Riudecols combines nature trails with distinctive destinations: the Pujada a Puigcerver leads from the town to a sanctuary, while a fountain, a watchtower and an aqueduct reveal different aspects of its cultural heritage. When planning your trip, you can choose between a circular route, a hike held on an annual date, and places to visit in the countryside.
Hiking Trails and Countryside
Riudecols has several nature trails for hiking and cycling. The Itinerario saludable is an easy circular route through an agroforestry landscape. It includes hazelnut, olive and almond groves, as well as stands of pine and holm oak. Abandoned farmland has given way to woodland. Terrain and conditions can change seasonally, so check the route conditions when planning your walk.
The Pujada a Puigcerver is a 6 km hike from the town of Riudecols to the Santuari de la Mare de Déu de Puigcerver. It takes place every year on the first Sunday in August. The exact calendar date changes from year to year, so if you are planning to travel specifically for this hike, check the date for your travel year. This makes it possible to consider the Pujada both by its stated distance and by its fixed place in the annual calendar.
The route “De Riudecols a Les Irles” offers another perspective on the countryside. It passes through the Baix Camp landscape, with cork oaks and fields of hazelnut and almond trees. Abandoned fields there are turning into new woodland. Together with the olive groves, pines and holm oaks mentioned for the Itinerario saludable, the routes reveal different aspects of cultivated land and woodland.
Cultural Heritage in Riudecols and the Surrounding Area
Els Canalots is a fountain built in 1935, with six spouts, on the western edge of Riudecols. Its date and the number of spouts give the structure a distinct historical and architectural character. Describing it as a fountain does not indicate whether water flows there today.
The Torre dels Moros, also known as the Torre de Guaita de Riudecols, is an old watchtower in Riudecols. Another structure is the Aqüeducte del Mas d'en Vall: it has 13 arches made of stone and brick and is about 100 metres long. The watchtower and aqueduct can be distinguished by their forms and functions without treating them as a single place to visit.
The Ermita de la Mare de Déu de Puigcerver stands at an elevation of 787 metres on the Serra de Puigcerver, on the boundary between the municipal areas of Alforja and Riudecols. From there, views extend across the Camp plain, parts of the Costa Daurada and the western Priorat. Its location and the areas visible from it give this destination a different relationship to the landscape from the trails through farmland and woodland.
If you are planning your trip around a hike, the annual date of the Pujada and the different types of routes can help you choose. For a visit focused on cultural heritage, the fountain, watchtower and aqueduct offer specific structures to see; the Ermita adds a high-altitude location with far-reaching views. This lets you choose the focus of your stay based on the hiking and cultural heritage destinations actually described.
Discover more destinations: Les Irles, El Papiolet, Vila-Seca De Solcina, Bellmunt del Priorat, Vespella De Gaià, Bonastre, Duesaigües, La Torre De Fontaubella.
For the broader travel overview: Tarragona.
