Logbook · 8 places

What to see and do in la Bisbal del Penedès

What to see and do in la Bisbal del Penedès (Baix Penedès, Tarragona): 8 places across monuments, nature, activities and curiosities, with a photo and a Google Maps location.

1 Villages · 4 Monuments · 1 Nature · 1 Activities · 1 Food and drink

How far each place is from the centre of la Bisbal del Penedès

Towns near la Bisbal del Penedès

What to see in Albinyana 3.9 km · 4 places
What to see in el Montmell 4.8 km · 12 places
What to see in Llorenç del Penedès 5.5 km · 4 places
What to see in Santa Oliva 6.2 km · 4 places
What to see in Masllorenç 6.2 km · 4 places
What to see in Sant Jaume dels Domenys 6.4 km · 7 places
What to see in Rodonyà 7.4 km · 3 places
What to see in Bonastre 7.8 km · 3 places

Spain › Catalonia › Tarragona › Baix Penedès › la Bisbal del Penedès

What to see and do in la Bisbal del Penedès

La Bisbal del Penedès
Village
La Bisbal del Penedès is a town in the Baix Penedès, in the province of Tarragona, with 4278 inhabitants, which was presided over by the castle of la Bisbal and preserves remains of old watchtowers, such as the circular one at Ortigós, popularly known as Torre dels Moros. First mentioned in a will of 1011, it belonged to Castellví de la Marca before becoming, from the 15th century, a barony of the Salbà family; on 17 May 1813 it was the scene of the Battle of la Bisbal, in which the French troops were defeated. The castle, built in the 12th century, was occupied in 1875 by Isabelline troops and ended up collapsing in the late 19th century, with no remains of it surviving today. The town lives on dry farming, with vines and olive trees.
Castle of la Bisbal
Monument
The castle of la Bisbal, also known as Casal dels Salvà, stood next to the main square of la Bisbal del Penedès, in the Baix Penedès, and is protected as a Bien Cultural de Interés Nacional (Catalonia's highest level of heritage protection) despite being today a building that has practically disappeared. The Salbà family, its lords, are documented since 1330, when Guillermo Salbà made his will; they came from l'Albà, in Aiguamúrcia, and from the 15th century they were called barons of la Bisbal. In the 17th century the lordship passed to the Villalonga family, and in the 18th century the castle was abandoned, collapsing at the end of the 19th century. Private houses were built upon its remains, although large stone arcades, the coat of arms of the Salbà family and a pointed arcade on the upper floor can still be seen. The town council began its restoration around 1980.
Tower of l'Ortigós
Monument
The Torre de l'Ortigós is a circular watchtower located in the hamlet of l'Ortigós, in the municipality of la Bisbal del Penedès, visually connected to other towers that once extended across the Penedès plain in medieval times; today only its topmost metres survive. The place is already mentioned in 1011, as a villa que vocant Urtigos, and in the 14th century it was in the hands of the Guanesc family; in 1553 it had five hearths. Among its buildings, the large residential mas of ca l'Alegret also stands out, built between 1767 and 1773. In the mid-19th century the hamlet, then home to 50 people, belonged to the municipality of la Bisbal; today it has barely a dozen residents.
Strong Tower of Santa Cristina
Monument
Fortified house of square plan, today very ruined, located in the municipality of la Bisbal del Penedès (Baix Penedès) and declared a Bien Cultural de Interés Nacional (Catalonia's highest level of heritage protection). It was built in stone, with large blocks in the lower part and rammed earth in formwork above; the façade preserves an arch with large voussoirs and six arrow slits that betray its possible use as a refuge. Next to it stands the Santa Cristina cave. According to the historian Solé i Caralt, it would correspond to a 10th-century castrum, located on the thousand-year-old road from Vilafranca to Valls, at the highest point of the ridge, which served as a refuge for Christians in an area that was a frontier with the Saracens during that century.
La Bisbal del Penedès Main Festival
Activity
The main festival of la Bisbal del Penedès.
Foix River in the Baix Penedès
Nature
A stretch of the Foix river in the Baix Penedès, at la Bisbal del Penedès.
Castle of la Bisbal del Penedès
Monument
Castle documented since 1301, of Gothic architecture with late Gothic windows; it is an almost vanished building, of which only a leaning stretch of wall with arrow slits, incorporated into the rear of a later construction, and two late Gothic windows on the main façade, one with an ogee arch, survive. It belonged to the Salbà family and collapsed in the late 19th century, when houses were built on its site.
White grapes for cava
Food and drink
A good part of the white grapes of the comarca is sold to the wineries that make cava in the Penedès. Macabeo, xarel·lo and parellada are harvested in August and September and some local wineries age their own sparkling wines.