Taradell: Hiking Trails, Views and Culture

Taradell can be explored on a trip through circular routes of varying lengths, a viewpoint and buildings with a history spanning several centuries. When planning your stay, you can first decide whether hiking, landscapes, culture or a recurring festival should be the main focus.

Circular Routes and Views in Taradell

The routes differ in length and stated difficulty level. Pedres i Versos is a 1.2-kilometre literary and cultural-historical circular route through Taradell, rated as easy. Petjades de bandolers is a 5.9-kilometre circular route of moderate difficulty. The Ruta del Castell is also a circular route: it starts in the centre of Taradell, passes through the eastern part of town and continues to Castell de Taradell.

For a longer outing, the PR-C 42 Sender de Taradell offers a separate point of comparison. The circular route is 14.80 kilometres long, includes 380 metres of elevation gain and has a stated duration of four and a half hours. Along the way, it passes through holm oak, oak and pine forests, as well as riverside vegetation along streams and small waterways. This gives you a choice of a short themed route, a moderately difficult route and a longer hike with a stated duration. Petjades de bandolers also has a story associated with it, dating back to 1845.

Mirador de l'Enclusa is at an altitude of 867 metres and is the highest point in the municipality of Taradell. From there, views extend across the Plana de Vic, the Montseny Massif, Les Guilleries, the Pyrenees, Castell de Taradell and the town itself. The viewpoint and the forest and riverside vegetation along the PR-C 42 offer different perspectives on the landscape to help you plan your trip.

Buildings and Cultural History

Castell de Taradell, also known as Castell de Can Boix, is a medieval building adapted to the rocky hollow of the hill on which it was built. It has been documented since 893. The Ruta del Castell ends at the building, connecting the town route with a clearly identified historic destination.

The Campanar de Taradell also offers a specific historical reference point: the Romanesque structure dates from the 11th century and was consecrated together with the Romanesque church on 14 April 1076. Casal Mont-rodon brings together two building phases. It preserves a Romanesque section from the 12th century and was converted into a Gothic manor house in the early 14th century.

La Cabanya de la Roca was built in the 18th century, when the region's farmsteads specialised in grain production. L'Alzinar de la Roca offers a different kind of collection: it displays more than 70 carriages, as well as various harnesses and agricultural tools collected and restored by the Tonis de Taradell. These two subjects complement the architectural history with rural production and farming equipment.

In the lower part of town, Parc Font Gran lies beside the Riera de Taradell. The fountain it is named after was built in 1790 and has seven metal spouts and a stone lion's head. Its location, date of construction and visible features give the park a distinct connection to the town's history.

Festivals and Local Traditions

The Festa dels Tonis de Taradell has been held since 1982 on the weekend before 17 January, with 2002 the only exception. Its main event is the Passant dels tres tombs. The festival also includes the Tast del porc: botifarra, bacon and slices of bread are cooked over the fires of Sant Antoni Abat and served with a little wine. If you are planning to travel for the festival, check the current programme for the year in advance.

The recurring Fira de Santa Llúcia features stalls selling Christmas items, music, handicrafts and locally produced agricultural and food products. Here too, it is worth checking the current programme if you would like to plan your trip around the market. The festivals offer a different focus from the hiking routes: they showcase recurring culinary and cultural traditions, while the routes highlight distance, difficulty levels and landscapes.

Discover more destinations: Arenys De Munt, Castellví De Rosanes, Pineda De Mar, Alpens, Rajadell, Sant Vicenc De Montalt, Premià De Mar, Pontóns.

For the wider travel overview: Barcelona.