Wine-making traditions, geological trails and traces from different eras offer several ways to explore Artés. To plan your trip, you can start by choosing a focus: would you like to discover the wine culture surrounding the festival and cooperative, explore geological formations on signposted trails, or focus on local history and cultural sites?
Wine at the festival and the cooperative
The Festa de la Verema del Bages takes place on the first Sunday in October, with the streets of the old town providing an open-air setting. During the event, you can sample wines from DO Pla de Bages producers at Plaça Vella. Music and food accompany the tastings. The programme also includes cultural and artistic events centred on wine-growing, as well as farming and craft traditions. If you have your eye on the October date, you can enjoy tastings and a cultural programme within the same event.
The Celler Cooperatiu d'Artés also offers an introduction to the town’s wine-making tradition: it was founded in 1908 under the name Sindicat Agrícola d'Artés. Its wine tourism activities include guided winery tours, a historical exhibition about the cooperative, and wine and cava tastings. Visitor offerings may change, so check what is currently available before your trip.
Geology along signposted trails
Artés has an extensive and varied network of signposted paths and trails where you can discover the municipality’s natural, geological and cultural heritage. These include dry-stone construction routes, geological trails, official trails in Artés and health trails through the town centre.
The Itinerari geològic de les Guixeres circular trail starts at Plaça Francesc Blancher d'Artés. It showcases marine sediments from the late Eocene and gypsum left behind by the evaporation of the former sea. Another signposted circular route leads to the palaeochannels of Artés, where you can see rock formations created by deposits in the riverbeds or streambeds of ancient waterways millions of years ago. The two routes offer different highlights: marine deposits and gypsum on one, traces of ancient waterways on the other.
The Matacans geological trail in the Geoparc de la Catalunya Central leads, among other places, to dry-stone huts, an archaeological site and geological remains. Along this trail, you can encounter architectural and archaeological traces as well as geological features.
The town centre and archaeological traces
In the old quarter, the last surviving arch of the town wall is one of the historic features worth seeing. A surviving section of the wall lies north of Plaça Vella in Parc de les Muralles, near the buildings of the old castle. The former parish church of Santa Maria d'Artés retains a Romanesque apse, a 17th-century bell tower and a section of the nave wall.
Archaeological finds also mark distinct periods in time. Three Roman inscriptions from the 2nd and 3rd centuries were found at Plaça Vella. The existence of a Roman villa is suspected at the Matacans site. The Roman villa Els Calls is dated to the period between the 1st and 3rd centuries AD; the archaeological site is cultural heritage under investigation and is not currently an open attraction. Artés also has a necropolis and an early Christian church that can be dated to the 6th or 7th century.
Museums and cultural life
The Museu de la Història d’Artés – Fons Pare Faura presents the history of Artés from its beginnings to the present day. This includes the town’s economic and social life, as well as prominent local residents. Check current access arrangements before visiting.
Espai Tines is located in the basement of one of the two buildings of the Casa Museu in Artés. There, nine large wine vats and two wells from the 18th century have been preserved; they were discovered during restoration work. For another perspective on cultural life, the Complex Cultural de Cal Sitges comprises the Auditori and the Sala Dos de Gener. Most of Artés’ music, theatre and interdisciplinary cultural programme takes place there. The programme may change, so check the dates for a specific event. Artés Cultura also organises and coordinates local festivals and cultural events rooted in the community.
Discover more destinations: Folgueroles, Aiguafreda, Sabadell, Montornès Del Vallès, Piera, La Múnia, Sant Martí Sesgueioles, Vacarisses
For the broader travel overview: Barcelona.
