La Quar: Hiking and Heritage

La Quar combines routes to historic sites with a landscape shaped by rivers, gorges, and striking heights. Monasteries and churches tell the story of the municipality’s long history; a 15.1-kilometre circular route leads to historic sites and the Santuari de la Quar. When planning your trip, it is worth considering the walks, visiting arrangements, and festival dates separately: each offers a different reason to get to know La Quar.

River Landscapes and Striking Heights

The Riera de la Portella rises in the municipality of La Quar. Its headwaters are included under the name “Capçalera de la riera de la Portella” in the designation of the “Reserves naturals fluvials de Catalunya.” Along the Riera, mixed forests of Scots pine and oak meet riverside woodlands, where ash and willow are the main species. Thus, the headwaters, protected designation, and different types of woodland stand as distinct features of the landscape along the same river.

In the southern part of the municipality, near les Heures, the Riera de Merlès flows through a gorge and forms the Goles de les Heures. Another striking landmark is the Santuari de Santa Maria de la Quar: it stands at an elevation of 1,069 metres on a rocky spur above a sheer cliff more than 100 metres high. From there, views stretch across the Merlès valley, Berguedà, and the Pyrenees.

The small hermitage of Sant Isidre de la Quar is also set in a landscape of considerable elevation: it lies near the summit of the 1,121-metre Serrat de Sant Isidre. This ridge separates the watersheds of the la Portella and la Riba valleys, as well as that of Sant Maurici. The hermitage, summit, and watershed divide give this place a different landscape setting from the Santuari above the Merlès valley.

Hiking the Circular Route

The “Ruta la Quar, la Portella i Sant Maurici” circular route is 15.1 kilometres long and leads to historic sites in the municipality. It starts and ends in the small village of Sant Maurici de la Quar. From there, it follows the GR-4 hiking trail to the Santuari de la Quar. The starting point and endpoint are therefore in the same village; the section to the Santuari is a named part of the described loop.

You can make the route a focus of your trip, especially if you would like to combine hiking with visits to historic sites. In Sant Maurici de la Quar, parking is available directly on the road opposite the town hall and Hostal Sant Maurici. As parking arrangements may change, check before setting out.

Monastery Church, Cloister, and Church Art

The surviving complex of the Monestir de la Portella includes the much-altered monastery church and a two-storey cloister with large round arches. The monastery church of Sant Pere de la Portella was consecrated in 1035. For interior visits to the Monestir, you must request an escort from the Ajuntament de la Quar. If you would like to see the interior, arrange this in advance.

The history of Santa Maria de la Quar is distinct: the first church of this name was consecrated in the year 900 by Nantigís, Bishop of Urgell. The church of Sant Maurici de la Quar is a 17th-century building that was extended in the 19th century. It houses the Romanesque image of the Mare de Déu de la Quar. The three church sites therefore differ both in their histories and in what you can see there.

Festivals and Recurring Dates

The feast of Sant Isidre is celebrated on 15 May at the small chapel of Sant Isidre de la Quar, with a Mass and the singing of the Goigs. The Festa Major de la Quar falls on Easter Monday and includes an Aplec at the Santuari de la Quar. The Monestir de la Portella festival takes place on the weekend closest to 29 June. The Festa Major de Sant Maurici de la Quar is celebrated on 8 September.

These dates have different focuses: Sant Isidre is associated with the small chapel, the Aplec leads to the Santuari, and another festival is held at the Monestir. If you plan your trip around one of these occasions, check the dates and the relevant programme in advance. This will help you decide whether to focus your stay on the circular route, the churches and monastic sites, or a festival date.

Discover more destinations: Sant Cugat Del Vallès, Parets Del Vallès, Viladecaballs, Sant Martí Sarroca, Sant Cugat Sesgarrigues, Castellfollit Del Boix, Sant Jaume De Frontanyà, Vilafranca Del Penedès

For the main travel overview: Barcelona.