Cistercian Route. Culture and hiking

This route combines the chance to see the rich cultural and historic heritage of this inland area and enjoying walks in natural surroundings.  

The three monasteries of the Cistercian Order in the area have leant their name to a tourist attraction which shows you natural and cultural riches of the Tarragona regions of Alt Camp, Conca de Barberà and the Lleida de l'Urgell. This route coincides with the GR 175, a 105 kilometres path, suitable for cyclists, duly signposted and with infrastructures that make the walk more comfortable. In the region of Alt Camp, as well as visiting the Santes Creus monastery, you can also go up to the Roman columbarium of Vila-rodona or the Museu de Valls, the second largest museum of Catalan contemporary art. Continuing west, the Conca de Barberà offers a wide variety of landscapes, where there is no shortage of vineyards and the mountainous area of the Muntanyes de Prades. This region houses the Santa Maria de Poblet monastery, where you can listen to the monks chanting their evening prayer. In l'Alt Urgell, more further inland, is the Vallbona de les Monges monastery, one of the main attractions in the region, where you can also visit the Romanesque Santa María d'Agramunt church and the Palau dels Marquesos de la Floresta de Tàrrega Palace.

Poblet, World Heritage

The Santes Creus monastery, founded in 1168, has been uninhabited since 1835. The monastic life continues in the Santa Maria de Poblet monastery, which, in 1991, was declared World Heritage by Unesco, as well as the Vallbona de les Monges monastery, the only female monastery along the route.