Priorat Walking trip
Priorat Walking
- Culinary & Wine Travel
Overview
Priorat is the name of a wine and also the name of this hidden land of slate soils. The soil, the terrain and the scarcity of water in this mountainous region make survival difficult. The grapevines produce fruit of a special character becauae of these at times inhospitable conditions. Taste the wines and you will understand the land.This small region of only 500 square kilometers has two protected Denominations of Origin (DOs): the DOC Priorat which occupies the central part and corresponds to the land of dry slate soils, and the DO Montsant, which forms a ring around the Priorat region, whose soils contains more clay than slate.
This vacation will allow you to savor the essence of the Priorat, through half-day walking tours among the vineyards and afternoon visits to the different wineries in each town.
At night, the lodgings, chosen for their quality, offer you a taste of the local cuisine.
Itinerary & details
Day 1 - El Molar
Pick-up at the train station in Falset and travel to hotel in El Molar.
Welcome to El Molar and to Mas Perxe.
In the afternoon, an introduction with a first wine tasting of the Montsant DO.
Overnight and dinner at Mas Perxe.
Day 2 - El Molar to Gratallops
dist. 11 km; approx. 3h 20m; cumulative altitude: 480 m
We start the week at El Molar, at the western end of the Priorat appellation (DO), not far from the Ebro river. Our route ascends to reveal the panorama of the lands we will walk through: a sea of hills covered with grapevines and forest. We descend until we reach El Lloar, and go on to Gratallops.
In the afternoon, you visit one of the two wineries in town (according
to availability): Cal Cecilio or the Cooperativa Agrícola.
Lodging and dinner at Hotel Cal Llop, a comfortable restored townhouse with a restaurant serving modern cuisine.
Day 3 - Scala Dei to Gratallops
dist 11.26 km; approx. 3h 35m; cumulative altitude: 456 m
Transfer in van to Escaladei–the ruins of the Cartuja de Escala Dei–in the morning, where we start our walking at the foot of Montsant or the sacred mountain. Both the name and the main activity of the region come from the Carthusian monks who began farming the land and planting grapes for making wine.
While passing through the town of Escaladei, we stop by a historic shop for a tasting of the local wine and olive oil.
On our way to Gratallops we follow a historic road along a magnificent crest, with views of Montsant and of the slate terrains, which long ago connected the priory of Escaladei with the Vilella Alta. We continue on to the Consolació hill to descend towards Gratallops.
Lodging and dinner at the Hotel Cal Llop in Gratallops.
Día 4 - Gratallops to Torroja
dist. 9.80 km; approx 2h 45m; cumulative altitude: 421 m
The wide landscapes of Gratallops will lead to the hidden town of
Torroja del Priorat, which barely tries to show itself, sitting on top
of a small rock outcropping. The connection is through the old road
that joined the two towns.
In the afternoon, enjoy a wine tasting. Lodging and dinner at historic Cal Compte, a restored 19th century mansion. We can arrange a private cooking class at Cal Compte with a professional chef.
Day 5 - Torroja to Porrera
dist 11 km; approx. 3h 10m; cumulative altitude: 485 m
The route today takes us from Torroja del Priorat through a combination of roads and trails to Porrera, one of the few towns sitting at the bottom of a hidden valley.
Winery visit and tasting at Celler Giner Sanvaqué.
Lodging and dinner at the rural tourism establishment La Icona del Pont Vell.
Day 6 - Porrera to Poboleda
dist. 9.70 km; approx. 2h 45m; cumulative altitude: 410 m
At Porrera we have two options: the first one is to walk during the
morning by following the roads used by the monks and visit the wineries
in Poboleda and return to Porrera by car.
The second is to enjoy a spa session at our lodging. For those who want it all, it is possible to walk in the morning and enjoy the spa in the afternoon (spa supplement applies in this case).
Visit to a winery in Porrera. Lodging and dinner at the rural tourism establishment La Icona del Pont Vell
Day 7 - Porrera to Falset
dist. 7.20 km; approx. 2h 15m; cumulative altitude: 310 m
The last walk will allow us to visit Falset, the “capital” of the
area. Falset is an active town of 4,000 people, and has very special
ties to the culture of wine.
You return to your lodging by taxi. Lodging and dinner at the peaceful rural tourism establishment Mas Ardèvol.
Day 8 - Return to Barcelona
A taxi picks you up and takes you to the Falset train station to catch the train to Barcelona or Valencia.
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