Cardona Castle and the Collegiate Church of Sant Vicenç

What it is

Cardona castle crowns the hill that overlooks the town and the salt valley. It was ordered built by Count Wilfred the Hairy in 886 and was completed over the centuries; the Cardona family, one of the most powerful lineages in Catalonia, made it their residence and from the 17th century surrounded it with a crown of bastions. It was built, in large part, to control the salt of the mountain opposite.

Inside the complex there are two pieces that justify the trip. The Collegiate Church of Sant Vicenç, built in the first half of the 11th century, is for the Agència Catalana del Patrimoni Cultural one of the best examples of early Catalan Romanesque: bare stone, height and very little decoration. Beside it is the cloister. And the Minyona tower, circular in plan, the only remnant of the first castle. Legend says the lords locked their daughter in there so she wouldn't see her lover, a young Muslim. The rest of the buildings today house the Parador de Cardona.

Self-guided or with a guide

Self-guided visit, by the Agència Catalana del Patrimoni Cultural: €6, reduced €4 (over-65s, pensioners, Carnet Jove and others) and free for under-16s. It is free for everyone on the last Tuesday of each month from October to June, on 18 April, on 11 September and on the European Heritage Days.

Guided visit, by Cardona Turisme: an hour and a half through the modern fortress, the comital castle, the Minyona tower and the collegiate church. €8.75 adults, €6.50 pensioners, €6 ages 12 to 16 and €4 ages 7 to 11. It leaves from the castle's visitor service office, Tuesday to Sunday and public holidays.

For families, at weekends and public holidays: "The True Story of the Minyona Tower", a 1 h 15 theatrical visit that starts at the Casamata. €9 adults, €7 pensioners and ages 12 to 16, €6 ages 5 to 11.

At sunset, in July and August: Thursdays at 19:00 in Catalan and Saturdays at 19:00 in Spanish, with the sunset from the Minyona tower. €9 adults.

Opening hours

Tuesday to Saturday, from 10:00 to 17:30 from October to April and from 10:00 to 19:00 from May to September. Sundays and public holidays, from 10:00 to 15:00 all year. At Easter, Friday to Sunday until 19:00. The ticket office closes half an hour earlier. Closed on Mondays that are not public holidays, on 25 and 26 December and on 1 and 6 January.

Getting there and moving around inside

You drive up to the free car park on the esplanade. On foot, from the town, the Camí Vell has a steep slope. If you bought your ticket online, you validate it at the History Museum office, next to the Parador reception. The courtyard, the cloister, the collegiate church and the bastions are adapted for people with reduced mobility; the Minyona tower is only reached by stairs. The ground is old and uneven, awkward for pushchairs. In rain, the visit goes ahead anyway. The Parador café is open to visitors.

With a dog

Cardona Turisme allows the visit with a dog around the outdoor areas, quietly and without bothering the group. It can't enter the collegiate church or the Casamata.