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Calafell returns to the Middle Ages with three days of market and shows
Calafell will travel back several centuries during the last weekend of August. From Friday 28 to Sunday 30, the old town will host the 27th edition of its Medieval Market, with stalls, shows and activities around one of the settings best suited to the event: Castell de la Santa Creu.
Friday will be the first opportunity to get acquainted, with activity in the old town between 18:00 and 23:00. On Saturday, the market will extend its hours from 11:00 to 23:00, and on Sunday it can be visited from 11:00 to 22:00, leaving three days to come along without having to concentrate the whole visit into just a few hours.
The proposal combines the usual craft and food stalls with street entertainment and characters inspired by medieval imagery. The route through the streets at the foot of the castle turns much of Calafell Poble into the event's setting and makes it possible to link the market, heritage and shows during the same outing.
The Castell de la Santa Creu will also take centre stage during the weekend, with visits linked to the market. The monument dominates the old town from the upper part of the municipality and makes it possible to complete a stroll through the stalls with entry to one of Calafell's most recognisable historic spaces.
Family activities begin even before the market opens. On Tuesday the 25th, the municipal programme includes a stained-glass workshop, and on Wednesday the 26th the Biblioteca Ventura Gassol proposes making a stick horse or unicorn for children aged six and over, in the latter case with prior registration.
On Saturday the 29th, another of the weekend's traditional events will take place: the medieval dinner in plaça de Catalunya, scheduled from 21:00 onwards. The activity will extend the atmosphere in the streets after a day on which the market will remain open until eleven at night.
For those setting out from Barcelona, Calafell can be reached directly on the R2 Sud, which connects the Catalan capital with Sant Vicenç de Calders via the town. From the station, it will be necessary to continue to the old town, so it is advisable to factor in that final stretch before organising the getaway.
The plan works especially well for a day trip: train in the morning, a stroll among stalls and entertainment, a climb to the castle, and return after dinner or when the shows end. During that final weekend in August, the streets around the fortress will swap terraces and everyday traffic for banners, craftspeople and medieval characters.