Albarca is one of the busiest towns in the northern area of Priorat thanks to its strategic location. It is a village of passage and we find a good number of routes to carry out on foot and by bicycle. It is located between Prades, Ulldemolins, Siurana and Cornudella de Montsant and during the winter there are almost no inhabitants, but in the summer the town comes alive and the outdoor chats return.
Since ancient times, its inhabitants saw a strong potential due to its advantageous and idyllic position. Three valleys are what make up the area: the Bova ravine, which leads to Ulldemolins, the Enllosats ravine, located to the northwest and which therefore leads to Prades and the Salanca ravine, which integrates in the main valley of the entire area of Cornudella de Montsant. The situation could not be better.
The town itself is located on the ridge that connects the Serra del Montsant, the Serra de la Llena and the Serra de Prades, at about 825 meters above sea level.
Its population, however, has not always been so migrated. The origin of Albarca is Muslim and, if we look closely, there are still some vestiges of the settlement from ancient times, for example the tombs excavated in the rock of Parada de la Guineu, nestled in what was a small medieval population. Later, after the Christian reconquest, the most inhabited center developed together with the castle of the year 1182, although today, very few visible remains remain.
With the civil war, many of the inhabitants left, and although it is a good land for dry farming and grazing, they head to the big cities to survive the post-war.
Albarca is a small town in the Serra de Montsant. Its location, its views, its history, make it a charming town worthy of being visited.
Text: Álida Guasch · Photos: Marc Vallverdú
