Catalunya Central

A visit to Berguedà can be like time travel because the district has a unique past that can transport you to the industrial Catalonia as it was at the beginning of the 20th century. We would suggest a car journey that you can take over the course of two days to visit the Riutort asphalt mine and the Cercs Mines Museum, as well as taking a trip along the Cement Railway.
 
THE RIUTORT ASPHALT MINE

You could start your tour by visiting the Riutort asphalt mine, which can be reached along the main road that goes from Guardiola de Berguedà to Pobla de Lillet (taking the track there just before the Espelt campsite). This is one of the few underground petroleum mines there are in the world. Two French engineers started work on the perforation of the mine in 1905 but, after 12 years of exploitation, and after digging 350 metres of underground galleries, no more than 500 tons of asphalt had been extracted.
 
CEMENT RAILWAY

Returning again to the main road to Pobla de Lillet, you come to the historic Cement Railway, a line that used to run from the former Asland cement factory in Castellar de n’Hug to Guardiola de Berguedà. Its current route takes approximately 20 minutes and passes through four stations: La Pobla de Lillet, La Pobla Centre, Jardins Artigas (designed at the beginning of the 20th century by Antoni Gaudí) and the Castellar de n'Hug Cement Museum. You could spend the night in one of the hotels or country houses in Guardiola de Berguedà, or Cercs.
 
SANT CORNELI COAL MINES

The following day you could visit the Sant Corneli coal mines in the municipality of Cercs. The Colònia de Sant Corneli, a company town, formed part, together with the neighbouring company towns of Sant Josep La Consolació, of the largest mining centre in Catalonia. The mines were exploited by the Carbones de Berga, S.A. company, which was founded in 1911 and remained active until 1991. Today you can find out more about the history of these mines at the Mines Museum in Cercs, which is devoted entirely to the mining of coal and which is located in the former company town of Sant Corneli. Guided tours inside the mine are also available.

BERGUEDÀ CUISINE

Having finished your visit, drop down into Berga for a good lunch. Some of the region's local specialities are pèsols negres (black peas) and patates emmascarades (a kind of bubble-and-squeak or hash). Bon profit!


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During the 19th century Catalonia, like other European countries, underwent a process of industrialisation. In our country the textile industry was the driving force behind this process, and the river Ter was a key element of it. We invite you to visit the museum of the river Ter and the industrial heritage surrounding Manlleu to discover more about the industrial past of the district of Osona, near the river.
 
MUSEUM OF THE RIVER TER AND CAN SANGLAS

The museum of the river Ter is located in the building that was formerly occupied by the Can Sanglas cotton spinning mill, one of the first factories to be built on the banks of the river in Manlleu, at the end of almost two kilometres of the Manlleu industrial canal, one of the most iconic from the period of Catalan industrialisation. You can see how a Fontaine hydraulic turbine works, and learn more about the unique process of industrialisation in this part of Catalonia.
 
THE RUSIÑOL COMPANY TOWN OF CAN REMISA

This company town has its origins in 1866, when the Remisa industrialists became established here. Later on, in the 1870s, Santiago Rusiñol's grandfather bought Can Remisa in order to turn it into Jaime Rusiñol's cotton mill, the Fábrica de Hilados y Tejidos de Algodón. It is located on the main road from Manlleu to La Gleva, and of the owner's house and gardens can be visited. The building is a cross between Romanesque and Modernista architecture.
 
TECLA SALA “LA BLAVA”

In Roda de Ter, 10 minutes by car from Manlleu, is the former Tecla Sala e Hijos textile mill, which was built during the early years of the 20th century. It is popularly known as La Blava on account of its blue colour. The poet Miquel Martí i Pol once worked here and the building spans the divide between the arts and industry.


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Many municipalities around Catalonia organise fairs and markets to coincide with the public holidays, held on 6 and 8 December, as part of the build-up to Christmas. Berga has a Toy and Christmas fair, Espinelves has a Christmas tree market and in Solsona there is the Tió, or Christmas gift-bearing log, Fair.
 
BERGA TOY AND CHRISTMAS FAIR

The Berga Toy and Christmas fair is, as its name would suggest, centred around toys and games. On 6 December the Passeig de la Indústria is filled with Christmas stalls and games are played in the street: rolling the hoop, skittles, Catalan baseball, and swingball are just a few of them. All in all, a very playful visit, and one that will help fill the Christmas stockings!
 
