When I travel I use Tripadvisor for research to see what is in the vicinity. Montblanc town walls appealed as they looked quite spectacular so they were added to our itinerary whilst we were touring Catalonia.
Visiting
There is obviously no charge to visit the walls as they just surround the town. Parking is available, either in the signposted main car park or on the nearby side streets. Being a town there are plenty of cafes around and a tourist information place is also at the main town entrance.
The best time to visit is probably when the town has its Medieval festival (usually around St George’s Day) as the pictures from that look quite spectacular. There is a website here but it is Spanish and Catalan only.
My Experience
We drove to the town and as we approached Montblanc town walls looked very impressive, surrounding the town and undulating over the hillside like a miniature Great Wall. We parked up and were almost the only car in the car park. It really did seem like a ghost town and the only time we saw anyone at all was in the main square.
We walked along the outside of the walls and then entered through one of the original gates and walked around the inside. The medieval town is obviously quite small and it didn’t take long to walk around it and through it. There are some pretty streets and churches and we eventually settled in the main square and had a coffee which was very theraputic.
Photo Gallery
History
This site here gives the following town history:
“Montblanc was founded in 1163 by Alfonso I of Barcelona to defend the road between Tarragona and Lleida. The town prospered and by the 13th Century was one of the most important towns in Catalonia. Today the medieval old town, complete with fortified stone walls is said to be among the best preserved in Spain.
The main attraction of Montblanc is just wandering the narrow cobbled streets and enjoying the town’s laid back charm. In addition to the fortified walls there are numerous emblematic buildings including the Casal dels Josa, the Palau Real and the Church of Santa Maria la Mayor.
Even if you’re not a fan of visiting churches, it’s worth climbing the bell tower of Santa Maria la Mayor for some of the best views of Montblanc and the surrounding area.
You can pick up a map from the tourist office or download the pdf here“
References
The Montblanc St George’s Festival site is here.
A guide to the town is here.