Art and war. Following the tracks of Picasso and the Civil War

Les Terres de l'Ebre has seen humanity at its best and worst. Art in its most revolutionary form, but also bombs dropped, trenches, shelters and so on. Relive the remains that have shaped the authentic character of these lands. 

Day 1

Fairytales
Allow yourself to be amazed by the history of the small town of Siurana and its castle, the leading stars in tales of never-ending sieges and impossible conquests. You only have to take a look at the hill surrounding it to understand why it was such a difficult territory to conquer and why it met such a tragic end. A lovely stroll through charming houses and cobbled streets will transport us to a fairytale world. 

Burdened by bombs
Due to its strategic location and its production of chloratite, a powerful explosive, Flix was one of the most punished towns of the bloody Battle of the Ebre. You can now visit one of the bomb shelters constructed to seek refuge from all the barbarity. 

Day 2

The Battle of the Ebre, today
In the company of Rutes Borrell, you'll head off from La Faratella and relive the events that scarred these lands during the Battle of the Ebre. The trip is taken on a 4x4. The longest tour, lasting 8 hours, includes a visit to the Centre d'Interpretació - a museum describing the battle - as well as a lunch. Journey through these symbolic reconstructions and relive the dark days of the war. 

La Horta, pure Picasso
Horta de Sant Joan was where Picasso became inspired, where he created, and as a lover of these lands, became one of the people. These days, the old hospital is now the Centre Picasso, premises exhibiting reproductions of all the works, painted here, as well as in Barcelona and Paris, that were devoted to his beloved Horta. If you want to take a trip through it all, try out some mountain biking through the Via Verda ('Greenways') de la Terra Alta. 

Day 3

Age-old brush strokes
The rock art will transport you to an ancient world as soon as you lay eyes on it. Take a look in Abrics de l'Ermità, Ulldecona. You'll marvel at one of Catalonia's oldest hunting scenes; its style tells a most natural story, don't forget to take a take a look at the simplistic and fine detail of the hairstyles, clothes and bows. 

Flying over the battle
A visit to Sènia's airfield is absolutely essential to truly understand how the Battle of the Ebre took place. The olive groves in question were the ideal place for planes to set off to attack the Aragon front. The route includes a tour of the bomb shelter, the control room and a documentary: Between enemy lines.