Straw maze built by teens hopes to attract visitors to small town

Teens from the small town of Sant Ramon, population 500, in western Catalonia, created a maze this August made of large blocks of straw with the aim of enlivening their hometown and attracting visitors.

Participants of all ages have taken part in a treasure hunt in the labyrinth, which was built by the local youth association, La Mansa, with over 300 bales of straw.

It has already been visited by more than 400 people and organizers plan to keep it open until mid-September due to its success.

"A lot of people are coming and we have reservations until the last day," explains Aleix Pons, the farmer who provided the straw for the labyrinth. 

Members of the association sell tickets, tell visitors how the maze works, oversee treasure hunts in case someone gets lost, manage reservations, and manage the café. 

"We are having a great time, we are a group of friends and with this, we can be together," Laura Marbà and Ainara Pons told the Catalan News Agency. 

Moreover, they added that the initiative gives them time to enjoy the summer and that it greatly benefits the hometown because it only has 500 inhabitants.

The labyrinth

The treasure hunt, which consists in having visitors complete the Nonat family tree in up to 30 minutes. To achieve this, they must find the portraits of each of the members that are hidden in the corridor of the maze with the help of clues.

There are two levels of difficulty, one for children and one for adults, while tickets cost 5 euros and must be booked in advance via mail laberintdepalla@gmail.com. The maze is open on Thursdays to Sundays, from 7 to 10 pm.

Castellserà and l’Horta de Lleida, two other small towns in western Catalonia, have also had similar mazes over the past few years.