Friday, December 11. 2009
Ruins of the country's first Carthusian priory, Scala Dei, founded in the 13th century.
A visit to the Priorat should not be limited only to wine and olive lovers. History buffs will want to visit the remarkable ruins of the country’s first Carthusian priory, Scala Dei, founded in the 13th century. or the fascinating lead mining museum at Bellmunt. There is also the newly restored Romanesque castle sitting high atop the city of Falset, or the strikingly perched, beautifully preserved stone hamlet of Siurana, one of Catalonia’s most picture-perfect medieval villages and its Moorish stronghold.
For Nature enthusiasts, hiking trails abound in the Parc Natural de la Serra de Montsant.
For accommodations one can now choose from a comfortable full service, family-run 4-star hotel with a vast top floor suite in the region’s capital of Falset, to a small, boldly contemporary boutique inn, a member of Rusticae, in the winery-rich village of Gratallops. There is also the a 5-star luxury Art Nouveau Monument-Spa hotel less than a 20-minute drive away in the village of Capçanes. A cooking school retreat in El Masroig offers programs ranging from a mere 3 days to a week in length.
