ABSTRACT This paper presents the results of a multisystem survey using magnetometry and dual frequency ground‐penetrating radar (GPR) carried out at the Iron Age Iberian site of El Molí d'Espígol, Tornabous, Catalonia, dated from the seventh to third centuries bce. The surroundings of the current urban area were explored with magnetometry in order to describe possible features related to the settlement. In the non‐excavated part of the urban area was surveyed by GPR in order to describe the urban mesh. The interpretation of the data has allowed not only the identification of new areas of archaeological interest and priority action, but also the proposal of a new hypotheses on the evolution of the town planning and the defensive system of the site. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.