Paüls: Nature, Hiking Trails and Local Culture

Paüls lies entirely within Parc Natural dels Ports. This is a defining feature when choosing a destination: hiking trails and landscapes sit alongside historic buildings and local traditions. Sant Roc and its hermitage, paths through groves and forests, and the town’s culture offer different starting points for planning your trip.

Landscapes and Trails Around Sant Roc

The Sant Roc recreational area is located near the Sant Roc hermitage and is surrounded by Aleppo pine and holm oak forests. The Itinerario de la Fuente del Teix also passes through a range of landscapes: it first runs through cherry, almond and olive groves, then continues into dense pine and holm oak forests. This sequence makes the route a way to discover both the groves and the wooded areas nearby.

Planning Hikes

The circular Itinerario de la Fuente del Teix starts and ends at the Sant Roc recreational area. It is 4.5 kilometres long, has an elevation gain of 180 metres and takes about an hour; the difficulty level is low. Its length, elevation gain, approximate duration and rating provide different points of reference for planning your hike. Check the route information before setting out.

The GR-7 takes you past Sant Roc and through Paüls. On the GR-171, you rejoin the main route near Paüls; from there, the path continues towards Prat de Comte.

A separate distance is also given for getting between the town and the recreational area: from Paüls, Sant Roc and the hermitage can be reached after 2.3 kilometres through cherry orchards. From Paüls, you can reach Sant Roc after 2.3 kilometres; however, the circular route starts and ends at the Sant Roc recreational area.

Building History and Local Traditions

The Church of Santa Maria and the castle are among the town’s historic points of interest. The church may date back to the 13th century and is designed in the early Gothic style. Some sections of the walls remain at the castle, which is of Arab origin. Together, they represent two different aspects of the town’s history: a possible date and architectural style for the church, and the origins and surviving wall remains of the castle.

Music and dance are also part of the local culture. The jota is Paüls’ folk dance and is performed mainly during the town’s Festes Majors. It is learned by ear and passed down from generation to generation. Those interested in orally transmitted traditions will find a specific way to engage with Paüls’ culture here, distinct from its historic buildings.

A recurring event on the calendar is the Festa de la Cirera cherry festival, held on the first weekend of June. If you would like to plan your trip around the festival, check the exact event date. Cherries also feature in descriptions of the landscape along the trails around Sant Roc, while the festival is a distinct cultural occasion.

There are also Corros at Sant Roc: each belongs to a family from Paüls, which maintains it and uses it twice a year, on the feast days of Sant Antoni and Sant Roc. Another perspective on the surrounding area is offered by the permanent exhibition Els Ocells a Paüls. It focuses on the birds that live in the town year-round, as well as in the surrounding fields, forests and scrubland. The topics thus range from hiking trails and vegetation to birdlife and local traditions.

Discover more destinations:

Capçanes, Vinyols, Albinyana, Benissanet, Ardenya, Vilanova De Prades, Santa Bàrbara, Marçà

For the main travel overview: Tarragona.