What to do · Cardona
Cardona viewpoints route, from the castle to the salt valley
Information
- Price
- Self-guided · free
- Who it's for
- All ages; the Camí Vell is very steep
- With a dog
- On a lead, in the streets and viewpoints; not inside the castle
What it is
Cardona is best understood from outside: a hill with the fortress, a town at its feet and, opposite, the salt valley with the salt mountain. The tourist office suggests an itinerary through the viewpoints that link the three. It is done on foot, self-guided and without a ticket, except for the first two points, which are within the castle grounds.
The route
From the castle. If you do the castle and collegiate church visit, climb the Minyona tower, the highest point: you see the town, the River Cardener, the Pyrenees and Montserrat. Then go round the bastions' wall-walk, which explains how the fortress was defended.
The Camí Vell. To go down to the town, take the old covered path. It passes the old gateways, walls, parapets and arrow slits, and ends at the foot of the hill, near the tourist office. It has a steep slope: it is harder to climb than to descend.
The north viewpoint. Map in hand, go to the Paseo de Mossèn Joan Riba. Look towards the Pyrenees and, in the foreground, the Pla de les Hortes, the Cardener plain with its fields, woods and farmhouses.
La Pietat. Along Avinguda de la Pietat, the old Calaf road, you reach the church of the same name. There are benches. From here the castle appears whole over the roofs of the old town and the extension, and to one side you see the Meer tower, a 19th-century defensive building.
Plaça de la Fira. Back in the centre, the viewpoint beside the sculpture of the town's millennium is the best known. From here you clearly see the relationship between the salt valley and the castle.
From the Salt Mountain
If you do the Salt Mountain visit, two more views await you. At point 2 of the old Mina Nieves site, the 46 m headframe of the María Teresa shaft is in the same photo as the castle. And when the visitors' vehicle drives back up the track, the south face of the fortress appears on the right, looking at the salt valley it watched over.
When to go
Any day will do, Mondays too, when the visits are closed: the town's viewpoints are in the street. In July and August, Cardona Turisme also organises a sunset castle visit that ends with the sunset from the Minyona tower. With children, the Camí Vell stretch is popular for its gateways and arrow slits.
With a dog
In the streets, walks and viewpoints, on a lead. Inside the castle grounds, on the guided visit only the outdoor areas; no dogs are admitted at the Salt Mountain.
Tips
- Do it in reverse if you sleep up top From the Parador, walk down the Camí Vell in the morning and leave the climb for when you return by car.
- Ask for the map at the tourist office The office itself lays out the route with the town map in hand.
- Sit at La Pietat From the church benches the castle is seen whole and from the front.
Frequently asked questions
Do you have to pay?
No. Only the Minyona tower and the bastions are inside the castle and require a ticket.
What is the best view of the castle?
The one from La Pietat, head-on above the town, and the south face from the return track from the Salt Mountain.
Can you do it with a pushchair?
On the streets and paths, yes with some effort. The Camí Vell, because of its slope, is better done with a baby carrier.
As a familyWith teenagersWith a dog
