What to do · Cardona
Historic centre of Cardona, Sant Miquel and the Salt Museum
Information
- From
- €5 adult, guided visit
- Duration
- 1 h 30
- Season
- All year; the guided visit, weekends and public holidays
- Who it's for
- All ages
- With a dog
- On a lead, in the streets; not on interior visits
What it is
The town was born at the foot of the castle at the end of the 10th century. Its starting date is the town charter that Count Borrell II gave it on 23 April 986. The old town is small and is walked in an hour: narrow streets descending from the hill, gateways, the Plaça de la Fira with its viewpoint over the salt valley and the Gothic church of Sant Miquel, with its great nave. Beside the church, an arch passes under the rectory: the volta del rector, which gives its name to one of the restaurants on the square.
Self-guided
Start at Plaça de la Fira. Next to the sculpture commemorating the thousand years since the founding is Cardona's best-known viewpoint: from there you understand at a glance the relationship between the salt valley and the castle. Continue along Carrer de les Flors towards Sant Miquel and Plaça de Santa Eulàlia, and let the streets lead you. If you come from the castle, walk down the Camí Vell, the old covered path, which ends at the foot of the hill, near the tourist office.
With a guide
At weekends and public holidays, Cardona Turisme organises a guided visit of an hour and a half. It starts at the Centre Cardona Medieval with the audiovisual "The Cardonas, lords of salt", uses the 986 town charter as a thread and ends inside Sant Miquel. It costs €5.50 adults, €4.50 pensioners, €4 ages 12 to 16 and €3 ages 7 to 11. The route is adapted for people with reduced mobility.
The Josep Arnau Salt Museum
In the old Crestó butcher's shop, at Plaça de Santa Eulàlia 11–13, a private museum shows Cardona's salt craft through the work of the craftsman Josep Arnau, with pieces worked in salt. It opens Friday, Saturday and Monday from 11:00 to 13:30 and from 17:00 to 20:00, and Sundays from 11:00 to 13:30; Tuesday to Thursday, by appointment. Admission costs €4, €3 for pensioners, and is free up to age 16. Phone 938 690 858.
Getting there and parking
Leave the car in the free car park at Les Torretes, on Avinguda del Rastrillo, or at El Portalet. The one on Plaça de la Fira is paid. The streets of the old town are narrow and steep.
Round off the day
The walk fits between the visit to the Salt Mountain and the castle. For lunch, La Volta del Rector is on the same Carrer de les Flors, facing the square.
Tips
- Look at the valley from La Fira The square's viewpoint explains the salt mountain and the castle in a single glance.
- Call the Salt Museum first on weekdays Tuesday to Thursday it only opens by appointment.
- Wear comfortable shoes The old town goes up and down, and the Camí Vell is very steep.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to see the old town?
An hour self-guided; the guided visit, an hour and a half.
Which days is there a guided visit?
Weekends and public holidays.
What do you see in the Salt Museum?
Pieces carved in Cardona salt, based on the work of the craftsman Josep Arnau, with an exhibition on that local trade.
As a familyWith a dog
