Visit to the La Bisbal cooperative's olive oil mill and Montsacer tasting

In the Priorat it is not all vines: there are olive trees too, and the oil has its own designation, the DOP Siurana. La Bisbal de Montsant, in the north of the region at the foot of the range that gives it its name, at 372 metres above sea level, has its leading business in it. Its agricultural cooperative, founded in 1951, presses the Arbequina of the members from the village and from Margalef and bottles it as Montsacer. In harvest season it shows the mill to those who book.

From a family mill to the cooperative

The cooperative was born when the villagers joined together to buy the Molí del Fuster, one of five mills there were, all belonging to families to whom the farmers sold their olives. The visit tells that story in the order it happened:

1. A walk through the village to one of the old mills, restored, hidden among the streets, where they explain how oil was made before.
2. The Starlight viewpoint, with the view over the olive groves around La Bisbal.
3. The cooperative's mill, with today's machinery, to see how the process has changed.
4. Tasting of Montsacer oil, an Arbequina extra virgin, cold first-pressed.

It lasts between two and three hours and costs €8 per person; children have a special price.

Only while the olives are being picked

The visit takes place only in harvest season, Monday to Saturday from 10:00 to 13:00, in Catalan and Spanish, with a minimum of two people and always by reservation. Book on 977 819 034, by WhatsApp on 699 097 025 or at [email protected]. As it depends on the work at the mill, call a few days ahead to confirm that day is possible.

On 6 December 2026 the cooperative holds the oil festival in the village: at 10:00, a communal breakfast and an oil tasting by the Catalan tasting panel, mill visits and sale of the new oil, which is already on sale in its online shop.

Taking the oil home

The cooperative shop sells Montsacer in 5-litre jerrycans for €35 and 2-litre for €15.50, the one-litre or 750 ml bottle for €7.50 and the 250 ml for €4.50, and gift packs with Arbequina olives.

Getting there

The cooperative is at Carrer La Palma 23, in the centre of La Bisbal de Montsant. You get there by car; there is no practical public transport. If you sleep at Terra Dominicata, in Escaladei, you can combine the mill with the Escaladei charterhouse, which is closed on Mondays, on the same day.