Hello dear travelers. I want to share the details of our trip to the charming town of Cardona. We had previously visited in January when the weather was a bit cold. This time we enjoyed the beautiful weather and the lush surroundings of the town. Cardona is located 90 km from Barcelona and is famous for its castle and salt mines. We arrived by car and after parking, we began walking around the streets.
While wandering through the town we came across an art gallery. There was a painting hanging directly on the street. We went inside and examined the works. On the wall we found a plaque decorated with mosaics, which clearly depicted a boys choir singing and a mountain landscape. Then we headed towards the Church of Sant Miquel, a church dating back to the 10th century.
As we got hungry, we looked for a place to eat. We found a restaurant called Bauma and sat on its terrace. The menu was only available as a set menu. However we didn't want a heavy meal, so we ordered something lighter. We chose a light menu consisting of a main course, a drink and a dessert and paid 15 Euros per person.
In Santa Eulalia Square there is a Salt Museum called Museu de la Sal Josep Arnau, but unfortunately, it was closed. However there were very nice souvenirs available. For example, cute salt carts were being sold for 10 Euros. Cardona salt could also be purchased. We read that the entrance fee to the museum was 4 Euros. We visited on a Saturday, so perhaps that’s why the museum was closed.
We continued our pleasant walk through the streets of the town. We saw a house built in 1852 and many houses had plaques indicating their century of construction, showing the town's rich history.
Finally we went on a tour of Cardona Castle and the salt mines. Along the way, there were ancient photos showing how the area operated in old times. We were greeted by a statue of a salt miner.
At the entrance, they gave us hairnets to wear and directed us to the bus that would take us to the start of the tour. We boarded a bus full of tourists and headed to the caves.
A large group gathered and with our guide, we started the tour. We walked through the salt rocks towards the cave.
We put on our helmets and began to explore the cave. The interior was beautifully salty. Water droplets were dripping from above.
Our tour cost 12.5 euros per person and the 45 minute cave tour was quite enjoyable. I highly recommend it, especially after visiting the castle. You can stop by this salt cave. I even tasted the salt and it was very salty.
After taking pictures of everything, our buses picked us up and took us back to the parking area. Actually they dropped us off at a shop about 500 meters away from the parking area, where they sold souvenirs.
The prices here seemed a bit higher than at the museum, but since the museum was closed, it wasn’t really possible to shop there. For example, a nice salt-filled trailer here started at at least 25 euros, whereas the cart at the museum would have cost 10 euros.
After the salt cave we rested a bit and then passed through an area with photos and statues related to mining, heading towards the castle. It was very windy and the weather was fantastic. Cool, but wonderful. We wandered around and enjoyed the beautiful views.
From here we could see the town in detail. The mountain we had visited earlier was visible in the distance, looking as if it was covered in snow, but in reality, everything was white salt. There is currently an active hotel in this castle, where you can come and stay. You can wander around and enjoy the surroundings. There’s also a restaurant. You can see a piece of salt at the entrance of the castle. There are various ancient wells, entrances, exits and beautiful frescoes.
There was a very interesting legend about this castle on the information boards. Long ago a family lived here and their neighbors were Moors. At that time relations between them were calm and the families visited each other. One day, the other family came to the castle. The leader of the family had a son and the duke had a daughter. These two fell in love the moment they met and had a romantic relationship.
However the duke told his daughter that such a love was impossible and forbade them from meeting. He locked his daughter in the tower we are now in until she came to her senses and gave up her love. Only one servant was allowed to serve the girl. The girl stayed in this tower in sorrow and eventually died from her grief.
Now according to legend, the girl's spirit lives in this castle as a ghost. It is said that sounds of her presence can be heard in room 712 of the hotel. You can stay in this town, enjoy a meal with a beautiful view at the hotel and go on a city tour.
During this trip, we toured the salt cave, the castle and the old town, but we couldn’t see the museum. So, we plan to come back and visit the salt museum. Thank for reading friends. See you soon.