Getaway near Barcelona: Siurana de Prades

Siurana de Prades, simply known as Siurana, is a small village that belongs to Cornudella del Montsant (Tarragona), and is perched on a limestone rock, about 150 kilometers from Barcelona. Some describe it as the most photogenic Priorat’s village, because of its strategic position, protected by the mountains of Gritella, offering great views of valleys and cliffs and spectacular sunsets, to take a perfect picture and share the sunset with your beloved one. You can also enjoy walks through its streets that will teleport to the Medieval Times, and allow you to discover the Moorish legends of the last Muslim stronghold in Catalonia. About this locality, the Catalan poet Josep Carner wrote: Allà dalt és Ciurana, aspra i ardida,/ ben arrapada a la salvatge altura…” (” Up there is Siurana, rough and bold, / While clutching the tall wild… “).

Onlye 20 people live in Siurana, which gives it even more charm for lovers of hiking or climbing, and makes it the perfect place for a relaxing weekend at one of their hotels or shelters. All streets and roads in Siurana lead to the cliff known as the “Salto de la Reina Mora” for the legend that tells that from there the “walí’s” (governor of Siurana) daughter (the beautiful queen Abdelazia) jumped with her white horse to avoid being subject the Christian army in 1153. In this viewpoint you can see the alleged horse footprint left before braking to the edge and let the queen fall off the cliff because of its animal instinct of survival. You can also enjoy of course the great views of the peaks in Siurana.

In the village you can visit several historical sites such as the Church of Santa María de Siurana, a construction of the Romanesque period that is completely preserved since the twelfth century, with a single nave and a semicircular apse. The church is not open to the public but you can see inside through the glass door. They are also worth visiting the remains of the Arabic Castle of the town, which was at the time a military control point. This fort was conquered by Ramon Berenguer IV and served as dowry for the Catalan queens and to ensure loans, even as prisons of characters of a certain category.

To find out more about Siurana de Prades, ShBarcelona recommends you to enter the tourism website in the region of Priorat, there you will find places to stay, eat or hiking trails.