Bellmunt del Priorat: Culture, Wine Landscape and Holiday Apartment

Bellmunt del Priorat was the centre of a significant mining basin that also extended into the neighbouring municipalities of Falset and El Molar. Mining activity left numerous traces in the landscape; spoil heaps can be found across a large part of the municipality. When planning a holiday apartment in Bellmunt del Priorat, you can consider mining history, wine landscapes, cycling routes and hiking trails as different focal points.

Culture and Local History

The permanent exhibition at the Museu de les Mines covers the history of lead mining in Bellmunt: from galena and geology through the development of mining to industrial mining and the Mina Eugènia. A guided tour of the Mina Eugènia descends 35 metres through the galleries on the first level, which date from the late 19th century. Visiting the Museu de les Mines and taking the guided tour inside the mine require an advance reservation and confirmation of that reservation.

Around 1920, Minas del Priorato, SA, built the first miners’ colonies in Bellmunt del Priorat to house workers and their families who had moved from other mining regions of Spain, especially Andalusia. As mining continued to grow, additional colonies were built, expanding the town centre of Bellmunt del Priorat. The Església parroquial de Santa Llúcia is an 18th-century neoclassical parish church dedicated to the town’s patron saint, Santa Llúcia.

The Casa Gran was formerly a residence of Carthusian monks and may date from the 18th century. The Casal is a Modernist building and one of Bellmunt del Priorat’s attractions.

Getting There

From Reus or Móra la Nova, take the N-420 to the Falset oest - Bellmunt del Priorat exit. Continue towards Falset until the junction with the TP-7101, then follow the TP-7101 to Bellmunt del Priorat.

Cycling and Hiking

Itinerari 2 runs between Falset, Bellmunt del Priorat and Marçà through the impressive wine-growing landscape of southern Priorat. It reaches Bellmunt del Priorat via a paved path signposted at the GR-174 towards Bellmunt del Priorat.

Itinerari 5 runs from Falset through Bellmunt, El Masroig and Marçà and back to Falset, mostly between vineyards and olive groves. The 29.00-kilometre cycling route has 613 metres of elevation gain and is rideable for 99 percent of its length. Different route lengths, elevation profiles and paths provide concrete points of comparison for planning your day.

Itinerari 5 reaches the Minas de Bellmunt at kilometre 7.29. After the Minas de Bellmunt, it first joins the intersecting road and then follows the GR running to the right; from there, the route descends towards the Siurana River.

The section from Bellmunt to El Molar on the Caminos de mineros y agricultores trail is less than 8 kilometres long, climbs 170 metres and takes less than 3 hours. The trail climbs towards the vicinity of the summit of the Sarraí, then leads to a track and, after a junction, turns right towards the Museu de les Mines de Bellmunt.

More Destinations

For further trip planning, you can also find Ulldemolins, Flix, El Lligallo Del Gànguil, Gandesa, Camarles, Paüls, Rodonyà and Blancafort.

Culinary Traditions

The annual TAST DE LES MINES takes place at the Museu de les Mines de Bellmunt del Priorat and brings together the wineries of the Associació de Cellers de la Conca del Siurana, including those from the southernmost part of the Denominació d’Origen Qualificada Priorat in Bellmunt del Priorat, El Molar and El Lloar. TAST DE LES MINES includes music, gastronomic “del terreno” tapas and, occasionally, special wines, including older vintages and specialty wines.

On 30 December, the last day of the Festes Majors dels Sants Innocents, Bellmunt del Priorat holds a communal meal featuring the traditional menu of fesols a la cassola and bacallà fregit; this festival is known as the badejada or festa del bacallà.

For the main travel overview: Tarragona.