Les Borges Blanques: Olive Oil, Giants and Good Times in Catalonia
Love olive oil, quiet streets and big-hearted festivals? Then Les Borges Blanques is your kind of place. This friendly town is the capital of Les Garrigues, a comarca in the province of Lleida, in western Catalonia. Olive groves surround it, and locals proudly call it the capital of arbequina oil.
About 6,000 people live here, so the town feels relaxed and easy to explore. Read on to discover what to see, when to go, where to stay and how to get there.
What to see and do
Start at Plaça de l’U d’Octubre, the heart of town. Wide porticoes and Renaissance touches frame the square, so it makes a perfect coffee stop. Next, visit the Parish Church of the Assumption. It mixes baroque and neoclassical styles, and large paintings of New Testament scenes decorate the inside. Its bell tower offers views towards the Pyrenees.
Then pop into the baroque chapel of Our Lady of Sorrows. It dates from 1743 and began life as the chapel of a medieval hospital. It is small, yet it adds a lovely touch of history.
History fans will enjoy the Espai Macià . This centre tells the story of Francesc Macià , the first president of the modern Generalitat. You can see his personal items, and virtual reality takes you through key moments of his life. The centre also explains his links with Les Garrigues.
Afterwards, head to Cal Gineret, an old olive oil mill from the late 19th century. A guided tour uses screens in the old underground oil deposits to explain the town’s oil industry. It also covers the Civil War bombings of 1938 and 1939, and you can step inside a shelter. Entry costs just a couple of euros, and tours run in English too. Book ahead through the tourist office.
For some fresh air, stroll through Passeig del Terrall. This leafy park has two ponds with swans, ducks and geese. You can also spot a 17th-century olive oil press. Several monuments sit here as well, including tributes to the sardana dance and to the victims of Mauthausen.
Finally, follow the oil trail into the countryside. Les Garrigues created Spain’s first olive oil designation of origin. Arbeca lies just 6 km away, and Castelldans, with its Olive Oil Museum, sits about 9 km away. Meanwhile, the Iberian fortress of Els Vilars is near Arbeca. Find more ideas on the Turisme Les Garrigues website.
Keen on more history? Head further out to El Cogul. Its Roca dels Moros cave paintings are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Likewise, Vallbona de les Monges, about 22 km away, has a grand Cistercian monastery.
Local festivals and traditions
Les Borges Blanques knows how to party. The big event is the Festa Major, which takes place on the first weekend of September. Streets fill with music, food and happy crowds.
Its star attraction is the Trobada de Gegants, Grallers i Correfocs. This meeting began in 1983. Almost 150 giants and about 80 giant clubs arrive from across Catalonia. Parades, traditional music and fire runs follow, so expect plenty of noise and smoke. The event has even earned recognition as a Popular Festival of Cultural Interest.
January brings a different treat. The Extra Virgin Quality Oil Fair is the main event of its kind in Catalonia. Locals also hold the Fira de les Garrigues around the feast of Sant Antoni. This fair has run since 1963.
Elsewhere in the comarca, you will find other traditions. For example, Granadella stages the Descent of the Cross during Holy Week. Many villages also hold oil fairs between November and March.
Food is part of every celebration. Arbequina oil appears on almost everything, so try it on fresh bread. Then order a few local dishes, and share them with friends.
Where to stay
Les Borges Blanques is compact, so you can stay almost anywhere and still walk to the sights. Still, the central area around Plaça de l’U d’Octubre works best for most visitors. Cafés, shops and the church are right there, so you can leave the car behind.
Prefer greenery? Choose a spot near Passeig del Terrall. You can enjoy morning walks by the ponds, and the centre is a short stroll away. Plus, it feels wonderfully calm at night.
Planning to explore the countryside by car? Look at the edge of town, where parking is easier and the roads to the olive groves begin. Alternatively, base yourself in Lleida, about 25 km away, for a bigger choice of hotels. However, Les Borges Blanques offers more peace and local charm. Book well ahead for the Festa Major and the January oil fair, because rooms go fast. Search properties with Free Cancellation on Booking.com.
How to get to Les Borges Blanques
The nearest airports are Reus Airport and Barcelona El Prat Airport. Reus is closer, so it suits a shorter transfer. Barcelona has far more flights, though it sits further away. Either way, plan on a train or car for the last stretch. Check flights and Buy Tickets with Booking.com.
Going by train? Lleida is the key rail hub. Fast trains run there from Barcelona and Madrid. From Lleida, take a bus for the final leg. Check Train Schedules and Buy Tickets on Omio.
Buses make the last leg easy. ALSA buses run from Lleida to Les Borges Blanques about once an hour. The trip takes around 25 minutes. Other services link the town with nearby villages such as Arbeca. Check Bus Schedules and secure your seat on Omio.
A car is handy for the olive oil villages. You can pick one up at either airport or in Lleida. Hire a car with Discovercars.
From Lleida, the drive is about 26 km and takes around 25 minutes. From Reus, allow roughly an hour. From Barcelona, expect a little over two hours. Along the way, you will pass fields of olive trees and quiet villages. Already in Spain? Get directions.
Once you arrive, the old centre is small and walkable. So, park up, grab a coffee and enjoy the slow pace.