AJUNTAMENT DE
SANTA MARGARIDA I ELS MONJOS
This alternative stage proposes circling Vilafranca del Penedès along the western corner of the Via Augusta. It passes through Les Cabanyes and Pacs del Penedès before finally reaching Santa Margarida and Els Monjos. As you cross the central part of the Penedès plain, you’ll enjoy a vineyard landscape interrupted only by the Sant Pau mountain, which separates Pacs from Vilafranca del Penedès. On this stage, walkers and cyclists share the same route.
Leaving the Granada train station, head towards its historic centre, then continue towards Les Cabanyes. Just outside the town of Granada, after crossing the C-15 bridge, the Teuleria dels Àlbers archaeological site is located on the right. Fossils dating back some 16 million years have been found here, as well as archaeological remains that demonstrate the existence of a Roman settlement, probably a farm. A few meters further on, turn left onto the Ca l’Andratx road until you reach the Segarres road. Passing through vast vineyards, you’ll arrive at the Torreta dels Bous road, where you turn right towards Les Cabanyes. At this point, you can continue towards Vilafranca by loading the corresponding track.
In Les Cabanyes, the route takes a short detour to approach the Church of Sant Vallée (13th century). Located on the outskirts of town, this is the original Romanesque church of Les Cabanyes, built on the site of an ancient Roman villa, while another church was built in the town centre in the early 20th century.
The route continues to Pacs del Penedès, a town reached after crossing a large expanse of vineyards and passing through its industrial park. The centre of Pacs boasts several heritage sites, such as the Church of Sant Genís and its rectory. Both are built on the site of a Roman villa (1st-4th centuries AD). Several Iberian archaeological sites and a Roman necropolis have been found in the area surrounding Pacs. The route leaves Pacs via the Salzereda corner, a very unique spot where a path following the Pacs stream leads to the Agrícola neighbourhood, through a dense willow forest.
A traffic light at the edge of the Agrícola neighbourhood allows you to safely cross the BP-2121 road, continuing along a paved path towards Santa Margarida and Els Monjos. From this path, on the right, you can see the Water Tower of La Bleda, a water pumping tower that supplied Vilafranca in the early 20th century and whose top was removed during the Spanish Civil War to avoid obstructing nearby airfields. Very close by, also on the right side of the path, is the hermitage of Santa María de la Bleda, built on a Roman site.
After crossing the B-212 road, the path continues towards Santa Margarida and Els Monjos. On the left, opposite the Masia de la Riba farmhouse, in the middle of a vineyard, an archaeological site was found consisting of polychrome mosaic fragments that suggest the existence of a significant Roman settlement. Crossing the bridge over the N-340 and the AP-7, you reach the town centre of Santa Margarida i els Monjos, which you cross via the old national highway, most likely following the original route of the Via Augusta. Before turning left towards the industrial area where the train station is located, very close to Catalunya Avenue, you can see the Foix Mill. This mill, situated next to the Foix River, was a flour mill built in the 10th century. The stage ends near the industrial area, at the Santa Margarida i els Monjos train station.