From the echoes of ancient cultures to contemporary boutique hotels, Montsant Natural Park is a fascinating setting for a country retreat in Spain. With soaring mountains on the horizon and some of the country’s finest wineries all around you, the scene it set for a truly memorable stay.
NATURE
The Serra de Montsant are some of eastern Spain’s most spectacular mountains. With their sheer slopes and wind-carved summits, they could double as the backdrop to a Hollywood western. But in among them you’ll find vineyard-strewn valleys and historic towns that could be nowhere but Spain.
HISTORY
The steep, rocky peaks of the Serra de Montsant kept the region fairly isolated from the rest of Spain. It was perhaps for this reason that it became a favoured choice of medieval hermits looking to escape the day-to-day world. Visit Escaladei to see the ruins of a Carthusian monastery, with picturesque walls and well-preserved cloisters. Or head further into the mountains to Poblet, which is home to a working Cistercian monastery.
WINE
Vines have been cultivated among the Serra de Montsant foothills since the days of the Romans. Today, Montsant has undergone something of a resurgence, producing many fine reds that stand proudly alongside those produced by its famous neighbour, Priorat. There are wineries dotted throughout the region – with many gathered around the hilltop town of Gratallops.
If you want to visit wineries, be sure to book tours in advance. Most last up to three hours and end with a tasting.
