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Day 1: Historic Tarragona

Tárraco, this ancient city of the Roman Empire, founded in the 2nd century AD, still preserves the remains of the splendor it once had. It is enough to visit the wall, the amphitheater or the Devil's Bridge to confirm that Roman Tarragona became the second most important city in the empire. Today it is the most important city on the Costa Daurada. Now it's time to put on your helmet! You will go down to a underground cave that will take you through the entire underground of Tarragona. It is not a route that requires excellent physical fitness, but you do have to be somewhat fit to go through its tunnels and catwalks, to go up and down the constant unevenness of the rooms and overcome the three siphons there. Now no one will be able to tell you that you don't know Tarragona in depth.

Day 2: The melodia del Vendrell

The Vendrell is the home of Pau Casals, one of the best cellists of the 20th century. There is his former residence, which has been turned into a museum that reviews the entire work. The sensitivity and virtuosity of Casals' compositions crossed borders to make him a universal artist. After the musical tour, tasting of gourmet wines and vinegars at the winery , in El Vendrell. They have a sweet and sour vinegar that is highly prized by some of the best chefs in the world. Chefs such as Carme Ruscalleda, Joan Roca from El Celler de Can Roca or Juan Mari Arzak use it for its exquisite aftertaste. This sweet and sour vinegar is even served at the Nobel Prize gala dinner that organises in Stockholm.

Do you know what xató is? It is a salad made with escarole, tuna and shredded salted cod, seiton fillets and black and arbequine olives. It is eaten marinated in a sauce made with garlic, small round peppers, toasted almonds, oil, salt and vinegar. Is your mouth watering? Well, in Vendrell you have several restaurants that are part of the Xató Route , which is specialised in preparing this salad. You are in the right place and at the right time to taste it.

After lunch there was a good afternoon to practise some sports on the beach of Cambrils . You choose: sailing, kayaking, paddle-surfing... which one do you fancy?

Day 3: The Cistercian Route

On the third day we we head inland following the Ruta del Cister. It runs through the Alt Camp , the Conca de Barberà and the Urgell and the name is due to the fact that in each of these regions there there is at least one Cistercian monastery. Your destination is Santes Creus , in the High Field It was founded in 1158 and houses the royal tombs of Peter the Great, James II and his wife Blanca d'Anjou, and Admiral Roger de Llúria.

Let's leave the monastery behind for a stop at Montblanc . This is one of those cities that seems possessed by the spirit of Dorian Gray. Oscar Wilde's novel tells that Dorian Gray's obsession with eternal youth leads him to make a diabolical pact: he will remain forever young, but the traces of his physical and moral degradation will be reflected in a portrait made by his friend the painter Basil Hallward.

At Montblanc time stood still in the Middle Ages, and like Dorian Gray it retains the same appearance as it did centuries ago... the streets, the squares, and, of course the city walls show this. It was built by Peter III the Ceremonious in the 14th century and 1.5 kilometres of it are still preserved, with around thirty towers.

Your day will end at Valls . The city, which is also part of the Cistercian Route, is multifaceted. Gastronomy, modernism, the castellar world and calçots all live together here... You will have plenty of reasons to stop there.

Day 4: The origin of Vallbona de les Monges

Resuming the Ruta del Cister is a perfect idea to start the fourth day of the tour. The Monastery of Vallbona de les Monges is the most appropriate place to do this. It is the only female monastery on the entire route and the only one, too, that has continuously preserved the community of nuns for more than 850 years, with the exception of some periods of war. It has played a fundamental role in the creation of the municipality that extends around it and that bears the same name. As a result of the provisions of the Council of Trent, which prohibited the existence of female monasteries in isolated places, the community allowed the construction of houses close to each other until it became the town it is today.

Vallbona de les Monges lives essentially from the cultivation of vineyards and olive trees. The L'Olivera cooperative has been dedicated for 40 years to the production of DO Costers del Segre wine and oil. They do it from a social point of view, since the project is integrated by people with mental disabilities who thus find an opportunity to join the labour market. You can get to know the work they do up close with one of the guided tours they organise throughout the year, and during the olive harvest they also offer you the possibility to discover the production process of the oil. They do it in a very visual way, they show you how they harvest the olives and how they press them in the small micro olive mill they have. The tour concludes with an oil tasting at the winery.

Afterwards, you can take the opportunity to spend the afternoon on wine tourism at Vilosell . At the Tomàs Cusiné winery they will be happy to act as your guide and show you the entire journey that their grapes follow until they become wine: from the vineyard to the production room, passing through the aging room, until reaching the bottling room. You will finish the route toasting with a glass of its excellent wine.

Day 5: The contained simplicity of the Poblet monastery

We arrive at the centre of the route. It's time to say goodbye to the Cistercian Route and we'll do it magnificently: at the Monastery of Poblet . It is one of the largest in Europe and is considered a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The location of the monastery in itself is exceptional, sheltered by the Prades mountains, in a place full of gods and a leafy forest. The interior is even more captivating, with an enormous monastic church with three naves, the Gothic cloister that exudes harmony or the chapter house, in which the light creates suggestive games of shadows. It would almost be a sin to leave without getting close to it.

