Discover Òdena: history, aviation and Cava

Those planning a stay in Òdena can choose from a range of interests: Castell d’Òdena and the Vil·la Romana de l’Espelt offer an introduction to the town’s history, while Aeròdrom Igualada-Òdena represents its aviation history. There is also a tour with Cava tasting and a route along the Riera d’Òdena.

The castle and Roman archaeological site

Castell d’Òdena was first documented in 957 under the name Kastromuro Odena. The castle tower is an 11-sided polygonal structure with four floors. The year refers to its first documentation, while the number of sides and floors describes the tower’s architecture. Polygonal means a many-sided shape; the 11 sides make this more precise. The four floors add a sense of the building’s vertical structure.

The Vil·la Romana de l’Espelt takes visitors back to a different historical period: it was active between the 1st century BC and the 3rd century AD. On a guided tour, the archaeologist responsible for the excavations explains the surviving remains at the site. This makes the archaeological interpretation of the remains, as well as the period itself, a central part of the visit. The castle and the villa thus offer different points of historical interest: an early documented mention and a tour with expert interpretation.

A tour, Cava and a dated festival programme

At Caves Bohigas, the tour focuses on the history of the Can Macià estate and how Cava is made. It visits areas such as the barrel room, the underground cellar and the family chapel. The tour ends with a tasting of one Cava and one Bohigas wine. Arrangements may need to be made in advance. The experience thus combines the history of the estate and Cava production with visits to specific spaces and a tasting.

One dated example of food-related activities is Fira de la Vinyala 2025. Its programme included a market featuring products related to snails, a family cooking class, grape stomping and a must tasting. The market, cooking together and activities involving grapes and must give this programme a different focus from the guided visit at Caves Bohigas. The activities mentioned are specific to the 2025 edition.

Aviation and access

Aeròdrom Igualada-Òdena was built during the Spanish Civil War as an airfield and communications base for the Republican Army. Its current operations include schools for powered flight and gliding, as well as schools for operating aircraft, ultralight aircraft and hang gliders. A major hot-air balloon manufacturer is also based there. Access to the facilities is restricted. If you are planning a visit, take this restriction into account and check access in advance. This allows you to include both the airfield’s historical significance and its present-day aviation activities in your plans, without assuming that all facilities can be visited.

A route along the Riera d’Òdena

The Camí fluvial de la Riera d’Òdena is 7.28 kilometres long and runs from the centre of Òdena to Igualada, along the Riera d’Òdena. The route can be travelled on foot or by bicycle. Its named endpoints make it a different kind of outing from a visit focused on a single building or archaeological site: the route between the town centre and its destination is the focus here. When planning, consider its length, starting point and destination, and choose whether to travel on foot or by bicycle.

Discover more destinations: Tagamanent, Montseny, Tona, Sant Esteve Sesrovires, Mas Carbó, Saldes, Valldoreix, Vilafranca Del Penedès.

For the main travel overview: Barcelona.