Santa Margarida i els Monjos

Santa Margarida i els Monjos is a municipality located in the southeast of the Alt Penedès region, in the Prelitoral depression, and is crossed by the Foix River. It has an area of 17.39 km ².

The municipality, located approximately 170 metres above sea level, maintains a balance between plain and mountain and is made up of a dozen urban centres and small neighbourhoods, the most important being Els Monjos, la Ràpita and Cal Rubió, as well as several farmhouses spread throughout the municipality.

Our municipality has natural places of great beauty: the Fountain of Sant Llorenç, the forest of the Pinos Altos, the Torrent de Cal Bruna, the Foix river... all of them deserve a special walk that awakens pleasant sensations.

Vestiges from various periods have been found: Iberian, Roman, Arab... witnesses of distant settlements with a constant presence in the area, motivated by the proximity to the important Iberian centre of Olèrdola and the passage of the Via Augusta.

The passage of time has also left its mark on various elements that make up a rich history and heritage, which visitors can discover on foot. Among the most important are the Penyafort Castle, the Foix mill, the Penyafel hermitage, the numerous vestiges related to the Spanish Civil War, with air raid shelters, the Ciarga, an old airfield, prison, aircraft assembly plants, etc.

All of this is set in the Alt Penedès region, a wine-growing region where the landscape and climate are conducive to enjoying a pleasant stay.

Guided tours

The municipality offers guided tours that can be done throughout the year. They are the following:

Discover the CIARGA and the Serral refuge

This guided tour is only available for pre-arranged groups.

Discover Penyafort Castle

It takes place every Sunday at 10:30 a.m. and 12 p.m. It is held for arranged groups and open groups.

With this visit we encourage you to discover the heritage construction that best explains the historical evolution of the municipality of Santa Margarida i els Monjos, the castle of Penyafort. During the 11th century, a watchtower was built on the same level as the castle of Olèrdola to protect the land conquered from the Muslims of Al-Andalus. Since then, a church, a convent, a summer residence for the industrial bourgeoisie and even a prison dependent on the Republican aviation during the Civil War have been added to the original fortification, giving rise to the multifaceted and rich architectural ensemble of today. With this visit we will embark on a long journey through time, starting with the Catalan reconquest of the county, to continue with the implementation of the Catholic counter-reformation, the disentailments and the industrial revolution, until the outbreak of the war in 1936 and the subsequent arrival of the first American tourists.

Discover the castle with family and friends

Come to Penyafort Castle with family and friends and enjoy the Discover the Castle activity where, through a self-guided treasure hunt, you can make a discovery of the history and the different stages of the castle. Do you dare?

In addition to the guided tour of Penyafort Castle, you can also find a children's discovery pack of the castle, which you can buy at the information centre counter. Through this activity pack, Trap, a bat who lives in this thousand-year-old building, will guide you to discover all the secrets of the space. A series of exercises and games to discover the castle independently, encouraging active observation and play.

Express visits and family space at CIARGA.

Discover the centre with family activities and the airfield discovery package. Express tours will take you to all the facilities for 30 minutes so you can get the most out of it.