Discover Vallclara: Nature Trails and Culture

Vallclara lies at the foot of the protected Muntanyes de Prades natural area. The peaks of Punta del Curull, Punta del Sales, Serra de la Llena and Tossal Gros are located in the surrounding area.

Nature and Woodland Landscapes

The Bosc dels castanyers de Vallclara route is an example of the various types of woodland around Vallclara. These include holm oak forests, chestnut forests and riparian forests with ash and elm trees. The route also makes it possible to discover Mas de la Llana, considered one of the most significant farmhouses in the municipality of Vallclara.

The Molí i bassa de Viern route follows the Barranc de Vallclara, also known as the Milans River, as well as the Barranc de Viern. The Milans is a tributary fed by a spring of the Francolí, while the Viern flows into the Milans. The route runs mainly through olive and almond groves, as well as small woodland areas. White pines, Scots pines, black pines and holm oaks grow there; the undergrowth includes kermes oaks and rosemary.

The different sections of the trails show the landscape not as a uniform area but in changing forms: cultivated groves are followed by woodland areas, while the riparian forests and watercourses form distinct areas within the natural environment. Along the routes described, it is therefore possible to experience both the agriculturally shaped surroundings and the varied vegetation. The succession of olive and almond groves, pines and holm oaks, as well as ash and elm trees, remains closely connected to the aforementioned watercourses.

The routes described therefore bring together different landscape elements: cultivated groves, wooded sections, riparian forests and the watercourses of the Milans and Viern.

Hiking Trails

The Ruta familiar per Vallclara is signposted with directional signs and connects with the Vimbodí–Vallclara–Vilanova de Prades hiking trail. It also follows the Barranc de Vallclara, also known as the Milans River, as well as the Barranc de Viern. The signposted route thus leads through a network of trails in which the aforementioned streams and tributaries provide important geographical reference points.

The directional signs are just as much part of the character of the Ruta familiar as its connection with the Vimbodí–Vallclara–Vilanova de Prades hiking trail. Its route also relates to the watercourses of Barranc de Vallclara, Milans and Barranc de Viern. By contrast, the Molí i bassa route particularly highlights the sequence of groves and woodland areas with their different tree and undergrowth species.

Culture and History

Construction of the present-day Sant Joan Baptista church in Vallclara began in 1660 and was completed in 1760. The church was built in the Baroque style. In Vallclara, Sant Joan is celebrated with a bonfire. Pont Vell is a Romanesque bridge with two arches.

The local heritage thus combines a place of worship with a clearly dated construction period and Baroque design with a Romanesque bridge. The Sant Joan celebration adds a local tradition associated with a bonfire to these buildings.

The Monasterio de Poblet monastery is located near Vallclara. In the wider regional area are the Real Monasterio de Santa María de Vallbona, the Gaudi Centre Raus Museum and the historic Casa Navàs site.

Further pages about Vilaverd, Vallmoll, Vila-rodona, El Perelló, Vila-Seca De Solcina, Renau, Nulles and Masllorenç.

For the overview of destinations at the next level: Tarragona.