Tortell Poltrona: the circus rooted in the land

It's hard to talk about the circus in Catalonia without ending up mentioning Tortell Poltrona. A tireless clown, cultural activist, and founder of Payasos Sin Fronteras, he has managed to turn laughter into a deeply committed gesture. But beyond the red nose and the stage, his connection with nature, memory, and the country is deeply rooted, like a living part of Authentic Catalonia.

From femturisme.cat, we wanted to talk to him to discover the places he loves, the corners that inspire him, and the magic that only he can see among mountains, roads, and memories.

A country that makes you laugh, think and breathe with your eyes open

What is your favorite spot in Catalonia?

It's here. My favorite place is precisely this space: the circus arts research center, the permanent home of Circ Cric and Clowns Without Borders.

It's a privileged location, next to Tordera, within the Montseny Natural Park. It's perhaps one of the few cultural facilities in the country located within a natural park. Here you can experience the circus and nature at the same time... And this, for me, is always a magical and poetic adventure.

The Circ Cric, located among trees and clear skies, is much more than a tent: it's a space for creation, training, and living culture, where nature and the performing arts coexist in a perfectly balanced act.

Is there any place in Catalonia that brings back childhood memories?

Many. But one in particular: the Sant Vicenç baths. When I was a child, we used to take the early morning train from Plaça Catalunya to Puigcerdà. From there, we followed a narrow road, riddled with bunkers, until we reached this spot of sulfurous waters, with excellent cuisine, and surrounded by mountains.

It's a place that connects me with my grandparents, with those few family memories from my childhood. And this makes me think about it with emotion every time I think about it.

The Sant Vicenç baths, between Cerdanya and Andorra, are a place of calm and remembrance. Thermal baths, nature, and a landscape that retains the charm of summers of yesteryear.

What Catalan experience or tradition do you think everyone should experience at least once?

There are many wonderful traditions, but if I have to choose one, I'd go with the human towers. Santa Tecla, Santa Úrsula, Valls Day, or the performances in Tarragona... They all display a spectacular collective expression, where people literally rise above one another. It's an absolutely unique human and artistic endeavor.

Castells are a traditional Catalan cultural manifestation that can be seen especially during major festivals such as Santa Úrsula (October, in Valls) or Sant Magí (August, in Tarragona), where human towers are built by groups of human towers that are several stories high.

If you had to recommend just one thing to someone visiting Catalonia for the first time, what would it be?

Cape Cruces. And if possible, with a northerly wind. There, the sea rages, the wind draws impossible shapes on the rocks, and the entire landscape seems inhabited by prehistoric creatures. It's a place where you not only see, but smell, the salty sea, the imprint of the country's people. A sensorial experience, both beautiful and fierce.

Cap de Creus, located in the northeastern corner of Catalonia, between the towns of Cadaqués and Port de la Selva, is a natural park known for its rocky landscapes and the power of the Tramuntana winds, which have shaped its unique terrain.

What corner of Catalonia have you still wanted to discover?

Els Ports. That southern area, between the Ebro and the border with the Valencian Community, is still unknown to me. I know there are beautiful mountains, lonely trails, and gorges of blue water that leave you speechless. I'd love to be able to go there with time, get lost for several days, and simply walk, look, and listen.

Els Ports de Beseit is a wild gem in southern Catalonia: rock walls, clean rivers, and unspoiled nature. A discreet paradise waiting to be discovered at leisure.

Is there any place in Catalonia that particularly inspires you as an artist?

Montseny. That place where three hills form a mountain range. A space that for me is absolutely poetic. It's like seeing that living beings other than humans—trees, animals, streams—still have a place to live. And that, if we set our minds to it, we can also coexist with respect and harmony.

Montseny is a natural park and biosphere reserve located between Vallès Oriental, Osona, and La Selva, with a wide variety of landscapes and wildlife, ideal for hiking, nature observation, and cultural exploration.

Image: Andie Franco

With his clown-like gaze and his artist's sensitivity, Tortell Poltrona has given us much more than an interview: he has taken us on a journey through a Catalonia where nature and culture coexist, embrace each other and, sometimes, even make each other laugh.

He knows this better than anyone: sometimes all it takes is a tent, a forest, and a laugh to understand that this country is also a great stage. And perhaps magic is nothing more than knowing how to listen to him while you walk… or while the music plays for a show that's just starting.