The Best Hiking Trails Around Barcelona
Are you planning a trip to Barcelona and want to combine your city trip with a day or more with hiking in the surroundings? Well, there are many hiking trails around Barcelona that you can do and enjoy. Keep reading to find out our 6 favourite hiking trails around Barcelona.
# 1 Montserrat Natural Park
Very close to Barcelona lies the beautiful Natural Park of Montserrat that is definitely worth a visit. You should definitely make a one-day trip to Montserrat Natural Park to see different parts of the Llobregat River and the pre-coastal mountain range, together with incredible nature.
The Natural Park has more than 1250 species of plants, mostly characterised by tropical and Mediterranean shrubs, but is also called the home of some of the most beautiful oak tree forests of the whole of Spain. Besides the incredible nature, you will also find many different types of birds as well as geckos, wild goats, and many other animals.
The Montserrat Natural Park has different hiking trails that you could walk and those that differ in length and difficulty.
Different Routes:
# Route 1
Starting/finishing point: From Monasterio de Montserrat to Dels Degotalls
Length: 3.20 kilometers
Duration: 50 minutes (approximately)
Difficulty: Very easy
# Route 2
Starting/finishing point: From Monasterio to Santa Cueva
Length: 2.70 kilometers
Duration: 1 hour and 10 minutes (approximately)
Difficulty: Easy
# Route 3
Starting/finishing point: From Funicular de San Juan ( superior station) to Montserrat (vía Sant Jeroni y Piso de Els Ocells)
Length: 7.50 kilometers
Duration: 2 hours and 5 minutes (approximately)
Difficulty: Medium
# 2 Tibidabo Mountain
Tibidabo is a very beautiful mountain that overlooks the whole city of Barcelona and it is definitely the most popular hill surrounding Barcelona. Next to the big amusement park that is located on top of the mountain; moreover you are also able to do some great hiking trails there.
It is the tallest mountain of the Serra de Collserola mountain range, reaching over 510 meters. There are several routes that will take you to the top of the hill. You can combine your hike very well with a visit to Parc del Tibidabo; one of the oldest amusement parks in Europe, which opened in 1905.
The famous Roman Catholic church that is located on top of the mountain can be seen through the whole city. Close to the church, you will find a communications tower that was built in 1991 for the Summer Olympics held in Barcelona in 1992.
Different Routes:
# Route 1
Starting/finishing point: From Baixador de Vallvidrera to Mas Sauró
Length: 7,79 km
Duration: 2 hours 28 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
# Route 2
Starting/finishing point: From Baixador de Vallvidrera to La Floresta
Length: 7,23 km
Duration: 2 hours 19 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
# Route 3
Starting/finishing point: From Baixador de Vallvidrera to Sant Vicenç dels Horts
Length: 13,42 km
Duration: 3 hours 14 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
# 3 Parque Natural del Montseny
The Montseny Natural Park is around 40 kilometers northeast of Barcelona. This is another amazing hiking option that you should definitely keep in mind when you are planning a hiking day trip. The Natural Park is made up of the Montseny massif, a mountain range that was named a Natural Park back in 1987 by the Government of Catalonia.
The region has incredible nature and has many natural springs. With all of these, the Montseny is able to supply almost 50 percent of Spain with bottled water! The park is an amazing hiking territory! There are three different routes, which contain small routes that are more for the ones that want to walk and relax, and the routes that are for the ones that want to greatest hiking experience!
Different Routes:
# Route 1
Starting/finishing point: Pantano de Santa Fe – Turó de l’Home – Les Agudes
Length: 13.56 km
Duration: 4 hours 15 minutes
Difficulty: Moderate
# Route 2
# Route 3
# 4 Vall de Núria
Vall de Núria is the perfect spot to go to when you want to hike in a gorgeous green valley. The only thing you need for this day trip are your hiking boots, comfy mountain clothes, and a bottle of water. If you want you can join one of the ‘expeditions’ which have different difficulty grades, for beginners to the daredevils who have some more experience.
The area is also very popular during the winter season for Snowsports. The Vall de Núria is a valley with a rich history that can be explored in a relaxed day visit, or as an extended tour of the Catalan culture and nature. It is even a great place to camp when the temperatures allow it. Be aware that during the winter season the temperatures can be less popular.
Different Routes:
# Route 1
Starting/finishing point: From Collado de Fontalba to Puigmal
Length: 15 km
Duration: 5 hours
Difficulty: Hard
# Route 2
Starting/finishing point: From Queralbs to Núria Valley
Length: 7,2 km
Duration: 3 hours 45 minutes
Difficulty: Medium
# Route 3
# 5 Parc del Garraf
Parc del Garraf is an area that is around 30 minutes away from Barcelona, but very easy to reach by car or train. It is a scenic park that is close to the Sitges coast, offering a range of different trails for hikers and also cyclists. We definitely recommend taking a guided tour through the Parc del Garraf, which will give you a very beautiful view of the Mediterranean terrain.
You will see things like the Plana Novella, a Buddhist monastery, as well as the Campdàsens, a private property housing ancient castle ruins that are now used as farmhouses. Here, you can even take yoga and meditation classes to relax a bit during your visit. It is a very unique park since it has a great Tibetan history and architecture that is situated within 30 kilometers of sparse vegetation, caves, and limestone hills.
Different Routes:
# Route 1
Starting/finishing point: From Uniland to Vallcarca
Length: 6,2 km
Duration: 1 hour 45 minutes
Difficulty: Medium
# Route 2
Starting/finishing point: From Sitges to Vilanova i la Geltrú
Length: 14 km
Duration: 3 hours 15 minutes
Difficulty: Medium
# Route 3
Starting/finishing point: From Mas del Artís to Sierra del Gat
Length: 5,6 km
Duration: 1 hour 15 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
# 6 Costa Brava
The beautiful coast of the Costa Brava will give you a great view of the Girona Pyrenees. The meaning of Costa Brava, which is rugged coast, is definitely very accurate. There are many cliffs and coves that overlook the Mediterranean and the French border. The favorite coastal foot trail is the Camins de Ronda, which leads hikers through fishing villages, white sand beaches, and isolated caves. The Costa Brava is located in the north of Barcelona and is certainly worth the visit, especially during the summer season.
Different Routes:
# Route 1
Starting/finishing point: From Platja d’Aro to Palamós
Length: 8,5 km
Duration: 4:00 hours
Difficulty: Easy
# Route 2
Starting/finishing point: From Palamós to Calella de Palafrugell
Length: 10,6 km
Duration: 6:00 hours
Difficulty: Medium
# Route 3
Starting/finishing point: From Pals beach to Sa Tuna beach
Length: 5,3 km
Duration: 50 minutes
Difficulty: Easy