One week in the magical Priorat
The best kept secrets of the sensational Priorat region
General overview
What- 1 weeks all inclusive holiday, small groups 2 -8 people, self guided circular route from one village to the next taking in wonderful walks, food and wine in and around the historical, stunningly beautiful Priorat and Montsant regions.
Self guided – Does not mean you will be left to figure things out for yourself, far from it everything will be arranged and clearly explained on a daily basis. When changing hotels luggage will be collected after breakfast and transferred for you to the next hotel.
What to expect – Typical day will start with a good breakfast in the Hotel before setting off for a beautiful hike through a wide variety of truly stunning sceneries, terrains and environments. During the day you will be stopping for a good 3 course lunch of classic Spanish and Catalan dishes in one of the village restaurants and visiting a local wine cellar for tour and tasting. Evening meals usually back at the Hotel.
Where – The Montsant and Priorat region is approximately 30 minutes from Tarragona and Reus, 120km south of Barcelona.
Getting here – Nearest airport is Reus with budget flights from most European countries, alternatively Barcelona Airport is approximately one and half hours by either car or train.
When – Best times to visit is spring, early summer or autumn, April, May, June, September, October.
What to bring – obviously depends on the time of year but generally a small day pack with, water 2 bottles, food/snacks, sun screen, hat, light rain jacket, phone, camera, shorts and light long trousers (to avoid scratching from bushes) ski/hiking pole (optional but sometimes the ground under foot is lose broken up slate which on steep slopes or wet can be a bit slippery).
The Region – This is a truly beautiful area of hills, mountains and water covered in a wide variety of fauna and plants. Nature lovers, especially bird watchers should keep their eyes peeled as there are many
different birds of pray including 3 types of eagle and vultures, whilst in the wooded areas you may also catch sight of the brightly coloured hoopoe and golden oriole. On the ground many different reptiles, snakes, foxes, ferrets and wild boars are known to inhabit the area. Geologically it is also extremely varied and interesting. The Priorat itself is an ancient region steeped in history, the municipality was originally formed by Cathusian monks who arrived in the 12th Century and built the now ruined but impressive monastery of Escaladei, whilst the stunning hamlet of Siurana was the last known settlement of the Moors in the area.
Walking – A good level of fitness is needed, expect to walk 8 – 15 km a day, some fairly steep sections but it´s walking not climbing so nothing that requires any specialist skills or equipment.
The Food – Aregion with a reputation for producing some of Spain’s finest cuisine thanks to a wide variety of fresh, high-quality seafood, meat, poultry, game, fruit and vegetables. Grilled meats, stews and locally made sausages such as butifarra and fuet feature heavily as does seafood dishes often made using locally grown rice from the Delta Ebro or fideua a fine thin noodle. Indeed the two can sometimes be combined in a local equivalent of surf ‘n’ turf known as mar i muntanya, sea and mountain.
The Wine – The DOC Priorat lies slightly south and inland from Tarragona and is one of only 2 wine regions in Spain (the other being Rioja) that Qualify as a DOC (Denominació d’Origen Calificada), the highest qualification for a wine region according to Spanish wine regulations, awarded to regions with the potential to make unique and exceptional wines. It primarily produces powerful reds, which came to international attention in the 1990s. The area is characterized by its unusual terroir of black slate and quarts soil, known locally as llicorella.
