Mas de la Font Famolenca

Mas de la Font Famolenca is an old stone mas — a traditional Catalan farmhouse — set in the hills above Falset, right in the heart of the Priorat wine region in Tarragona province. The building stands just beside the spring that gave it its name, the Font Famolenca, and marks one of the recognizable stops along the hiking routes that loop around the town.

Where exactly is it?

The farmhouse sits on the slopes east of Falset, surrounded by the terraced vineyards and Mediterranean scrubland typical of Priorat. Its coordinates are roughly 41.152° N, 0.845° E. There is no road access for cars — the only way to reach it is on foot, as part of a longer circular hiking route.

How do you get there?

The straightforward approach is to set out on foot from the center of Falset and follow the circular route locally known as the Cresta de les Quimeres trail, which also takes in several nearby miradors (viewpoints). The full loop covers about 8.2 kilometers and is rated difficult, with noticeable elevation changes, so it's worth setting aside half a day and bringing sturdy hiking shoes and enough water. The path runs through a spot called Lo Grauet and past the Mirador de les Sentius viewpoint before turning onto the Camí dels Fontanals, a stretch that descends along a narrow gully known as the canal dels Fontanals toward the valley floor. It's on this descent, after roughly a kilometer, that walkers pass the Mas de la Font Famolenca.

What will you see along the way?

A few meters from the mas itself is the Font Famolenca spring, which in wetter months feeds a sizeable pool — something close to a small natural pond. A little further along the same stretch of trail lies the Cova de Maria la Ganxa, a small cave carved into the rock that's popular with hikers passing through. This whole section runs in the shade of trees growing along the gully, making it a welcome break after the more exposed, sun-beaten stretches of the route that cross ridgelines and viewpoints.

The farmhouse itself is a typical example of Priorat's dry-stone rural architecture: thick stone walls, small window openings, a tiled roof. Farmsteads of this kind were built throughout these hills to support olive, almond, and terraced vine cultivation, and access to a reliable water source largely determined where each one was sited.

When is the best time to visit?

Priorat summers can get very hot, and the exposed parts of the trail — the ridgelines and viewpoints — offer little shade, so spring and autumn are the best seasons for this hike, when temperatures are milder and the vineyard views are at their best: fresh green in spring, colorful vine foliage in autumn. Starting early in the morning helps you clear the harder stretches before the heat of the day sets in.

Frequently asked questions

Can you drive directly to Mas de la Font Famolenca? No — the farmhouse lies on a hiking trail in the hills above Falset and can only be reached on foot, as part of a circular route that also passes several nearby viewpoints.

How long does the full route take? The complete loop, roughly 8.2 kilometers and including Lo Grauet, the Mirador de les Sentius, and the descent through the canal dels Fontanals, is rated difficult — plan for several hours to complete it.

What's worth seeing right around the mas? Just next to it is the Font Famolenca spring with its pool, and a few meters further on, the small Cova de Maria la Ganxa cave.

Is the trail suitable for beginners? Given the difficulty rating and elevation changes, the route suits hikers with some prior mountain-walking experience; proper footwear and enough water are essential.