Trekking to Siurana de Prades (with kids)

The trekking: going up

We did this circular route from Wikiloc, beginning from the parking area of the Siurana reservoir.

The is a path 13 km long, with 388 m of total ascent. The kids, aged 8 and 10, followed without problems, happy to see the marvelous landscapes from the top of the cliff.

The ascent is at the end a bit harder, but once in Siurana village there are restaurants and a hostel to have lunch or take a rest.

The unassailable castle of Siurana

Siurana de Prades is one of the most beautiful villages in the province of Tarragona.
It is located at the top of an escarpment, at 737 meters above sea level in the Prades Mountains. It is flanked by peaks over a thousand meters high, belonging to the Catalan region of Montsant.

Although Siurana has a long history since Iron Age, it becomes important during the Muslim occupation, between the years 869 and 1154, when it was the last bastion in the reconquest of Catalunya by the Christians.

From this historical episode comes a legend saying that when the Moorish queen Abd-el-azia realized she would be defeated decided to jump down the cliff riding her horse rather than being captured by the Christians. Although the queen covered the animal's eyes to prevent him to stop by fear, the horse felt the danger and in resistance left on the rock the footprint of the horseshoe that can be seen in the escarpment named "El salto de la reina mora" (The jump of the Muslim queen).

The trekking: going down

The path down is towards Siurana river, through the Mediterranean forest that fills the entire hillside until we arrive where the river becomes the reservoir.

Once in the river the path is a little blurred, but knowing you must go to the dam by the left side of the river, soon appears the mountain track used by the reservoir maintenance service and leading right to the dam and the park area.

In warm seasons, you may like taking a bath in the Siurana river!

Here is another circular route starting at the same point but easier since it doesn't go up to Siurana village. The route takes the tour to the reservoir, 11 km long and 213 m of slope, a better option if you are travelling with young children.

Climbing

Siurana is a well-known site for climbing enthusiasts, with more than 200 routes and a large history of welcoming fans of this sport.

The style of climbing varies considerably, and although most routes are pocketed stamina climbs, there are plenty of short and intense lines to get to grips with. The grades vary from 5a to 9a+. (Siurana is home to the famous "La Rambla", a 9a+ route).

How to arrive

Given that Siurana is a little village in a top of a mountain, the best way to arrive is by taxi or by car from the bigger cities around:

Reus (32 km): airport, train and bus connections.

Tarragona (42 km): TGV train and bus connections.

Barcelona (138 km): airport, TGV train and bus connections.

You will get more options of transport, accomodation and shops in Cornudella del Montsant rather than in Siurana. To get there by bus the line is Reus - Cornudella - Morera de Montsant, operated by Autocars Plana.  

The volcanic area of La Garrotxa

The capital of the region named La Garrotxa is Olot, a city with almost 35.000 inhabitants located at 50km from Girona.

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It is recommended to visit first the Museum of Volcanoes, in the middle of Parc Nou, where you can spend a good time in the botanical gardens.

The tour takes less than two hours and it allows visitors to locate every point of interest in the surroundings, besides remembering or deepen in the geological concepts involved in the formation of volcanoes.

The volcanic region of La Garrotxa was declared Natural Park in 1982, as a political response to public and scientific demands to safeguard the quarantine of volcanic cones and more than twenty basaltic lava flows. 

In the surroundings there are many paths, cycling and walking trails, for example the volcanoes' circuit, a round trip walk that takes 3 hours and begins just on the Museum location or La Ruta del Carrilet, a cyclist path on an old railway.

For more info, volcanoes have their own facebook page (in catalan), or contact us.

Another unforgettable visit in the area is La Fageda d'en Jordà, a beech forest born above a lava flow of Croscat Volcano, always spectacular, especially in autumn,where you can have a fun time walking through the cracks opened on the floor.