Santa Coloma de Queralt: Old Town, Culture and Trails along the Gaià

The historic old town of Santa Coloma de Queralt is designated as a “Bien de Interés Cultural”. Four gates of the former fortifications have been preserved. The former fortifications also include the two arcaded squares, Plaça Major and Plaça de l’Església.

Culture and History

The parish church of Santa Maria was built in the Gothic style, and its bell tower reaches a height of 40 metres. The tower stands on a base with an almost square floor plan; this base is ten metres wide. The structure of the bell tower is also Gothic. It was completed in 1649, with a Baroque-style balustrade.

The alabaster tomb of the Counts of Queralt dates from 1370. Santa Maria de Bell-lloc displays an architectural transitional style from Romanesque to Gothic. The rooms of the Castell dels Comtes now serve as the town’s cultural centre.

Santa Coloma de Queralt therefore features both architectural evidence of the town’s medieval and early modern history and the present-day cultural use of historic spaces. The different architectural forms range from Gothic church construction and the transitional style of Santa Maria de Bell-lloc to the Baroque addition to the bell tower.

Sightseeing

During a visit to the castle and tower, visitors can climb an authentic defensive tower. The view over the town can be enjoyed during this visit. The guided monumental tour begins in the courtyard of the Castell dels Comtes at the municipal tourist information office. This is located in the arms courtyard of the Castell dels Comtes.

Guided tours of Cal Jaume Punto are offered every Sunday at 12:45 p.m. La Farinera in Santa Coloma de Queralt has fully preserved its original machinery.

The tours mentioned therefore bring together different forms of the town’s history: defensive architecture, ecclesiastical architecture, a former aristocratic residence, and preserved technical equipment stand side by side. The fixed Sunday time at Cal Jaume Punto complements the monumental tour of the Castell dels Comtes with another scheduled sightseeing option.

Trails along the Gaià

The Ruta dels Molins follows the Gaià and passes water-management features. These include springs, washing places, a weir, and grain mills.

The Camí de les Terres del Gaià hiking trail begins at the Canelles springs in Santa Coloma de Queralt and leads for approximately 65 kilometres to Tamarit.

With its approximate length, this route describes an extensive connection between the starting point near Canelles and the destination in Tamarit. The Ruta dels Molins adds a distinct focus along the Gaià, where the use of water can be seen in several named remnants.

You can access further destinations via these links: Paüls, La Torre De Fontaubella, Benifallet, Deltebre, Els Guiamets, Vinyols, Valls and Aiguamúrcia.

Local Topics

A visit to the La Renaixença brewery includes an informative tour of the production facilities. During this tour, the beer-making process is explained, from the raw materials to the finished product.

Among the festivals and fairs of Santa Coloma de Queralt, the Festa del Romesco stands out. The festival is associated with a typical dish of the town.

Concrete processes and traditional connections are also central to the local topics. At the brewery, production is explained step by step from its starting materials to the end product, while the Festa del Romesco preserves its connection to a typical dish of the town.

Anyone looking for a holiday apartment in Santa Coloma de Queralt can plan their stay according to their own schedule and familiarise themselves with the local options in advance.

To the main travel overview: Tarragona.