Saffron Harvest and Tasting in the La Mata Fields

Saffron flowers for only a few weeks a year, in autumn, and the flower is picked by hand. In La Mata, a small village in Els Ports 21 km from Morella, about 25 minutes by car, the guides of Viu els Ports take you to a field in bloom to do it yourself. Their partners produce organic saffron in the region.

From flower to red thread

The visit lasts about four hours. In the field you pick the purple saffron flowers, one by one. Then comes the desbrinado: separating by hand from each flower the three red stigmas, which are the spice. There is a saffron tasting and, to finish, an interpretive walk of about 3.5 km through the landscape and history of La Mata, beside the Cantavella river.

Price and booking

It costs €20 for adults, €12 for ages 6 to 18 and nothing for under-6s; booking directly with the company gets a discount. It is for all ages. It only goes ahead with a minimum group and depends on the weather and the flowering, so there is no fixed calendar: ask about dates on 633 82 07 36 or by email, in advance. Before the outing they send you information and recommendations.

An autumn in Els Ports

October and November are good months for Morella: mild days, low light on the walls and fewer people than in summer. You can sleep in the town, at the Hotel Cardenal Ram on the arcaded street, and devote one morning to saffron and another to the rock paintings of Morella la Vella, which have free sessions from Tuesday to Sunday by reservation. And if you come back in June, the same company shows the lavender fields of La Todolella.