Do you remember the last time you felt the cold mud between your toes, the wet sand or the rough bark under your feet? In the age of asphalt and screens, reconnecting with the earth seems like a luxury. However, just over an hour from Barcelona, there is a corner in Girona that proposes exactly that: a forest designed to awaken the five senses walking completely barefoot.
It is called “Camina Descalç” and is the star activity of La Selva de l’Aventura, a park located in Arbúcies. The idea is as simple as it is revolutionary: leave your cell phone in your pocket and dedicate an hour and a half to a sensory journey of 1.5 kilometers. It’s not just a walk, it’s a return to feeling.
A path to awaken the 5 senses
Here, nature is the protagonist. The circuit is designed so that each step is a discovery. You will walk over textures that urban life has made us forget: fine sand, cork, river stones, dry leaves and, yes, also mud in which to sink your feet.
The tour includes water areas and small suspension bridges, but the experience goes far beyond touch, and appeals to all five senses. An area for hearing, which invites not only to listen to the wind and birds, but to interact with simple instruments such as gongs, bells or rain sticks.
There is also an area for sight, with metal reproductions of forest animals hidden among the trees, and another area for smell, full of aromatic herbs (lavender, mint, thyme) that challenges you to identify smells that you may no longer recognize in your daily life.
The walk ends in a rest area with benches and hammocks, perfect to enjoy the scenery and assimilate the experience before returning to civilization.
Where it is and how much it costs
La Selva de l’Aventura is located in Arbúcies (Coll de Revell s/n, 17401 Arbúcies) and is designed for the whole family. The terrain has very little slope and does not require any physical preparation, only “desire to get your feet dirty and let yourself go”, as those responsible say.
It costs between 6 € and 8 € per person, the tour lasts about 1 hour and a half and it is essential to bring a towel to clean up at the end. Comfortable pants are recommended and, if desired, flip-flops for the stretches of water.
The fastest route from Barcelona is to take the AP-7 to exit 10 (Hostalric) and from there continue on the GI-552 to Arbúcies. The park has its own parking, so there is only one thing left to do: take off your shoes.
Maybe you are interested in: Escapades half an hour from Barcelona that you didn’t know about