The best walks and hikes around Pantà dels Guiamets

Within the municipality of Marçà, there is a socio-cultural gem still unknown to many. It is the museum of the old printing press of this small town in Priorat. A space that can not only be visited, but also allows documents to be printed in various techniques such as lead or wood. In this way, it makes everything more intuitive and didactic. The collection of machines at the Museum of the Old Printing Press covers a whole range of years. From 1300 to 1900, including various ideologists such as Laurens Janszoon Coster or Johannes Gutenberg. A visit is essential!

Beautiful village in Catalonia

Llaberia is an old medieval settlement that belongs to the municipality of Tivisa. It is worth walking through its cobbled streets and admiring the ancient facades. One of the houses, called Cal Riba, dates from 1640. The Romanesque church of San Juan Bautista also stands out.

At the end of the 19th century, all of Catalonia suffered an economic downturn that coincided with an attack by the phylloxera insect, which killed the vineyards. This led to the depopulation of many towns. However, in this area, the decline was not as severe as in others thanks to the railway line, which played a fundamental role in the wine trade, as it quickly connected the consuming and producing areas, ensuring that the wine arrived at its destination in better condition.

There are lovely views of the reservoir from the road that crosses the village of Els Guiamets. Following the road down to the reservoir leads to the viewpoint.

Drinking water source in the town of El Masroig.

The reservoir was built between 1951 and 1971 on the Capçanes stream, in the Ebro River basin. Located in the municipality of Els Guiamets, the dam is used to generate hydroelectric power and to irrigate the surrounding farmland.

The charm of Llaberia lies in its medieval physiognomy that remains intact. It is the smallest and highest town in the municipality of Tivissa, located at 680 m. above sea level. The beautiful town, an aggregate of Tivissa, was practically abandoned but is currently well recovered. Walking through the town we pass the "Museu del Bast", by Emili Boada and dedicated to Benvinguda Riba Pallejà. Unfortunately, the museum was closed a few years ago and its pieces given to the "La Masia de Castelló" Foundation, despite the fact that many were donations from the people of Llaberia. The alley next to it, called "El Pontet", which descends in an arcade beyond, leads to the Font de la Verge with the washing machines of the villa. This name is due to the fact that in the past there was a chapel with an image of the Virgin. We continue to contemplate beautiful texts that decorate the walls of some houses, like this one: "... Llaveria sucks the spirit of the mountain that beats alive in the sour charm of its streets..." by Josep Iglésies and we pass to near the Romanesque church of Sant Joan Degollat, from the 12th or 13th century. The church was transformed into a place of defense and among many details, inside there is a silo to store grain, it has a double roof with a wall with loopholes and matacán covered over the door. Today the church is one of the most emblematic late Romanesque elements of southern Catalonia. For your visit you must contact the Fundació Esforç de Tivissa (tel: 977 41 73 18). To finish this short review, let me tell you that the name of the place probably comes from the Arabic "Al-Abbarî", which we would translate as "De la Travessa", being the point that had to be "crossed" to go from Camp de Tarragona to the Ebro.