ESPINELVES CHRISTMAS TREE FAIR

The village of Espinelves is located in the middle of Catalonia's largest forest and is well-known for its famous Christmas trees. The Christmas Tree Fair is held from 1 to 9 December and is a fine place to buy one. The most popular varieties in the area, Masjoanis and Picea Excelsa, are sold with their roots in soil and can be replanted. As well as Christmas trees you will also find stalls selling arts and crafts items, local food and drink specialities and there are also exhibitions and other activities.
 
THE SOLSONA TIÓ CHRISTMAS GIFT-BEARING LOG FAIR

The Fira del Tió is held on 8 December in the Plaça Major in Solsona and, from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m. there are lots of Tió-related activities for families such as an exhibition of tiós, an exhibitions of cribs and nativity scenes, carol singing, games and classes where you can learn how to make Christmas sweets. At the end of the day the lights on the Christmas tree are turned on.


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In two days you can explore Sallent and it Iberian settlement, Cogulló. And enjoy the peace and quiet of a stay at the Món Sant Benet, where you can appreciate its medieval and Modernista heritage.
 
THE COGULLÓ IBERIAN SETTLEMENT

Start your weekend in the municipality of Sallent. In the morning you could take an excursion in the form of a round trip that encompasses the town and then goes up to the Cogulló settlement, the only Iberian settlement in the area, and one that is remarkable because of its grandeur. The visit takes an easy route and lasts for about three hours. There is also access by car.
 
SALLENT

After visiting the settlement you could have lunch in Sallent and then go on to discover aspects of its heritage such as the Casa Museu Torres Amat and the Antiga Biblioteca Popular, the first public library to be built in the province of Barcelona by the Catalan Commonwealth, an assembly of councillors known as the Mancomunitat de Catalunya.
 
MÓN SANT BENET

In the evening take the car to Món Sant Benet, just 10 minutes away from Sallent, to have supper and spend the night. Here you will find peace and quiet in an idyllic setting, with modern facilities and every creature comfort.
 
GUIDED VISITS

The next day you could spend enjoying all the attractions of Món Sant Benet and the guided visits that we suggest. It is an enchanting and marvellous place in a peaceful and quiet setting, with the added attractions of having a medieval and Modernista heritage.


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Why not take a tour through the district's industrial heritage? There are saltworks, saw mills, flour mills, ice houses and much more besides. And they all tell the story of the first industrial production in Catalonia.
 
SOLSONA ICE HOUSE

In the 18th century ice became a product of primary necessity and it became necessary to build new ice houses in order to store it and ensure a regular supply. The Pou del Portal in Solsona has a diameter of 8 meters and is 9 1/2 m tall. It was used to store ice from Bòfia, in Port del Comte, and from the river Negre. Today, because of its excellent restoration and conversion into a museum, it is one of the finest examples in Catalonia for understanding the procedures that were used for the storing and marketing of ice.
 
SALÍ DE CAMBRILS

A 40-minute car ride from Solsona takes you to the Cambrils saltworks, which were in production until 1963. It is located in the municipality of Odèn. Salt production started there in 1780, taking advantage of the emergence of salt water from the Ribera Salada. Part of the complex has recently been restored. You can take a guided tour to find out more about how the saltworks used to work and the process for extracting salt, or you can enjoy some of the therapeutic activities available around the salty water. There are also five mills, two salt mills, a flour mill, a fodder mill and a grain peeler.
 
THE SAWMILL AND FLOUR MILLS OF THE VALL D’ORA

Water-powered flour mills, for which documentary evidence exists from the 12th century, form a central part of the economic and social activities of the Solsonès and Berguedà districts. Today, just half-an-hour's ride from Solsona, you can visit the restored Molí de Ca l’Ambròs in Navès, in the Vall d’Ora, as well as the sawmill with its adjacent vertical wheel, the medieval bridge over the river Aiguadora and the former school of the Vall d’Ora, where there is now a small ecomuseum.


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The castle of Cardona has dominated the highest point in the municipality since the 9th century, an ideal location for controlling the valley of the river Cardoner and the salt mines. Between the 11th and 15th centuries it was the residence of the lords of Cardona, but its importance as a residence gradually declined as it became, instead, a strategic stronghold. In 1714, the castle of Cardona was the last fortress to surrender to the Bourbon troops in 1714, during the War of the Spanish Succession.

