The Spanish village of vampire dogs

Pratdip is one step away from the always lively Costa Dorada. However, this is one of those quiet villages where time passes more slowly. But this calm is just a façade. This place hides a secret in form of a legend that turns its streets into a rather frightening labyrinth. Travelling to Transylvania isn’t necessary to talk about vampires. Actually, they are said to have lived in this village in Tarragona.

The legend of vampire dogs

Legend has it that vampire dogs were evil creatures. Wild dogs as dark as night whose eyes shine as bright as fire. Although they were lame, they were also incredibly agile. They were called ‘dips.’

The vampire dogs chose to hide on the outskirts of this village in Tarragona. It was at night when they would come out of their hideout to attack the cattle and suck their blood. Sometimes they would even dare to enter Pratdip’s streets to terrify its people. If they encountered any clueless drunks wandering around the town, they would scare them to death.

But were the dips real, or were they the result of popular imagination? Were they really vampire dogs or mere animals that came to the village looking for food? Those animals haunted Pratdip people’s nightmares for a very long time. And in the 19th century, they just disappeared without a trace.

An unbreakable link

Not only have these monsters fed the legend of Pratdip, they have also become part of its essence. ‘Pratdip’ means something similar to ‘prado de los dips’, which literally translates to ‘dip meadow.’ Besides, the legendary dogs will never be forgotten because they are pictured in a few corners of the village. For instance, two vampire dogs stand on the altar of the Santa María Church, built in the early 17th century.

It is possible to go on a route that follows the trail of these dogs through the village. It has 11 different spots, and each of them hides a representation of a vampire dog that will scare unaware visitors around the corner or on top of a roof. Pratdip seems to have an unbreakable link to these unfriendly dogs. In fact, one of them can be found on the coat of arms of the village.

Just like every other fantastic creature, dips have reached their pinnacle through literature. The Spanish writer Juan Perucho created one of the characters in his work Las historias naturales inspired by them. This character, a vampire who looked like a human, lived in the Pratdip of the First Carlist War of the 1930s. Sugar-coated versions of the dogs have filled the pages of many children’s stories too.

Dips have stayed more alive than ever before thanks to these representations and fictional stories. Every year, they take part in a festival celebrated on the scariest night of the year, the ‘noche de las ánimas.’ But this shouldn’t prevent you from exploring one of the most beautiful villages in Tarragona.

What to see in Pratdip

Pratdip lies at the foot of the Sierra de Llaberia, in southern Tarragona, only a few kilometres away from the sea. The remains of an old castle can be seen from afar. You can and should visit this fortress, from where you will enjoy wonderful views of the natural landscape that once was the home and hideout of the vampire dogs. The crypt of the main character of Las historias naturales is located here, according to the author.

By following the trail of the dips, you will discover the other charms of the town. It preserves its medieval essence thanks to its pebbled, steep, and labyrinthine streets. But don’t keep your head down; a series of arches rise over this place, creating singular passageways, as it happens in many other medieval villages in Cataluña.

The path leads to the lavoir, a reminder of a past that isn’t as far as it seems. Two square towers that stand out from the town’s roofs are the next stop. They emanate from a wall that used to defend them. The following is a mandatory stop: the Santa María Church, whose retablos are decorated with pictures of dips. The route ends on the outskirts, a few kilometres away from the city centre, where the five-building Santa Marina Hermitage lies.

This hermitage is the perfect place to dive into the other treasure of Pratdip: its environment. Many routes cross the Sierra de Llaberia, a natural space protected by holm oaks, pines, and oak trees, declared a Special Protection Area for birds by the European Union and a Site of Natural and Geological Interest.

And here is a tip for those who dare to leave the town behind but aren’t particularly fearless: go back before the sun goes down. The depravity of the vampire dogs still echoes in the area, and, although they don’t exist anymore, the place feels immensely haunted even now.

You can also read this article in Spanish here.

 

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