Caseres on the Algars: History, Festivals and River Landscape

Caseres lies in a valley surrounded by mountains on the Algars River. On a steep hill about 415 metres high above the river stands La Gessera, a protohistoric archaeological site on the present-day border between Terra Alta and the Aragonese comarca of Matarranya.

Archaeological investigations identified two settlement phases there: one from the late 7th to the mid-6th century BC and another from the mid-6th to the late 5th century BC. La Gessera has been rehabilitated.

When choosing a holiday apartment in Caseres, you can compare travel dates, room categories and cancellation policies on booking websites. You can then narrow down your preferred focus to culture, festivals, river landscapes and active excursions.

Culture and History

The parish church of Santa Maria Magdalena is built of dressed stone and has a semicircular-arched portal; it appears to be a mid-16th-century building in the Gothic tradition.

Fort de Milet forms part of the defensive line along the Algars, which the Generalitat built in 1937 to halt the expected offensive from Aragon. The complex includes an air-raid shelter, galleries for artillery pieces, trenches and a water tank.

Castell d’Almudèfer is a partially ruined 12th-century Templar castle. It stands on two terraces of a hill above the Algars River and preserves the remains of a square tower, a section of wall and a cistern carved into the rock.

The remains of the former cooperative mill, including the millstones, can be seen on Passeig de la font.

Various sculptures from the Art al Ras project can be seen along the path beside the Algars River near Caseres. The former town hall of Caseres houses a permanent exhibition from the same project.

Festivals and Local Cuisine

The Fira del Tocino takes place over an entire day in Caseres’s old town. It includes a market selling pork products, a craft market, wine and vermouth tastings, suckling pig prepared on site, and a demonstration of sausage making.

Caseres’s main festival is celebrated on the third weekend of August, that is, the weekend closest to 20 August, in honour of Sant Gil, Sant Raimon de Penyafort and Sant Roc. It lasts four days, from Friday to Monday, and includes religious, entertainment and sporting events.

The Santa Magdalena festival, held in honour of the town’s patron saint, takes place on the weekend closest to 22 July.

Santa Magdalena includes a communal sardine meal at the summer festival site on the Algars River, followed by dancing.

Sant Antoni is celebrated on the weekend closest to 17 January and includes large street bonfires as well as communal evening meals in the streets.

Nature and Activities

The Ruta del riu Algars is 33.31 km long, takes approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes, and has a difficulty rating of 4/10.

The bathing spot on the Algars River closest to the town resembles a small cove; the Fels dels Aubens allows visitors to jump into the water when the water is deep enough.

The differing information on length, duration, difficulty and water depth helps you compare activities objectively.

More town pages: L'Albiol, L'Argentera, Llorenç Del Penedès, Blancafort, Tivissa, Prat De Comte, Guialmons, L'eucaliptus

For the broader travel overview: Tarragona.