Catalonia
More than blockbuster Barcelona
Most visitors to Catalonia (Catalunya) arrive for either the tourist hotspots of Barcelona, the beach resorts of the Costa Brava, or both.
This is a great pity, because there is so much to explore in this region beyond the obvious contenders. For me, the highlights of Catalonia are its landscapes and rural towns and villages, which captivated me the very first time I wandered the forested slopes of the Montseny, not far from Barcelona.
From mountainous to volcanic landscapes, from rounded rock pinnacles to rocky gorges with waterfalls, from miles of coastline to the hills of the pre-Pyrenees, Catalonia is at once glorious and criminally underrated by mainstream tourism.
Hidden gems in Catalonia
Catalonia
Pedraforca hike
Separated from the other mountains in the Cadí Moixeró range, the double peak of Pedraforca is believed to be the most photographed mountain in Catalonia. From Gresolet Viewpoint, the popular but demanding hike with some easy scrambling takes you to one of the twin peaks. Because of the challenging terrain, I suggest you leave early and only attempt the hike in good weather conditions.
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Catalonia
Salt de Brull
The route from Sadernes is especially popular in the summer months, when locals seek escape from the heat in the cool waters of the rockpools. Between April and November you have to pre-book your parking at the designated car park in Sadernes. The last stretch to the waterfall is on rough terrain, therefore, most hikers only walk to the 11th-century chapel of Sant Aniol d’Aguja. Returning from Sant Aniol d’Aguja, I like to take the route that climbs above the gorge to enjoy the bird eye-views.
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Catalonia
Sant Jeroni
It might be the most popular trail in the Montserrat range, but nevertheless I recommend this route if you only have time for one walk in the area. Starting from the monastery, the well-trodden path climbs among rock pinnacles to the highest peak in the Montserrat. The terrain is not too demanding, but there are some steep sections. However, your efforts will be rewarded with a jaw-dropping 360-degree panorama.
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Catalonia
Castellasa circular
While most people follow the popular path to La Mola, I like to take this less trodden trail from the outskirts of Matadepera. It is only partially waymarked, and there is a short section where some sure footedness is required. But it provides perhaps one of the best views of the interesting rock formations on the south-eastern slope of La Mola. You can find a perfect spot to enjoy the views without a crowd near the fascinating rounded rock monolith, Castellasa de Can Torres.
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Catalonia
Turó de l’Home from Santa Fe
I have approached Turó de l’Home, the highest peak in Montseny, via many different routes over the years, but the trail from Santa Fe that first climbs through forest to Les Agudes and then traverses the ridge to Turó de l’Home remains my favourite. A clear autumn day is perfect to enjoy the views all the way to the Pyrenees. This is a popular route all year round, choose a midweek day if you can.
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Catalonia
Sender del Miradors (GR 5)
This route, also known as the Natural Parks Trail or the GR 5 (not to be confused with the more famous French Alps GR 5), begins and ends on the Mediterranean coast but traverses the natural parks inland, forming a big loop around the Barcelona region. As soon as you leave from Sitges with stunning coastal views, the trail’s nickname, Sender dels Miradors (“viewpoint trail”), will make perfect sense. From Montseny, I highly recommend taking the scenic variant of the GR5, marked as the GR5.2, that traverses the highest peaks in the Montseny mountain range. Many of the sections are frequently used for day walks. This route isn’t widely offered as a commercially-organised walking holiday but you can book your own overnight accommodation for each stage with ease. Official website
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Catalonia
Oliba Trail (GR 151)
This trail starts at the monastery of Montserrat and runs all the way to the Pyrenees, passing through historic towns and villages with Romanesque architecture along the way. Fine examples are the 11th -century San Pere de Casserres, built overlooking a bend in the river Ter or the Monastery of Santa Maria in Ripoll. You can walk the entire trail as a thru-hike, but there are plenty of options for breaking it up into shorter sections or even just a day hike. I can personally recommend the towns of Manresa, Vic and Ripoll as good bases to explore some stages of the trail. The Oliba Trail is offered as a commercially-organised self-guided walking holiday. Alternatively you can arrange your own accommodation and book baggage transfer services for your luggage. Official website
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Catalonia
Cavalls del Vent
This circular route loops through the pre-Pyrenees mountains of Cadí-Moixeró Natural Park, offering stunning views over four to seven days of hiking. The trail connects eight refuges/mountain huts, and you can start from any of them and walk in either direction. This trail is perfect for a hut-to-hut walk over a long weekend, but as some of the refuges have limited capacity, it is best to book a bed in advance. You can also book guided hikes through the official website. It gets chilly up here and hiking season runs from June to September. My favourite time to visit is June, when the wildflowers are in bloom and the big crowds are yet to arrive. Official website
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Catalonia
Camí de Picasso
Picasso spent the summer of 1906 with his lover in the small village of Gósol, where the landscapes and people inspired his work. With few roads back then, Picasso used mule tracks to travel to and from the village and this trail follows in his footsteps. The route skirts below the iconic Pedraforca before arriving at Gósol, and then leaving the village, it climbs over the mountains with views to the nearby Comabona. The Camí de Picasso is signed, but not with consistent waymarkers. You’ll start following the red and white GR 4-2 signs, then local Berguedà waymarkers, then GR 107, PR C-123, GR 150 and finally GR 107 to Bellver. There are turn-by-turn instructions on the official website. Official website
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Catalonia
Els 3 Monts
This waymarked trail travels through the Montseny and the Sant Llorenç del Munt i l'Obac Natural Parks and finishes in Montserrat. It’s not widely offered as a commercially-organised walking holiday, and most people walk sections as day hikes. If you can only do one section, I recommend the stretch from Coll d’Estenalles to the charming village of Mura, where you’ll be accompanied by views of the serrated mountains of Montserrat in the distance. If you’re doing the whole thing as a thru-hike, the route goes via villages and it’s relatively straightforward to book your own accommodation, but you won’t find baggage transfer services so expect to be carrying your kit yourself. Official website
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Pedraforca hike
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Salt de Brull
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Sant Jeroni
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Castellasa circular
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Turó de l’Home from Santa Fe
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Sender del Miradors (GR 5)
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Oliba Trail (GR 151)
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Cavalls del Vent
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Camí de Picasso
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Els 3 Monts
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