Further south of Muntanyes de Prades , in Alcover, hides a paradise for the bees. Don't worry, you won't need bug repellant! We propose a excursion accompanied by an expert in the field to tour the surroundings of the town of Alcover and the Glorieta river valley. The final destination will be the beekeeping workshop of Joan Maria Llorenç, where you'll get to taste the sweetest treat!

Still licking your fingers, head towards the Espluga de Francolí . The name of this municipality, Espluga, means cave in Latin, and it is no coincidence. Beneath a part of the urban core extends a large cave of 3,600 metres that contains archaeological remains from various historical stages, ranging from the Paleolithic to the Roman era.

Day 6: The Muslim queen who left her mark on Siurana

Yesterday, the day ended at origins of civilisation, today it will start in nature. Put on your boots and grab your backpack, the Muntanyes de Prades await you! Starting from Farena, the route 'El tragí del moliner' will take you to the green island in the interior of the province of Tarragona with Rafel, the son of the owners of a paper mill. You will see that Prades is nature, it is silence, it is clean air, it is the sound of the water... it is the perfect place to get lost.

Siurana is a fairy-tale town. After Muntanyes de Prades, the next stop on the road couldn't be just anywhere. This small town has an extraordinary location on a cliff that offers views of Montsant that you won't forget! The location made Siurana an impregnable place during the reconquest of Catalonia, to the point that it was the last Catalan stronghold of Muslim resistance. The end of their queen, Abdelazia, was tragic. Before being subjected to the Christians, she preferred to commit suicide from a cliff with her horse. The moment was marked forever in the history of the town because the animal left the footprint of its horseshoe on a rock. Get closer to Siurana and discover where the momentous footprint is.

Walking through this corner of El Priorat, you will have noticed that at its feet lies a large reservoir with the same name as the town, the siurana reservoir . We suggest you go down there and spend the afternoon taking a relaxing kayak ride .

Day 7: Roll among vineyards in Gratallops

" We want bread with oil, we want bread with oil!", sings a traditional Catalan song, which could well be the soundtrack for your day today! An oil tasting awaits you in Vilella Baixa . Then some sport. You take the electric bike in Gratallops to take a wine tour . Your destinations will be the various wineries in the municipality: Álvaro Palacios, Clos de l'Obac, Mas Martinet, Buil & Giné, and the end of the stage will be at the Ripoll Sans winery. The trophy will not be a yellow jersey, it will be a nice glass of DOQ Priorat wine.

You need to recharge your batteries, how about some delicious mountain rice? At the cooking demonstration of Mas Trucafort , at Falset , they will serve it to you on a tray. The paella is prepared with sarment wood and the recipe is based on local products. You won't leave a single grain on the plate! Rest until you have digested well because the adventure park Vies Altes , in Porrera , will put you to the test. All the activities take place in a completely natural environment, with bridges between the trees and dizzying ziplines, up to 180 metres high.

Day 8: Bellmunt del Priorat: mining made culture

In the previous days we looked back to learn about Catalonia's cultural past, the eighth day is the turn to review industrial history. In Bellmunt del Priorat they have the Mining Museum . It is located in the old industrial complex of the Eugènia Mine and is an interpretation centre of lead mining in the Priorat region.

You have already toured vineyards on foot and by bike, now it's time to get on your horse! With tranquility and at a gentle pace, you will visit all the corners of the Celler de Capçanes , from its vineyards to the cellar. At the end of the walk, you will have the opportunity to taste three of their wines.

Day 9: Cambrils beach is not just for sunbathing

The alarm clock will go off early on the ninth day. At seven in the morning you will embark at the port of Cambrils to go fishing . You will spend a whole day accompanying the professional fishermen and even taste the typical seafood dish based on fresh fish and potatoes.

Another very different option is to practise water sports on Cambrils beach . At Estació Nàutica they have a wide variety of activities, from the most classic ones, such as sailing or windsurfing, to the most surprising ones, such as parasailing. This modality was invented in Acapulco and consists of flying over the sea with a huge parachute while being pulled by a speedboat.

We are reaching the end of the route, it's time to relax a bit. The Hotel Termes de Montbrió is one of the most reputable spas in Catalonia. In 2003 it was awarded as the best resort & spa in Europe, and it's well deserved. This thermal paradise is immersed in a magnificent botanical garden of 4 hectares, it is supplied by different springs that flow at temperatures between 41º and 81º C. You are at the gates of a sanctuary of well-being.

Day 10: Culture (Reus) or vertigo (Salou)?

You choose the end of the route: culture or vertigo. Culture is following in the footsteps of the architectural genius Antoni Gaudí from his origins. In Riudoms is the house where he was born and where he found his first sources of inspiration. The Gaudí journey continues in Reus , at the Gaudi Centre , the only interpretation centre about life and work of the artist. It is a must-see for art lovers.

To round off the cultural tour, you will visit the De Muller winery , also in Reus. In addition to wines, they have been producing Iris vermouth since 1850, which you cannot leave without tasting. In case you weren't aware, Reus is the birthplace of Catalan vermouth.

Do you want to know what vertigo feels like? Vertigen is a free fall from a height of 100 metres. Vertigen is doing 8 loops at 110 kilometres per hour. Vertigen is PortAventura . If you want a unique farewell, high adrenaline is guaranteed at PortAventura. What do you prefer? Culture or vertigo?