The Escaladei charterhouse, the first on the peninsula

Before the Priorat was a wine name it was a priory: that of the Escaladei charterhouse, founded in the 12th century at the request of King Alfonso the Chaste, the order's first on the peninsula. The monks planted vines on these slopes and the region took its name from them. Today it is a romantic ruin at the foot of the Montsant cliffs, and the best first stop on any route through the area.

What you see

A walk outside and inside what remains: the façade, the three cloisters (one reconstructed), the church, the refectory and a reconstructed cell, which shows how a Carthusian lived. The ground is trodden earth and some spaces have rear access for people with reduced mobility.

Opening hours and price

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

Admission is €7, or €5 reduced (over-65s, Carnet Jove, large families and others). It is free for under-16s, and for everyone on the last Tuesday of each month from October to June. The guided tour, with admission included, costs €11, and the "Els Ulls de la Història" tour is free with admission and by reservation. Bookings are made on 977 638 556, Tuesday to Friday from 10:00 to 14:00, or at [email protected].

Getting there

By the Camí de la Cartoixa, from the village of Escaladei. If you stay at Terra Dominicata, the hotel suggests walking: about 40 minutes among vines.