Discover Lilla

Excursions in the surrounding area, its location at the Coll de Lilla and traces of history give Lilla different points of interest for a trip. The pass, Serra Carbonària and the town’s history shape the destination’s geographical and historical context. Its different historical periods range from the story of a fortress to a chapel and an architectural detail.

Geographical orientation

Lilla lies below the Coll de Lilla, a natural pass between Valls and Montblanc, and at the foot of the Serra Carbonària. The town is also beside the N-240. The pass, the Serra and the road are distinct reference points: the pass connects Valls and Montblanc, the Serra defines the landscape, and the road provides another point of reference. Excursions are possible in the area around Lilla. This combination of named landscape features and excursions provides a framework for planning a trip without focusing everything on a single destination.

Historical traces in Lilla

During the Andalusi period, Muslims built a castle in Lilla to defend and control the Coll de Lilla. By around 1011, the fortress is said to have already been captured by Christian forces. The conquest and the later resettlement mark two different historical periods: resettlement did not begin until the mid-12th century. This makes it possible to distinguish the history of the fortress at the pass from the later resettlement.

Another detail preserved in the former school and former syndicate building in Lilla is a door lintel dated 1610 and bearing the inscription “misser Antoni Magrinyà”. A lintel is the horizontal structure across the top of a doorway. Here, a specific date and an inherited inscription are associated with a named building; together, they provide a precise reference point for local history.

The Chapel of Sant Fructuós was inaugurated and blessed in 1996. Its apse houses an image of the saint, created by the artist Joan Rosich Andreu from Vilaverd. Lilla thus brings together different cultural and architectural details: the fortress and its role at the pass, the dated door lintel, and the chapel with the image in its apse.

Hiking and travel timing

A route description dated February 21, 2007, takes the GR 7 through Lilla and describes it as one of Catalonia’s most important hiking trails. If you include this hiking route in your plans, check local route conditions. The Festa Major de Lilla takes place on the last weekend of August. Check the dates for the relevant edition before you travel, as the schedule of future festivals may change.

Find hotels in Lilla

Consider whether you would like to focus your stay primarily on excursions, hiking or the town’s history.

Discover more destinations: Vespella De Gaià, Castellvell Del Camp, L'Hospitalet de l'Infant, Farena, Riudecanyes, Belltall, Montbrió Del Camp, Poboleda.

Go to the main travel overview: Tarragona.