Tucked away amongst the jagged peaks of Montserrat, the Benedictine Monastery of Santa Maria de Montserrat is one of the most popular day trips from Barcelona. The monastery dates back to the eleventh century and was built to house a wooden statue of Our Lady of Montserrat, which, legend has it, was found in a…
Tag: walks
The Martinet Valley, Aiguafreda de Dalt and the Dolmen de Cruïlles (Montseny Natural Park)
This easy, nine-kilometre hike in Montseny Natural Park is best undertaken in spring or early summer when there will be water in the Riera de Martinet. You can also walk it at other times of the year, but the pools and waterfalls near the start of the trail will likely be dry. The circular route…
Banyoles & Estany de Banyoles: What To See & Do
Banyoles is a small town built on the shores of L’Estany de Banyoles, the largest lake in Catalonia, and hosted the rowing competitions for the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. The lake was formed two hundred and fifty thousand years ago by the tectonic activity which created the Pyrenees mountain range. The area has been settled since…
Visiting The Croscat Volcano (La Garrotxa Volcanic Zone)
The Croscat Volcano is the highest volcano in mainland Spain and is one of forty volcanoes located in the Garrotxa Volcanic Zone, 100 km northwest of Barcelona. At this point, I have to point out that you shouldn’t come here expecting to see the likes of Krakatoa, Mount Fuji, Cotopaxi or other impressive volcanoes which…
Visiting the Gorg de la Plana Waterfalls (Brugent Nature Reserve)
Ninety kilometres north of Barcelona, the Espai Protegit del Brugent is a small nature reserve that follows the course of the River Brugent, just south of the La Garrotxa Volcanic Area. There are seven waterfalls and natural swimming pools located along the length of the river, all of which can be visited by following marked…
La Fageda d’en Jordà Beech Forest (La Garrotxa Volcanic Zone)
The Fageda d’en Jordà is a beech forest located in the La Garrotxa Volcanic Zone, approximately one hundred kilometres northeast of Barcelona. The forest is a popular day trip from Barcelona, especially in mid to late November when the leaves turn golden brown, making the area incredibly photogenic. Whatever time of year you plan to…
Ripoll: What to See and Do
Ripoll is a small town in the foothills of the Pyrenees mountain range, one hundred kilometres from Barcelona. The town is best known for the monastery of Santa Maria de Ripoll, which was founded in the ninth century and is considered one of the most important Romanesque monuments in Spain. Ripoll also makes a good…
The Walk From Flaça Train Station to Púbol
Flaça train station is approximately 6km from Púbol, the walk through rolling farmland takes just over an hour. From Flaça to La Pera the route follows a gravel cycle path. From La Pera to Pubol, You walk on the GV-6426 which is a quiet country road with little traffic. If you will be walking in…
Carretera de les Aigües: An Easy Walk with Fantastic Views
Often referred to as the green lung of Barcelona, Collserola National Park is a popular escape from the hustle and bustle of the city centre. Easily reached by public transport, the 8,000 hectare park is crisscrossed by footpaths and cycle tracks. The best known and most accessible footpath is called La Carretera de les Aigües…
Devil’s Bridge Roman Aqueduct – Tarragona
Devil’s Bridge (Catalan: El Pont del Diable) is a 2000 year old Roman aqueduct built during the reign of Emperor Augustus (27 BC to 14 AD) to supply the city of Tarraco with fresh water from the nearby River Francolí. A testament to Roman engineering, the 249m long aqueduct continued to bring water to Tarragona until as…
Discover the Awesome Graffiti and Street Art of Poblenou
Over the last few years Barcelona’s once industrial Poblenou neighbourhood has begun a steady transformation from area full of disused factories to one of hi-tech office blocks, stylish hotels and modern apartment buildings. Many of the abandoned factories have been torn down. Some have been restored and converted into offices. Others stand derelict awaiting redevelopment, trapped in a kind…
From Argentona to the Castell de Burriac
The 11th Century Castell de Burriac is a small medieval castle with fantastic views of the Maresme Coast, Montseny and Barcelona. The castle is located at the top of Burriac hill at an altitude of 401m. The only way to get there is on foot or by mountain bike. The walk starts on the outskirts…
