Catalonia never ceases to surprise, as it offers us numerous corners in which to get lost for a few days, as it has wonderful settings. This time we decided to visit the Cistercian Catalan, without a doubt an option that you cannot miss.
We begin our tour in Santa María de Poblet, visiting the Monastery located in the region of Conca de Barberá, Poblet. Monastery Square between Vimbodi and L'Espluga de Francolí, at the foot of the Prades mountains. It is located in a beautiful place where abundant springs flow, making it ideal for hiking. It is characterized by being close to the large forest mass of the Poblet forest, with rich and leafy vegetation, which has been one of the many possessions of the monastery.
The Monastery stands out for its sobriety and austerity, and has different rooms worth visiting, such as the Abbot's Palace, the chapter house, the Royal Palace, the gardens, the cloister that has a cloister envelope worthy of mention, without forgetting the church with the royal tombs of the Crown of Aragon, among which that of James I the Conqueror stands out. Not in vain was it declared a world heritage site by UNESCO.
Currently, 32 monks reside there and carry out their monastic life from 5 in the morning until 10 at night, when they retire to their cells. Part of the rooms that can be visited are used, today, by the monks in their daily work.
And we continue our journey until we reach the town of Santes Creus, which is built around the enclosure of the Monastery that bears its name. To access the Pont D'Armentera from the Tarragona road, we have to cross the Gaià river over a stone bridge built in 1549 by Abbot Valls (of which the date and coat of arms are preserved on the left wall). At the entrance to the bridge, we find the Gothic style terminus cross (14th century) that has a beautifully sculpted base.
The Monastery of Santes Creus stands in a secluded valley near the Gaiá River, in a harmonious setting where groves and hazelnut trees alternate, with fields of vineyards and almond trees surrounded by olive trees. , in a clearly Mediterranean landscape. It is a wonder to be able to walk through the corners spotting the magnificent architectural complex, of great interest for its beauty and monumentality. It is faithful to the best models of the Cistercian monasteries, it is terraced on the left bank of the Gaiá, surrounded by old monastic buildings that with Over time they have been converted into homes and form the small town of Santes Creus.
It's been a full day on our excursion, so it's beginning to be time to think about replenishing our strength by eating as we need. And for this there is nothing better than going to the Hostal del Senglar (Hostal del Jabalí), in the town of L'Espluga de Francolí. In addition to pleasant and cordial treatment, the cuisine of this establishment is highly recommended. Their specialties are civets, the most notable being wild boar.
We decided to delight ourselves with a succulent "calçotada", a typical agape of these lands and whose time of year to taste it is between the months of November and March at most, since that is when we can count on the raw materials with which they are made. the "calçotades", that is, the "calçot", peculiar chives, obtained after genuine artificial cultivation in the town of Valls.
We were told that it is used as a way of gathering friends around a bonfire, perhaps in memory of the deepest beginnings of man. The festive atmosphere that is formed during its preparation is the most important thing about them, and is the real spirit of the "calçotades".
We took a walk around but then we rested, because the next day, we had to visit more. When we woke up on Sunday we continued with our trip, heading, this time to another monastery, that of Santa María de Vallbona. It is the most important of the Cistercian female branch in Catalonia, with a continuity of religious life for more than eight centuries, located in the southern part of the Urgell region, near Conca de Barberà.
The architectural complex, built and renovated in very different periods, has a grandeur and sumptuousness that differentiates it from most female Cistercian monasteries. For its part, the abbey church, built largely in the 13th and 14th centuries, is a good example of a transitional style from Romanesque to Gothic.
And since all good things are short-lived, the day disappeared without us realizing it. We had to say adeu to the beautiful Spelunca, which in Latin means cave, the name that the town of L'Espluga de Francolí received since the middle of the 11th century. Goodbye to active tourism, to its green meadows, the peculiarity of its people and that unprecedented smell that emanates from its surroundings would accompany us during the trip of back home.
