Castellet de Banyoles in Tivissa is one of the most important Iberian settlements in Catalunya. It is situated on a strategic spot from where to watch the river Ebre, on its left shore, from where you have a glance of the so-called Cubeta de Mora. On this spot, an Iberian settlement was established on a surface of 4.4 Ha. Later, a small medieval castle was built on the same place.
Apart from its historic interest, the views over the Ebro River are breathtaking.
Santa Marina is one of the most renowned shrines in the South of Catalunya. For centuries pilgrimages were organized with thousands of pilgrims, most of them, looking for a partner. The popular believe said that Santa Marina helped the single women to find a husband.
Beyond the popular legend, the medieval shrine of Santa Marina, is a wonderful spot, not only from the point of view of architecture, but also for the beauty of nature. It is worth a visit. You can find it on the road C-44, between Pratdip and L´Hospitalet de l´Infant.
Castelló is a village deserted in the 50´s, but full of charm. All over the year, different festivals take place in there, such as the Rustic Festival or the Manger under the stars. The village, then, comes back to life and visitors can see how the rural life was in the old times.
The cultural heritage of the Terres de Mestral is wide and diverse. If you want to know and to travel in the time, the summers months holding a permit visits are organized in order that you penetrate into our past, medieval histories, of war, of daily life. Discover them!
Some natural spots conceal parts of their history which can be missed at first sight. This is the case of the Coll de Balaguer, which, apparently, is just another hill in the council of Vandellós and l´Hospitalet de l´Infant. However, this hill has been throughout history of paramount geographic and strategic importance. It is, in fact, the only terrestrial passage between Catalunya and the País Valencià. Therefore, it piles up the history of Iberians, Romans, bandits, pirates and all kind of wars.
The Serra de Llaberia Interpretation centre and the Pratdip tourist Office show the traveler the main interest places, history and legend, as well as, the different services such as: accommodation, restaurants and the activities which the area provides.
The centre, with an attractive and charming presentation, is divided in three theme areas.
It is obvious that the name L´Hospitalet de l´Infant originates in the word “hospital” and it refers to the ancient hospital that was founded in the 14th century by the Infant Pere, on behalf of the Catalan-Aragonese crown. Its function was to host the pilgrims and walkers coming from Coll de Balaguer, the only possible passage. There are still remains of this ancient hospital, in the very centre of l’Hospitalet de l’Infant. Honestly, it is worth a visit.
The archiepiscopal church of Saint Jaume de Tivissa is quite unusual. It is a majestic building, very interesting from the point of view of architecture, with a mixture of architectural styles such as gothic, renaissance and baroque. But, what makes the church even more interesting is the fact that in the 19th century, due to the lack of space, a new church was built around the old one. That means that over the archivolts of the old temple, some higher ones were built, so that one church is inside the other, which is obvious, even for non-experts.
Olive oil in the Mediterranean area is a way of living and understanding the land and the landscape. That is all what the Centre de Interpretació de l´Oli is about. By the road from Tivissa to Mora d´Ebre (C-44), there is an old mill, reconverted into a museum, where you will be able to listen to the millers who used to work there and learn about the traditional way the precious liquid was extracted. It is worth a visit if you enjoy learning about tradition in a modern and active display (audio-visual). It suits everybody.