Today, Cardona's three main features, the castle, the salt mines and the town itself are all of great interest.
 
CARDONA CASTLE AND THE COLLEGIATE CHURCH OF SANT VICENÇ

Cardona castle was built in 886 on the orders of Guifré el Pilós (Wilfred the Hairy), but it reached the peak of its splendour during the 11th to 15th centuries when it was the residence of the lords of Cardona, the “rich salt lords”. Some of the most noteworthy parts of the visit include the Torre de la Minyona, the Pati Ducal and the defensive bastions. It is here that you will also find one of the jewels of the early Catalan Romanesque, the collegiate Church of Sant Vicenç, built in the 10th century to serve a community of canons.
 
CARDONA'S HISTORIC CENTRE

You could start your visit of the town at the Medieval Cardona Centre located in the Plaça de la Fira, in front of the Town Hall. It provides an historical explanation of the evolution of the town and the castle, from their origins to the construction of the walled precinct. You could also follow a guided tour around the most interesting sites such as the Plaça de la Fira, the Plaça del Mercat, the Plaça de Santa Eulàlia and the parish church of Sant Miquel.
 
THE SALT MOUNTAIN CULTURAL PARK

From 1929 until 1990 this was one of the most important potassium salt mines in the world, the Mina Nieves de Cardona. Today it is a great cultural facility for the dissemination of knowledge about salt and the salt outcrops in Cardona, a unique place in the world. You'll also have the opportunity to take a guided tour, or to see a dramatisation intended mainly for families.

If you would like to go on all three visits you can do so with a Cardona Ticket, which includes all three visits for a single price. You can buy the tickets online from 'entrades.cardonaturisme.cat' or at the tourist office, the Medieval Cardona Centre, Cardona Castle or the Salt Mountain Cultural Park.


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Here are a series of possible getaways in the district of Anoia, where some of the most important figures in our history lived. You can find the routes using the Anoia, Terra de Castells, or Anoia, Land of Castles, app.

The first takes you to the settings that formed the backdrop against which the heirs of Guifré el Pilós defended the land against Abd Al-Malik and the caliphate of Cordova. Guifré II of Cerdanya, Ermessenda of Carcassone, Guerau de Jorba, Abbot Oliva, Guillem de Balsareny, Ramon Folc I and Bernat Amat of Claramunt were some of the nobles, bishops and warriors who took up the mantle from Guifré el Pilós in what is today the district of Anoia.
 
JORBA CASTLE

As you leave Igualada you could stop first at Jorba castle. This castle was one of Guerau de Jorba's many properties. He was a wealthy man who, at the age of just 20, became the count of Barcelona's personal counsellor. You can find out about the whole story of the castle, and there is a guided tour around the exterior upon request.
 
THE MANRESANA TOWER

After visiting Rubió castle, where you can find out about the life of Ramon Folc I, and Segur castle, where you can find out about the Claramunt family, you will come to Manresana castle. The wall's foundations are all that is left today, along with a room and the tower, which was renovated in the 12th century. When Bernat Guifré de Balsareny died, his possessions, this being amongst them, passed to his widow, Guasca.
 
SANT ESTEVE CASTLE

In 1003, the count of Barcelona, Ramon Borrell, led an expedition to Lleida, which met defeat at the battle of Albesa after Abd al-Malik's response was to send 17,000 men, resulting in the destruction of Castellolí. Three years later, when Abd al-Malik wanted to attack again, Guifré II had already learned the lesson. You can find out how the story ends at Sant Esteve castle, the property of the counts of Cerdanya, in Castellfollit de Riubregós.
 
BOIXADORS CASTLE

Before you arrive in Sant Pere de Sallavinera, where Boixadors castle is located, you could stop off at Calonge castle, where Arnulf, the bishop of Vic, and the brother of the viscount of Osona-Cardona and Calaf, died. At Boixadors castle you can find out what became of Eribau, the viscount and bishop of Urgell.
 
To find out more about all the histories mentioned here you can use the Anoia, Terra de Castells (Anoia Land of Castles) app during the course of your visit. You can download it for iOS and Android.


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Monks, troubadours and even legendary characters such as Count Arnau. We are in the heart of Catalonia, a land full of history and evidence of the past. Extraordinary monasteries, fortresses located in unlikely places and caverns that were home to farmers up to the beginning of the last century. Discover some of the hidden corners of Ripollès and Osona!

