Backpack, pants with zipper and sunscreen, these are some of the essentials if you want to do a hiking route. You will also need a cap, water and energy bars. Preparing a hike can sometimes be as exciting as doing it, and even more so if you are not used to leaving the city.
Of course, we recommend early in the morning (or in the hours when it is not too hot) and always check the weather forecast before leaving, because the mountain is safe as long as you are well prepared.
So if you want to get out of the house, do sports and breathe the special air that the mountain has, we bring you 12 hiking tours near Barcelona to do this summer.
Table Of Contents
- Salt de Sallent, the highest waterfall in Catalonia
- Castell d'en Boix, the ruins of a thousand-year-old castle.
- La Mola, a classic in Catalan hiking
- Montserrat, the unknown beauty far from the Monastery.
- El Garraf: get to know the Buddhist Monastery.
- El Cadí, a route near the river
- El Montseny: three giant sequoias and views of the Turó de l'home.
- El Penedès: walk among vineyards.
- Camí de Ronda, a centenary route.
- Montjuic 360º, the first mountain route in the city.
- From Queralbs to Nuria by the old road
- La travessa dels Tres Refugis, a walk through the Nuria Valley
- El Congost de Mont-Rebei Route
- Pica d'Estats, the highest mountain in Catalonia.
Salt de Sallent, the highest waterfall in Catalonia
Seeing a waterfall is impressive, but seeing it from above is even more impressive. This easy route, suitable for the whole family, starts and ends in Rupit. It is a pleasant hike to do in a morning or afternoon. The most daring, and who do not suffer from vertigo, can deviate 300 meters from the road to the viewpoint of Salt de Rupit. It is worth it because before the big waterfall you will find an area with rocks and trees where you can rest, stop to eat and dip your feet in the water. A breathtaking view.
🥾 Osona: Rupit-Salt de Sallent-Rupit
Castell d’en Boix, the ruins of a thousand-year-old castle.
On this route through Taradell you can enjoy a spectacular landscape full of giant rocks where you will find the remains of a castle of the s. X of more than a thousand years old. In addition, during the excursion you will also come across a Romanesque hermitage in the middle of the road and some caves among the rocks. At first you will have to sweat a little and climb up to the castle, but once there we promise that the effort is worth it, and as you know that everything that goes up goes down, the return will be much calmer.
🥾 Osona: Taradell – Coves d’en Rocaguinarda – Castell de Boix
La Mola, a classic in Catalan hiking
Climbing La Mola is a classic, it is close to Barcelona and offers views of the whole Vallès, the Pyrenees and Montserrat. A perfect plan for schools, families, athletes and Sunday hikers, as there are many ways to climb La Mola. We recommend, if you are a beginner, to do the camí dels Monjos, a quiet route with good views. Once at the top you can have a beer or a Coca-Cola in the restaurant at the top.
🥾 Vallès Occidental: La Mola by the Camí dels Monjos
Montserrat, the unknown beauty far from the Monastery.
We are not asking you to climb from the bottom (although those of us who have done it know it’s not that big of a deal). The mountain of Montserrat offers dozens of hiking trails for all levels and not all of them go through the Monastery. If you want to discover the most secret and unknown corners of this special mountain, but without dying trying, we suggest you do the circular hike that goes from Can Massana to the Roca Foradada, a circular route that, as its name says, has a huge hole with spectacular views.
🥾 El Bages: Montserrat by Can Massana and La Roca Foradada
El Garraf: get to know the Buddhist Monastery.
Less than an hour from Barcelona we have this excursion around the Buddhist monastery Sakia Tashi Ling del Garraf. It is a circular hiking route through the Garraf Natural Park, an idyllic enclave from where you can enjoy the sea and the mountains at the same time. It is also for beginners, and although at some point it has unevenness, it is a quiet but long enough to feel tired when we get home.
🥾 El Garraf: Circular route through the Buddhist Monastery
El Cadí, a route near the river
Surely we all know the relief of this famous mountain range that separates the Pyrenees from the Pre-Pyrenees, as it is the image of a famous brand of butter. We could consider it the Catalan Toblerone. The Cadí mountain offers dozens of possibilities for hiking, and we especially like the camí dels Empedrats, a circular route that starts and ends in Bagà. Along it we will cross a river where we will find gorgesand waterfalls where we can stop to eat and refresh ourselves.
🥾 The Berguedà: The Cadí mountain by the camí dels EmpedratsEl Montseny: three giant sequoias and views of the Turó de l’home.
