The Iberian settlement of Montbarbat lies on the summit of the mountain of the same name in the Catalan Coastal Range. It is the archaeological focal point; the Montbarbat route adds forests, views and cultural heritage to the picture. When planning your trip, you can consider the site and the trail as distinct but thematically connected interests.

Summit Location and Size

The summit is 328 metres high, and the settlement covers about 6,000 square metres. These two figures therefore refer to different scales: the elevation locates the mountain topographically, while the area describes the extent of the Iberian settlement. When placing Mont Barbat in context, you can therefore distinguish its location from its size rather than reading the measurements as referring to the same thing.

Pottery Finds from the Settlement

The finds include three named pottery groups: grey Emporitan pottery, Attic black-glazed pottery and ordinary Iberian pottery. The latter was made by hand and on a potter’s wheel. The names distinguish the pottery groups; hand-making and the potter’s wheel describe the production methods used for ordinary Iberian pottery. This distinction makes the overview of the finds more precise: it identifies not only the type of pottery but also how one group was made. For an archaeological focus, these specific details about the finds offer an approach through the material and its manufacture.

Route, Landscape and Cultural Heritage

The Montbarbat route leads to the remains of the Iberian settlement and offers views over the coastal area of La Selva. It passes through the characteristic Mediterranean forests of the maritime Selva and provides access to a rich modernist heritage. It thus combines an archaeological destination with two aspects of the landscape and a cultural theme. Depending on which interests you prioritise, you can focus your visit on the settlement remains, the forest and coastal scenery, or the modernist heritage.

Trails and Directions

The route information offers further guidance. The route is marked with coloured trail markers and vertical signposts. A forest shortcut branches off from the trail along the valley of the Torrent de Valldemaria and heads towards Montbarbat. The route and the branch in the valley therefore differ: the route leads to the settlement remains, while the forest trail uses the valley trail as its reference point and heads towards Montbarbat. An asphalt road also leads from the N-II towards Montbarbat. The road and trail references can therefore be treated as different planning details. Check the current route before setting out. Both descriptions point towards Montbarbat, but each starts from a different reference point: the forest trail from the valley trail, and the asphalt road from the N-II.

Focus your search on the theme you want to prioritise during your trip.

Discover more destinations: Mas Altaba

Return to the broader travel overview: Maçanet De La Selva.