Land of wines and mountains

The Montsant mountains, about 40 km from Cambrils. They are a true symbol of Priorat and the regions of Tarragona due, above all, to the strength of their landscape.

This mountain range is located in the Priorat region, known worldwide for its wines. The vine began to be cultivated in the region precisely due to the arrival of the Carthusian monks from France in the 12th century. This is how the Scala Dei Charterhouse was born, one of the main attractions of the region and the first charterhouse in Spain.

Today you can visit the remains of the charterhouse, and also the museum that explains its history and importance for the region. Escala Dei has many good restaurants where you can eat. The spiritual relationship that men have maintained with Montsant for centuries has given it a very special status. That is why the Montsant mountains are home to 9 hermitages, including the hermitages of a de Mare de Deu del Montsant, Santa Magdalena and Sant Bartomeu.
One of the towns that enjoy the greatest vitality in the area is Cornudella de Montsant, the nerve center of the region where you can visit the cooperative, have a coffee in one of its numerous bars or buy some local gastronomic specialty.

For its part, Priorat is a region located between Camp de Tarragona and Tierras del Ebro, whose capital is Falset. Known worldwide for the wines it produces both from the Priorat Qualified Designation of Origin and the Montsant Designation of Origin. Quality wines with a high gradation. Its towns and lands are home to numerous wineries that produce wines full of care and passion for oenology. That is why walking through its small roads while enjoying the landscape and getting lost in any of its towns is a great pleasure; stopping to taste the wines produced by dozens of families in the region is a great little luxury for wine lovers. World-famous winemakers such as Álvaro Palacios or the well-known Catalan singer Lluís Llach produce wines in the region.

In addition to its wines and everything related to them, it is worth noting the town of Siurana, a beautiful location located 737 meters above sea level on a huge limestone rock. The town offers a great panoramic view of the Ciurana river and its reservoir as well as the Sierra del Montsant. This town was the last belonging to the Taifa kingdoms reconquered in all of Catalonia in 1153. This is the origin of a beautiful legend of the jump of the Moorish queen, according to which it is said that Queen Abd-el-Azia preferred to jump off the cliff on horseback rather than fall prey to the Christians. You will be able to see, even today, the footprint that the horse left engraved on the rock before jumping.

For more information: Priorat Tourism