The best dog-friendly hikes and walks around Alt Penedés

The Coll de l’Arca is the mountain pass that connects Joncosa del Montmell with Aiguaviva. Until a few years ago it was just a difficult track, but now with the paved road it has become a key point that gives life to both towns. From here begins the descent to Aiguaviva, fast and panoramic, ideal to enjoy it on MTB. In addition to the pass, the col is a connection point with routes to Cova Gran and other interesting paths that cross the mountain range. It is a perfect place to stop for a moment, breathe and decide where to continue, with the feeling of being in the heart of Montmell.

The trail that brings you to this point is in good condition and suitable for all ages. From here, you can choose to descend to Can Marles, or if you turn off the first path, you'll reach Cal Joan de la Torre and then Aiguaviva.

Three emblematic points of the mountain range come together: Castellot, with the remains of the medieval fortress that guarded the Penedès; the Romanesque hermitage of Sant Miquel, from the 11th century, small and simple, but full of history; and the Creu del Montmell, which crowns the ridge as a symbol visible from afar. Climbing it by MTB or on foot is demanding, with steep and rocky sections, but the reward is immense: a 360º natural viewpoint over vineyards, villages and, on clear days, all the way to the sea. It is a place where nature, heritage and epic panoramas meet in a single point.

The Castellot del Montmell hermitage, dedicated to Sant Miquel, is a small Romanesque gem from the 11th century located just below the remains of the castle. Despite its simple and half-ruined state, it still preserves part of the apse and the original walls, which speak of a time when this was the spiritual and defensive center of the area. Getting there by MTB is quite a challenge: the path is stony and with very steep sections, and you almost always have to walk the last few meters. But once at the top, the view compensates for any effort - with the entire Montmell mountain range at your feet, the open Penedès and, on clear days, the sea line in the background. The hermitage, despite its condition, transmits silence and history, as if it were still watching over the ruins of the castle.

It crowns the mountain range and is one of the most iconic points in Baix Penedès. Located at an altitude of over 780 m, it offers a spectacular panorama of the entire region and, on clear days, as far as the sea. Today, all that remains are the remains of walls and towers, witnesses to a medieval fortress that controlled the roads and served as a refuge for the population. The climb to Castellot is demanding, with steep and rocky sections, but the reward is enormous: a natural viewpoint where history and landscape merge. On MTB you have to be prepared, it is better to climb calmly and perhaps do the last section on foot, but the experience is very worthwhile. It is a place that reminds us of the strategic importance of this peak and at the same time a perfect point to enjoy the immensity of Montmell.

Very nice climb especially the last 150 meters 👍💪

Documented for the first time in 962, it was listed as a monastic house dependent on the Ripoll monastery and since the 12th century it had housed a community of Benedictines. Practically nothing remains of the primitive Romanesque church, since in 1541 a mob of Frenchmen burned down the town, leaving the monastic house and the church collapsed. The church was rebuilt in 1567, becoming the property of the Barcelona Cathedral. In the following years he carried out various renovations, including the addition of an altarpiece by the Milanese painter Joan Baptista Toscano and various images by the Catalan baroque artist Agustí Pujol. In successive centuries the church was expanded and in the 1950s, after the damage suffered during the civil war, the sgraffito exterior that can be seen today was painted.

Pélag Bullidor is the name of this area of the Torrent de Barquies where there are deeper waters, who knows from the name if the water boils somewhere!