The footprints of industrialisation. A job, a life

From the countryside to the factory. Each job denotes a different life, a unique memory, a past no longer present, but one worth visiting. On this route, we'll discover the lives of those who made cloths, oil, wine, agricultural machinery and so on. Fancy coming with us? 

Day 1

On the hunt for melted ice
Visiting the ice wells in Castellterçol will freeze you in your tracks... almost. Theses are circular stone buildings used between the 17th and 19th centuries; to store snow during the winter in order to transport ice to the city for gastronomic or medicinal reasons. Cal Carabrut and Cal Revitllat are two of the most visited.

The liquid gold of Collbató
Collbató's oil mill opens its doors as a visitor's centre for you to discover and learn about the industry of olive oil in the area, a very rich tradition since the Middle Ages. This village's farmers have passed on their materials and knowledge to give the public a detailed insight into the industry.

Day 2

A revolution in the countryside
J. Trepat factory, in Tàrrega, has 19 premises in which all types of revolutionary agricultural machinery were manufactured. The guided tour is a journey back in time that depicts the day-to-day routine of a factory that became the main agricultural machinery producer in Spain during the second third of the 20th century.

Wines of Bages
If you like wine, Bages is waiting. The local variety is 'picapoll'. Discover it in one of the twelve DO Pla de Bages wine cellars. In early October, the Festa de la Verema del Bages is celebrated in Artés, a perfect opportunity to try out the regional wines and cavas.

Day 3

In the land of the colonies
One of the best ways to discover the textile colonies in the region of Llobregat is by taking the route from Cal Rosal to Balsareny (more than 30 km). Either by mountain-bike or walking, you can visit the Plana colony, the factory of l'Ametlla de Casserres, Cal Vidal or Cal Riera, amongst others. Take it all in as you pass by dense forests, follow rivers paths and discover lovely little nooks and crannies. The Xarxa de Turisme Industrial de Catalunya (XATIC) (Catalonia Industrial Tourism Office) provides all the necessary information, equipment and resources.

Solsona's blade
One of the most prosperous activities in Solsona in the 18th century was the knife industry. Important knife collections from Casafont and Joan Costa can be seen in the regional tourist office. Only the age-old Ganiveteria Pallarès remains standing to this day, but the infamy of Solsona's blades still stretches far beyond the region's limits.