 

THE MONASTERY OF SANT PERE DE CASSERRES

Located within a very pronounced meander of the river Ter, now half surrounded by the Sau reservoir, Casserres is the only monastery of the Benedictine order found in the county of Osona. The main instigators of Sant Pere de Casserres were two women, the Viscountesses Ermetruit and Engúncia in the early 11th century. It is considered to be a monastery of legend... find out why.

 

TARADELL CASTLE

If you suffer from vertigo, don't get too close to the remains of Taradell castle: situated at 800 metres above sea-level, over a cavern, if you visit, you'll have the Vic plain at your feet... The castle was designed as a defence and a lookout, and was never the residence of the Lords of Taradell who lived in the Casal 'Espinzella.

 

THE TEIXIDOR CAVES

The Teixidor Caves, in the middle of the forest, were used as dwellings by many farmers from Ripollès and Osona until well into the 20th century. Thus, there are still remains of buildings in the midst of some spectacular cliffs.

 

THE MONASTERY OF SANTA MARIA DE RIPOLL

The monastery of Santa Maria de Ripoll needs little introduction: an artistic and cultural centre of the highest order during the Middle Ages, it is, at the same time, one of the greatest examples of the Romanesque architecture from the 11th century.

 

MUSEU EPISCOPAL DE VIC

Although it specialises in liturgical art, painting and sculpture, the collection of the Episcopal Museum of Vic, with more than 29,000 pieces, is particularly noted for its magnificent collection of medieval art: you can find masterpieces of paintings and sculptures from the Romanesque and the Gothic periods. An unmissable visit!

 

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Some of these include internationally-successful films and TV series. Why have we chosen these? Because they were filmed in iconic sites and monuments of our heritage. An offering devoted especially to cinema lovers who want to visit the settings for some of their favourite films. Shh, it's starting!

 

‘Game of Thrones’

The HBO series has made people fall for Girona. In the next series, it looks like we'll be seeing sites like the Monestir de Sant Pere de Galligants and the Call Jueu. Have you been part of the casting?

‘Todo sobre mi madre’

The Oscar-winning film by Pedro Almodóvar shows Barcelona through the unique lens of the director from La Mancha. The Cemetery of Montjuïc was the site of one of the most moving scenes.

‘El perfum’

Who hasn't read the novel or seen the film? El perfum is one of the big stories of the last few years: even though it was set in Paris, Ferran street in Barcelona was one of the settings shot.

‘Vicky Cristina Barcelona’

This 'cinematic' tour was all Woody Allen: from the Finca Güell to the Fundació Miró, Vicky Cristina Barcelona takes us on a tour of the city's most iconic monuments.

‘Campanades a Mitjanit’

Orson Welles needed a setting as big as him. That's why one of the settings he chose was the Castell de Cardona.

‘Manuale d’amore 2’

A football match with Barcelona's Arc de Triomf in the background. You can see the Barça strip included.

 

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In summer, far from closing their doors, the museums of Catalonia organise all sorts of activities and exhibitions targeted specifically at the little ones. A varied offering throughout the whole region to learn and have fun as a family. Here’s a little taster:

 

MNAT

Through the activity Vacances a Tarraco the whole family will turn into explorers and find out what life was like in the Roman city. Where will your expedition take you?

MAC Barcelona

This summer, take the chance to "iberitzar-vos" as a family. MAC Barcelona is organising workshops to find out about the Iberian people and culture. Do you want to dress up like the Ancient Iberians or try out their writing system? Send us your Iberian family photo.

Museu Marítim Barcelona

If you're an adventurous family, we suggest you take the journey Viatge al fons del mar en batiscaf. Using a simulation of digital planetary machines at the Museu Marítim de Barcelona, you can plunge to the depths of the sea and get to know what lives there. No need to put on your swimming costume!

Museu Episcopal de Vic

The MEV invites you into the Espai el cel pintat to discover fantastic medieval personalities for you to paint, draw etc.

Teatre-Museu Dalí

Within the framework of the Festival Acústica in Figueres, the Dalí Theatre-Museum is organising the activity Acustiqueta. Are you ready to create surrealist birthday celebrations? An opportunity to show off your family's creativity.

 

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