07 - AMONG THE VINEYARDS BESIDE THE RIVER GAIÀ
The Gaià valley covers an area that is often little known, from its source at Santa Coloma de Queralt, among cliffs and mountains, to its mouth at the sea near Altafulla. In its middle reaches it waters the agroforestry mosaic of the Alt Camp, where fields of vines, almond and cherry trees and olive groves spread across the rolling terrain.
- Distància
- 9.5 km
- Desnivell
- +100 m
- Durada
- 3 h (walking time)
- Dificultat
- beginner level - green
- Senyalització
- Alt Camp regional path network signposting, GR-172
Description
On this hike you will walk through carefully cultivated and lively countryside, linking the village of Bràfim, the starting point, with Vilabella along the old cart track, and Montferri, after crossing the River Gaià and its important riverside woodland. Along the way you can visit emblematic places such as the sanctuary of the Mare de Déu de Montserrat in Montferri or the hermitage of the Mare de Déu del Lloret in Bràfim. The more adventurous can climb to the well-known Torre del Moro in Montferri.
After taking in a landscape shaped since Roman times, you can enjoy its fruits: get ready to taste wines, cavas and craft beers!
Technical information
Distance: 9.5 km
Elevation gain: +100 m
Duration: 3 h (walking time)
Difficulty level (colour): beginner level - green
Signposting: Alt Camp regional path network signposting, GR-172
The Mare de Déu de Loreto (or Lloret) is a neo-Romanesque hermitage on the edge of the village, at the top of the Puigrodó hill, protected as a Cultural Asset of Local Interest. The Modernista architect Josep Maria Jujol left his mark on the pool and the outer fountain, which you will find decorated with a metal duck made from industrial scrap, in his style of humble, popular art.
It is one of the most imposing Modernista temples on the Costa Daurada, rising on a 50-metre hill amid a sea of vineyards in Montferri, in the Alt Camp. Designed by the architect Josep Maria Jujol in the image and likeness of the mountains of Montserrat, the sanctuary's plan, seen from the air, takes the shape of a ship pointing towards Montserrat. Construction began in 1925, but work had to be halted because of the Civil War, resuming in 1989 and finishing a decade later, in 1999. In Montferri you can also climb the Torre del Moro, a monument protected as a Cultural Asset of National Interest, standing on top of the Torre Grossa ridge. From the fortification, which served as a sentinel tower, there is a fine panorama of the Alt Camp.
Vilabella offers various options for family enjoyment, such as the guided tours of different attractions in this small town in the Alt Camp. One is a visit to the Vila Closa, the votive chapels and the Pinacoteca museums, run by the Fundació Mn. Romà Comamala, and the Rural Life museum, with an important collection of fossils.