Walk among castles and vineyards

00:00 h. We start walking in search of the GR-171. As soon as we begin, the GR crosses over a private property and it is not uncommon for the owner to stop us from passing and release his dogs, so the ideal solution is to find the path that goes from the left front side of the hermitage and allows us to quickly rejoin the main route. We then hike through a pine forest.

00:25 h. We reach Castillo de Milmanda, owned by Bodegas Torres. We enter the courtyard of the old fortified farm and take a brief look inside the building. Until recently a guided tour was offered, which allowed you to taste the wines produced on the property. We leave the castle following the red and white markings of GR-171.

00:45 h. We take a small detour, moving a few metres off of the GR to reach the fuente de Sant Bernat (fountain). We make a quick stop and return to the GR. We walk alongside the Torres family vineyards.

01:25 h. We arrive at the Real Monasterio de Santa María de Poblet, declared a Unesco World Heritage Site. Although it is well worth a visit, this is not included in our day’s itinerary. We leave the abbey on road T-700 and go down the first path on the right. We again find ourselves walking next to vineyards as we travel west.

01:40 h. Fork in the road. We can continue straight on along the path (this is the best option if you do not have GPS), which is the most direct route to Riudabella. The other option is to turn right and walk through a field of fruit trees in search of a trail that goes parallel with the Riu Sec river. We choose this last option (be warned, this trail is quite confusing).

02:10 h. We leave the path that goes through the orchard and we take the somewhat confusing trail that goes parallel to the Riu Sec.

03:00 h. We start to see the first Riudabella vineyards and we can see the castle in the distance.

03:15 h. Arrival at the Castillo de Riudabella. The castle is situated in a unique landscape, surrounded by vineyards. It has been an Iberian tower, a Roman villa, a fortified farm, among others. In 1841 it was acquired by the current family owners, who have restored it. During the wine lovers tour, we discover a place with a very rich history we get a chance to taste the wines produced on the property. Tour, wine tasting and finger food: € 15 (1:30 h).

04:45 h. We exit the castle onto a path heading in northerly direction. If we stay on this path, we well get to road TV-7002, if we then head north along this road, we will find our way back to the cars. The other option is to cross an olive grove and join a parallel trail that will take us straight back to the hermitage where we began our route.

05:15 h. Arrival back at the Ermita dels Torrents.

Note: The times are always approximate. Undertaking the route by yourself or doing so as part of a large group, can significantly change the sector times and the final total.  

Discover wineries by walking through some wonderful landscapes.