Valls: Castells, Calçotada and Culture

Valls is considered the birthplace of Castells. Today, the Colla Joves and Colla Vella dels Xiquets de Valls perform in Plaça del Blat; the square is considered kilometre zero of the world of Castells.

Culture and History

The Museu Casteller de Catalunya is dedicated exclusively to the tradition of Castells and conveys their essence and values to visitors in an educational way. The Museu de Valls houses a collection of Catalan art spanning the past 120 years. The Museu de Valls also has an archaeological collection relating to the Iberian world. Its holdings come mainly from the archaeological sites of the Fonstcaldes kiln and the Vilar de Valls settlement.

The Església de Sant Joan is a late Gothic religious building constructed in the 16th century, with a Renaissance façade. Its bell tower is 74 metres high. It is the tallest bell tower of a parish church in all of Catalonia and a vantage point overlooking Camp de Tarragona. A guided tour of the Església de Sant Joan includes the ascent of the bell tower and takes place in groups of no more than 20 people.

The Capella del Roser is a chapel of medieval origin and is protected as a Bé Cultural d'Interès Nacional. Inside are glazed tiles from the 17th century depicting the Battle of Lepanto.

The Refugi antiaeri air-raid shelter in Valls was built during the Spanish Civil War. Its galleries lie approximately 9 metres underground, and it is part of the Memorial Democràtic of the Generalitat de Catalunya.

At Espai Gerhard, there are six explanatory tours and six musical explorations. The tours and explorations introduce visitors to the work of an internationally renowned Catalan composer. The six explanatory tours and six musical explorations provide two distinct approaches to the work of this internationally renowned Catalan composer.

Festivals and Flavours

The Calçotada is a centuries-old gastronomic tradition in which calçots are prepared on the grill. The Gran Festa de la Calçotada takes place every year in Valls on the last Sunday in January. It attracts thousands of people.

The tradition of Tres Tombs, held in honour of Saint Anthony, is celebrated annually. During the event, animals make three circuits around Valls town centre. “Sabores de Valls” is a gastronomic tour featuring food and products from Valls.

Routes and Views

The Ruta del Pont de Goi runs through the western part of the municipality of Valls. It leads to the Granja de Doldellops, the area around the Francolí River and the historic Pont de Goi. The route connects the western part of the municipality with three clearly named stops: the Granja de Doldellops, the area around the Francolí and the historic Pont de Goi.

Other Places

Other destinations: Rasquera, Guialmons, Vilaplana, Prades, Gratallops, Conesa, Sant Jaume D'enveja, La Selva Del Camp

To the main travel overview: Tarragona.