Siurana: Romanesque Church, Castle and Mountain Views

Siurana brings together Romanesque architecture, the history of an Arab castle and views of striking mountain landscapes. You can also explore the area when planning your trip through its hiking trails, climbing and reservoir. This lets you decide whether cultural history, trails and views, or outdoor activities should shape your stay.

Romanesque Church and Arab Castle

The Iglesia de Santa Maria is a fully preserved Romanesque building, constructed between the 12th and 13th centuries. Its portal features a figurative tympanum framed by three round-arched arcades. These rest on columns with decorated capitals. The tympanum is the decorated panel of the portal; together with the arcades and capitals, it forms an ensemble of clearly distinguishable architectural details.

The Castillo Árabe adds another layer of history to this view of Siurana. It was a military “hisn” and was built around the 9th century as a control centre. Following an initial phase of restoration, the enclosure and defensive towers are clearly recognisable. The church and castle thus represent different architectural and historical themes: Romanesque architecture on the one hand, and a military castle complex on the other.

Views and Trails

From Siurana, you can enjoy views of the Sierra de Montsant, Gritella and the Montañas de Prades. The “Els miralls de la muntanya” trail leads to views of the Siurana reservoir, Montsant and this part of the Priorat. The perspectives have different focal points: from the village, the mountain landscapes mentioned above take centre stage, while the trail also takes in the reservoir and the Priorat.

The “Recuerdos de princesas y guerreros” hike starts beside the castle ruins. It follows historic access paths to the old route between Cornudella and Siurana. Its route therefore connects the history of the village with a specific historic route. If you like to include both landscape and history in your trip plans, this trail offers a distinct focus alongside the buildings and viewpoints.

Climbing, Reservoir and Swimming Spot

More than 1,700 climbing routes are spread across different sectors in Siurana and its surrounding area. Climbing is therefore a distinct focus when planning a trip; the figure given applies to the village and its surroundings combined.

There is a clear restriction on boating on the El pantà de Siurana reservoir: only non-motorised boats are permitted. Check the navigation restriction locally before planning a water activity. Access from the car park at the Castillo to the Toll de la Palla swimming spot follows the Camino de la Trona, marked as PR-C7. This lets you include both a water-based activity and a named hiking trail in your plans without confusing them with the scenic trails or the route to the castle ruins.

Legend and Seasonal Visit

The Salto de la Reina Mora is a cliff associated with the legend of Abdelazia. A deep horseshoe-shaped imprint can be seen in the rock at the edge of the precipice. Here, the landscape is connected with a local tale and a specific feature in the rock.

A guided summer visit at sunset combines the history and legends of Siurana with a tasting of sweet wine and musician’s dessert. The seasonal offer is scheduled for July and August; check the dates before your trip. Together with the church, castle, hiking trails and landscape, this provides a range of different themes around which to plan your stay in Siurana.

Discover more destinations: El Baix Penedès, Vespella De Gaià, Figuerola Del Camp, El Molar, Miravet, Flix, Rodonyà, La Palma D'ebre

For the overview of the wider travel region: Tarragona.