Santa Magdalena del Toscar

Santa Magdalena del Toscar is a small hermitage in the El Toscar valley, within the municipality of Alfara de Carles, inside the Ports de Tortosa-Beseit Natural Park in Catalonia.

How to get there?

The chapel stands beside the road leading to El Toscar, roughly 4 km before the village of Alfara de Carles itself, on the northern slope of the El Caro massif at the head of the Conca ravine. Access is via the local road connecting Alfara de Carles with the El Toscar settlement, running through hilly, densely wooded terrain typical of the Ports de Tortosa-Beseit range. There is no regular public transport serving this part of the municipality, so the site is best reached by car or as a stop on a longer hike through the surrounding trails.

What will you see?

The building itself is modest: a small rectangular masonry structure with a rendered façade. It is distinguished by four lateral window openings and a round opening set above the entrance. A two-slope tiled roof is topped by a small bell-gable in the shape of a semicircular arch — a feature typical of rural religious architecture in this area, also seen at the nearby chapels of Santa Llúcia and Sant Julià.

The chapel dates from the 18th century, but by the mid-19th century it was already largely in ruins, as recorded in the 1846 Madoz dictionary. It was rebuilt during that same century. The building belonged to the chapter of Tortosa Cathedral, and in the early 20th century an annex was added for summer visitors — the El Toscar area was then a hub of mountain holiday cottages clustered around the Toscà spring.

It is worth combining the visit with the two other hermitages in the same valley: Santa Llúcia del Toscar, protected as a local cultural heritage asset, and Sant Julià — the former 13th-century parish church of the now-vanished village of Carles, near which the ruins of a medieval castle still stand. The area also has an industrial past: between the 18th and 19th centuries it was home to paper mills and a glass factory, powered by abundant water and timber from the Ports range — the glass factory operated until 1802.

When to visit?

The best time to visit is Easter Monday, when a traditional aplec — a local gathering of residents from the surrounding area — takes place at the chapel, keeping alive customs tied to the site. Outside that date, the surroundings are quiet and work well as a stop on a hiking or cycling route through the Ports Natural Park, particularly in spring and autumn, when mountain temperatures are pleasant; summers here can be very hot and dry.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Santa Magdalena del Toscar a listed heritage site? Yes, it is included in the Inventory of Architectural Heritage of Catalonia as a protected element.

How far is it from the center of Alfara de Carles? The chapel lies about 4 km from the village, a drive of roughly ten to fifteen minutes along the local road.

Are there other historic sites nearby worth visiting? Yes — the same El Toscar valley holds the chapels of Santa Llúcia and Sant Julià, as well as the ruins of the medieval castle of Carles.

Is the chapel open to visitors year-round? It is a small, partly rebuilt religious building with no permanent staff, so it can be viewed from the outside throughout the year; the liveliest moment is the annual aplec held on Easter Monday.