Day Hikes near Barcelona

One of the beauties of living in Barcelona is how close one is to nature! Within Barcelona, there are plenty of parks to enjoy. And just a stone throw outside of Barcelona you can enjoy some majestic beaches or rugged wilderness. Next weekend if you’re looking for something to try, how about going for a hike? Just remember, as Barcelona is fairly sunny, to bring plenty of water and some type of sun protection. Here are a few suggestions of places within an hour or less from Barcelona. Most are even accessible by public transport.

Here are a few suggestions of places within an hour or less from Barcelona. Most are even accessible by public transport.

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Parc de la Serralada de Marina

Photo by Mario Christiner

Parc de la Serralada de Marina is the neighbor of the famous Collserola on which Tibidabo rests. It’s on the other side of the El Besòs river. Especially unique here is ‘Poblat Ibèric Puig Castellar‘, which are ruins left behind by the Layetanos, the main tribe from the Iberic peninsula that lived in Barcelona around the 6th century B.C. The area is relatively easy to navigate and is actually less of a climb than Tibidabo. It’s perfect for a short hike of around 10km and just needs a few hours to explore. You can get there by FGC (local train) and get off at Montcada I Reix. Or you can take the metro Line 1 (stop Fontana) or Line 9 (stop Singuerlin). After your hike, you can also explore the quaint town of Santa Coloma de Gramenet.

Montserrat

Perhaps one of the most famous places in Catalonia outside Barcelona is the Montserrat Monastery. Although it’s accessible by cable car, even more sensual is taking the trek up to it. The most ambitious people may wish to climb up its prominent rock face. The hike can take between 3 to 7 km depending on the path you choose. For a longer hike, you can take the FGC train to Monistrol de Montserrat. For a shorter hike, you can also take the Santa Cova funicular from Montserrat-Aeri and walk around the trails by the Monastery. The funicular costs 6.80€ for a single ride and 10.50€ for a round trip.

Les Guilleries (Vic)

Photo by Mario Christiner

A bit further outside of Barcelona is Les Guilleries a natural park by Vic. Here you can explore some mountainous terrain as well as see the Ter river and Sau Reservoir. It’s a fairly intricate location and can take over 3 hours to hike. If you wish to go by public transport you can take the FGC train to Vic and then take a bus to Roda de Ter. Yet if it’s possible it’s a good option to go by car as the accessibility is a bit limited.

If you have any other suggestions of hikes you’ve taken around Catalonia please share them for other readers in the comment section below.

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