Lleida

Spend a weekend touring through a region of Catalonia where some of the very best olive oil in the world is produced, as well as the D.O. wine Costers del Segre. Also explore some of the amazing heritage to be seen here, and don't miss the Iberian settlement of La Fortalesa, in Arbeca.
 
OLIVE OIL PRODUCTION

This tour starts at the Agrobotiga Oficina de Turisme in Arbeca, where you can sample the olive oil and visit the cooperative's oil mill and the municipal oil mill of Ca l’Argilés to find out about how olive oil is produced. Take advantage your stay to have lunch in one of the many local restaurants.
 
VINYA ELS VILARS WINE CELLAR

After lunch you could visit the Vinya els Vilars wine cellar that forms part of the Costers del Segre D.O. You can visit the cellar, taste the wines and take a bottle away with you as a present.
 
THE ARBECA IBERIAN SETTLEMENT

After spending the night in Arbeca, you can visit to the Iberian settlement of Fortalesa, which will surprise you on account of its size, the burial ground that surrounds it, and its location. At 12 noon there is guided tour and the opportunity to ask all the questions you have about the settlement.
 
ARBECA

Having finished your tour of the settlement you can have lunch in the village and explore this, the cradle of the olive oil to which it lends its name, made from the arbequina olive. You could take a stroll through the old town and visit the castle and its fortified precinct, or visit the church of Sant Jaume el Major.
 

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For a getaway weekend visit Verdú with its many local ceramic workshops and its impressive Iberian settlement, with reconstructions that faithfully reflect the way it would have looked in its day. And take advantage of your stay to get away from it all and relax in the spa resort of Vallfogona de Riucorb.
 
VERDÚ IBERIAN SETTLEMENT

The route we would like to suggest starts in the town of Verdú, which has an impressive Iberian settlement with the added surprise of having accurate reconstructions of two homes and some ovens to give a really good idea of what life would have been like for its inhabitants, as well as showing how they made their pottery.
 
ARTISAN POTTERY

After lunch go into the town to pay a visit to the Roca Caus or Ceràmica Taller Obert ceramic workshops to see how the local pottery is made. You can try your hand at it yourself. And you could also visit the castle and the Romanesque church of Santa Maria.
 
VALLFOGONA DE RIUCORB

After your visit, take the car to Vallfogona de Riucorb and enjoy the views along the way on the road Ciutadilla that takes you to the village. Here there is a spa resort where you can relax in the peace and quiet of its delightful location while enjoying its spa facilities. It's an ideal place to have dinner and spend the night.
 
THERMAL WATER

After breakfast at the spa, you can continue to enjoy its facilities until it's time to go.


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The monumental complex of the Seu Vella, the University of Cervera and the Manresana Tower are three enclaves that stand out for their shared past: all three were the sites of the War of the Spanish Succession. This is an adventure that you can embark on at the weekend, as only 80 kilometres separate these three historical symbols from one another.
 
MANRESANA TOWER
You might wish to start your route with a visit to  Manresana Tower, the only surviving evidence of the former castle, Castell de la Manresana, which formed part of the defence system of the medieval County of Manresa. Built in the 11^th and 12^th centuries and standing at a height of 21 metres, this tower was used as a watchtower by the Austrian army during the Battle of Prats de Rei in 1711.
 
UNIVERSITY OF CERVERA
Some 30 kilometres separate Prats from Rei from Cervera, where you can visit the University of Cervera. With a striking austerity, this is one of Catalonia’s most beautiful baroque constructions. A symbol of the implementation of the new Bourbon order, this institution of higher education was founded in 1717 by King Phillip V and later became the intellectual heart of Catalonia. Through the years, this university has taken in countless famous students including Narcís Monturiol, Joan Prim and Jaume Balmes.
 
MONUMENTAL COMPLEX OF THE SEU VELLA
The route ends in Lleida, which boasts one of the most striking scenes of all: the monumental complex of the Seu Vella Hill, which is made up of the old cathedral known as the “Seu Vella” (the most eye-catching edifice on the hill), the Castell del Rei (King’s Castle) and Suda, the military fortification, as well as different archaeological remains. It was as of the Bourbon victory in the War of the Spanish Succession that this entire hill became a military complex.
 