Did you know that sequoias brought directly from California were planted in Montseny? In this pleasant excursion you will pass through Can Casades, a modernist estate where these large trees are found. It is a route with little slope, except for a short stretch at the end, from which we can see famous mountains such as the Turó de l’home.
🥾 Vallès Oriental: Route through the redwoods of Montseny
El Penedès: walk among vineyards.
The landscape of the Penedès is a landscape of vineyards that brings us a little closer to the production of one of the favorite drinks of those of us who live in the Mediterranean: wine. On this hiking route we will be able to enjoy the visual pleasure of seeing meters and meters of perfectly aligned vineyards. We will also be able to walk along what used to be the Roman Via Augusta, as some remains of what it was are intertwined with part of the route. It is a path without much slope (although it does not mean that it is flat), perfect to do in a day with family or friends. And what better way to finish it drinking a good wine?
🥾 El Penedès: Sant Pere Lavern – Can Maristany – Ruins Can Mata del Racó – Torre de la Guardia
Camí de Ronda, a centenary route.
The Camí de Ronda is a path that runs along the crystal clear waters of this beautiful corner of Catalonia. The origin of this name dates back to the 11th century, when the carabinieri and civil guards made rounds to monitor the smuggling and smuggling common at that time. You can make different stages of the route choosing to pass through Platja d’Aro, Cadaqués or Portbou.
Montjuic 360º, the first mountain route in the city.
Did you know that Barcelona has an 11-kilometer hiking route on Montjuic? It is the Montjuic 360º and it is a circular hike that starts and ends in the Parc de les Tres Xemeneies. But let’s not fool ourselves, it cannot be compared to the experience of walking in the middle of nature, getting your feet muddy and where the view can only see greenery, plants and mountains.
However, it becomes the perfect option if what we are looking for is to train or do not have time to leave the city, and, although you see cars from time to time, you will pass through many of the parks and gardens of Montjuic and thus enjoy the green areas of the city.
From Queralbs to Nuria by the old road
The route from Nuria to Queralbs is perhaps one of the best known walks in Catalonia. The rack railway that connects the municipality with the ski resort makes Vall de Nuria one of the few ski resorts accessible by train, and a perfect day trip for mountain lovers.
And although you can go up to Nuria and start walking from there, there is also the option of walking up from Queralbs by the old road to Nuria and make the whole experience. If you want you can sleep in the camping area and take advantage of the next morning to make a beautiful hike enjoying the valley at sunrise.
🥾 Santuari de Núria from Queralbs
La travessa dels Tres Refugis, a walk through the Nuria Valley
La travessa dels Tres Refugis explores on foot the landscapes of the Eastern Pyrenees through a route that connects the refuges of Ulldeter, Ras de Carança and Coma de Vaca, where to find wildlife and spectacular views. For those adventurous, there is the possibility of completing the experience by ascending the most emblematic peaks of the region: Balandrau, Bastiments, Gra de Fajol, Gallinàs, Torreneules and Puigmal. The route is available during the summer months, from June to September.
El Congost de Mont-Rebei Route
The Ruta del Congost de Mont-rebei, a mythical, is located on the border between Catalonia and Aragon, about 200 kilometers from Barcelona. To get there from the Catalan capital, you can take the A-2 freeway to Lleida and then continue along the C-13 to Àger. From there, continue on local roads to the chosen starting point, either the Masieta parking in Lleida or the Montfalcó hostel in Huesca.
The whole route has its difficulty. It is about 16 kilometers round trip, with a cumulative elevation gain of approximately 900 meters, and the estimated time to complete it is about 6 to 7 hours, depending on the pace and stops. The difficulty is medium, without technical complications but with certain physical demand due to its length and slope. It is important to note that some sections of the trail, especially in the gorge, can be impressive for people with vertigo, although they are equipped with handrails and are safe.
🥾Route of the Congost of Montrebei
Pica d’Estats, the highest mountain in Catalonia.
You can’t say you’re from Catalonia if you haven’t been on its roof and contemplated its immensity. Or yes, you can, but what a pleasure to say that you have reached the highest point of your country. The excursion to the Pica d’Estats is a must of the Catalan hiking and, although the title of highest mountain scares, in reality the excursion is accessible.
We explain everything you need to know about how to get to the Pica d’Estats in this article to help you organize your next weekend.
🥾Pica d’Estats Route