Caseres lies in a valley surrounded by mountains, on the Algars River. Very different historical periods meet in the village’s history: a partly ruined Templar castle, a parish church with a semicircular-arch portal, a defensive line dating from 1937 and a protohistoric archaeological site. There is also art along a riverside path, a named route and a bathing spot on the Algars. These features offer several ways to plan a trip: architectural history, archaeology, river landscapes and the dates of local festivals.
Buildings from Different Periods
The parish church of Santa Maria Magdalena is built of ashlar and has a semicircular-arch portal. It appears to be a mid-16th-century building in the Gothic tradition. Castell d’Almudèfer is a partly ruined 12th-century Templar castle. It stands on two terraces on a hill above the Algars River. Its surviving remains include a square tower, a section of wall and a cistern cut into the rock. Fort de Milet is part of the defensive line along the Algars, built by the Generalitat in 1937 to repel the anticipated offensive from Aragón. The complex comprises an air-raid shelter, galleries for artillery pieces, trenches and a water tank. The church, castle and fort therefore differ both in their dates and in the structural features that have survived.
La Gessera and Early Settlement
La Gessera offers a different perspective on the past. The protohistoric archaeological site lies on a steep hill, about 415 metres high, above the Algars River, on the present-day border between Terra Alta and the Aragonese comarca of Matarranya. The site has been restored. Archaeological investigations distinguish two phases of settlement: one from the late 7th to the mid-6th century BC, and a second from the mid-6th to the late 5th century BC. La Gessera thus adds a settlement history to the story of Caseres that predates the Templar castle by many centuries.
Art, a Route and a Bathing Spot on the Algars
The path along the Algars River, featuring various sculptures from the Art al Ras project, is about four kilometres from the village. The Ruta del riu Algars is 33.31 km long; it takes about 2 hours and 30 minutes, and has a difficulty rating of 4/10. The distance, approximate duration and difficulty rating offer different ways to assess the route when planning your walk; check the trail conditions in advance. The bathing spot on the Algars nearest to the village resembles a small cove. You can jump into the water at Fels dels Aubens if the water is deep enough.
Festivals and Food as Reasons to Visit
Caseres’s main festival takes place on the third weekend of August, the weekend closest to 20 August. It lasts four days, from Friday to Monday, and honours Sant Gil, Sant Raimon de Penyafort and Sant Roc. The programme includes religious, entertainment and sporting events. The Santa Magdalena festival, in honour of the village’s patron saint, is held on the weekend closest to 22 July. It includes a community sardine meal at the summer festival area on the Algars River, followed by dancing. Sant Antoni is celebrated on the weekend closest to 17 January, with large street bonfires and community dinners in the streets.
The Fira del Tocino takes place over a full day in Caseres’s old town. It features a market selling pork products and a craft market, as well as wine and vermouth tastings, suckling pig cooked on site and a sausage-making demonstration. Unlike the four-day main festival, the Fira is a full-day event. Check the exact dates before your trip.
Discover more destinations: Belltall, Pratdip, Mont-Roig Del Camp, L'Albiol, Ulldecona, Roquetes, L'aleixar, Llorenç Del Penedès
For the regional travel overview: Tarragona.