GASTRONOMY
If you’d like to try the typical food of these regions, you absolutely must taste the coca de recapte d’escalivada (roasted vegetable flatbread) in Lleida, the perdiu amb farcellets de col (partridge with stuffed cabbage leaves) in Prats de Rei and the bunyols de cigrons (chickpea fritters) in Cervera. Bon appétit!
 
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Have you ever seen the cave complex of Roca dels Moros, in El Cogul? Bearing witness to more than 8000 years of history, for some 5000 years this site was used as a place of worship. It was officially declared World Heritage in 1998 and houses the paintings of the last hunters and gatherers and Neolithic groups. Researchers have also identified inscriptions here dating from the Iberian and Roman periods, although many are illegible. We invite you to delve into the origins of art at El Cogul, and as long s you’re there, be sure to explore the Les Garrigues area!
 
ROCA DELS MOROS CAVE
With 42 painted figures and 260 elements engraved in the stone, Roca dels Moros, in El Cogul, is one of the foremost cave sites in Catalonia. It forms part of the cave art group of the Mediterranean strip on the Iberian Peninsula, which boasts 757 sites with paintings.
 
TOWNS OF TARRÉS AND L’ALBI
A 40-minute car drive from Cogul will bring you to the village of Tarrés. With a population of little over 100, this village is made up of steep, narrow streets flanked by dry stone constructions. Be sure to have a stroll along Carrer de l’Església, see the arcades of Cal Magre and the square with its fountain, Plaça de la Font.  Very close to Tarrés is the town of l’Albí, which sits just at the foot of the ruins of a 12^th-century castle that was later converted into a Renaissance palace, in the late 16^th century.
 
ROMANESQUE CHURCH OF SANT JOAN BAPTISTA IN VINAIXA
Vinaixa is just a few minutes away by car from l’Albí. Here you can visit the small Church of Sant Joan Baptista, the interior of which is very well conserved. Particularly worthy of note are the apse, the wooden choir, the neoclassical and baroque façade, the Virgin Mary’s chapel and small fragments of what was once the old baroque altar, which was burnt down during the war.
 
To make this route complete, we recommend spending a night in the old shepherd’s house, as well as visiting the Parc dels Olors (Park of the Scents), and the wineries Celler Mas Blanch i Jové and the Vinya dels Artistes. For complete information, click here.
 
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We're suggesting you put yourselves in the shoes of the hunters of old who sought gold in the River Segre and find out the history behind this activity and, at the same time, enter the thousand year old city of Balaguer. Want to find gold? Come with us!

MUSEUM OF LA NOGUERA

We'll be visiting one of the most important museums of inland Catalonia where you'll hear about the city's Andalusian history and the importance of the Arab city of Hisn Balagi and gold extraction in the Segre. The gold and fertile land of the plane had a decisive role in the city's growth.

GOLD INTERPRETATION CENTRE

While strolling through the historic centre of Balaguer, we'll arrive at the Gold Interpretation Centre, where we'll find out the secrets of the quest for gold and learn how to separate the straw from the sand.

SEARCHING FOR GOLF IN THE RIVER SEGRE

This is it! It's time to try your luck: with the right equipment and training, we'll enter the river and go looking for gold. We'll need to be patient, though, but we're sure to find the prized metal in the end for you to take back home with you!

TASTE THE FLAVOURS OF THE SECÀ

Wine and olive oil are two of La Noguera's top products. During the itinerary we'll invite you to taste oil made by local producers and wine from the DO Costers del Segre.

ANDALUSIAN LUNCH

You can't leave without relishing an authentic Andalusian meal inspired by old medieval recipes. Did you know that gold is one of the key ingredients! After that, we'll invite you to visit the place where it all started: at the top of the city, we'll find remnants of the old Muslim city.

 

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