

Kids average menu price:

No children's menu

Adults average menu price:

35-44 €

More info:

Besides a restaurant, the Celler d’en Panxampla is also a rural hotel with 4 luxury rooms with double bed. Price for room included breakfast: 100€. They have baby beds and extra beds for the children (supplement of 30€).

Photo: © El Celler d'en Panxampla