Beaches and walks
Tamarit Castle and Cala Jovera
Tamarit Castle, the 12th-century fortress that closes off Altafulla beach: its history, whether you can visit it, how to walk there from Altafulla and the cove at its feet, Cala Jovera.
If you have been to Altafulla beach, you have seen Tamarit Castle without knowing its name: it is the golden stone fortress that closes off the bay to the south, perched on a rock, with a church attached and a line of cypresses. It is in the municipality of Tarragona, but it is the postcard of Altafulla, the one we wear on our backs on one of the crew’s t-shirts.
A 12th-century castle against pirates
Tamarit was a village with a castle from the 12th century: a fortress that mixes Romanesque, Gothic and Renaissance and served to watch over the coast and protect the population from pirate raids in the Middle Ages. Inside the walls are the church and the remains of the old village.
A century ago it was almost in ruins and abandoned. It was saved by two names known all along the Catalan coast: the American patron Charles Deering and the painter Ramon Casas, who restored it in the early 20th century. It has been private property ever since.
Can you visit it?
Hardly ever. The castle is closed to the public with two exceptions: some Sundays, when mass is held in its church, and the weddings and private celebrations for which it is hired out. If you get the chance to go in for one of those, do not pass it up.
For everyone else, the visit is from outside, and it is a good one: the coastal path goes all the way round it along the rock, and from the path you see the walls, the tower, the church and, behind, Cala Jovera. The classic viewpoint is from Altafulla beach at sunset, with the castle in silhouette and the Gaià in front.
How to walk there from Altafulla
It is the Altafulla walk, the one we do whenever someone comes to visit:
- Start at Les Botigues de Mar, the little white houses on the beach, and walk south along the promenade and then along the sand.
- Pass the Club Marítim and reach the mouth of the Gaià, a protected natural area of reeds and birds. Take it slowly: it is the prettiest stretch.
- Carry on along the sand towards the castle rock; the last few metres are over rocks, so closed shoes are better than flip-flops.
- Go round the castle on the coastal path and down to Cala Jovera.
It is about 30 minutes each way. If you want to keep going, the path continues along the cliffs to Platja de la Mora and the 16th-century Torre de la Mora: about 8 km there and back in all, four hours with stops and a swim.
By car you reach Tamarit on the N-340, but in summer parking is scarce and the walk from Altafulla is the better plan.
Cala Jovera
At the foot of the castle is Cala Jovera: a small cove with calm water, surrounded by vegetation and with the castle above. It has showers and toilets, which makes it convenient for a family day out, but you get down by paths and steps: it is not suitable for pushchairs or for people with reduced mobility.
In July and August it fills up early; in June and September, first thing in the morning, it is one of the best swims on the whole Tarragona coast. A little further on, Tamarit beach begins, with the campsites behind it.
What else is at Tamarit
- Tamarit beach, long and with the area’s three campsites (Tamarit Beach Resort, Camping Torre de la Mora and Camping Trillas) in the second row. If you are camping, this is your beach; we cover it in where to stay in Altafulla.
- Platja de la Mora and Punta de la Mora, with the 16th-century watchtower inside the Torre de la Mora campsite (you can walk through to reach the tower, respecting the campers).
- Cala Fonda, which everyone calls Waikiki: a nudist cove with coarse sand, no facilities at all and reachable only on foot, from Platja de la Mora or from Platja Llarga.
The Tamarit t-shirt
The I Love Altafulla · Tamarit t-shirt carries the castle in line drawing, on its rock, with the church, the cypresses and the seagulls. It is the one most requested by the people who come back every summer, and the reason is this view.
For the rest of the village, start with what to see in Altafulla and Altafulla beach.
Frequently asked questions
Can you visit Tamarit Castle?
Normally not: it is private and closed. It opens some Sundays for mass in its church and is hired out for weddings and celebrations. From outside you can walk all the way round it on the coastal path, which is the best way to see it.
How do you get to Cala Jovera?
On foot from Altafulla beach, heading south, crossing the mouth of the Gaià and skirting the castle (about 30 minutes), or from Tamarit along paths and steps. It is not accessible for pushchairs or wheelchairs.
Is Tamarit Castle in Altafulla?
It is in the municipality of Tarragona, just across the river Gaià, but it is part of Altafulla’s landscape: it is what you see at the end of the beach, and most people reach it on foot from here.