5 signposted routes in the Nature Parks Network
If there is one gift that the regions around Barcelona offer you, it is their lush nature, hundreds of trails and dreamy spots, which can be seen in the natural areas that surround you. Every step you take in these areas reminds you of our rich natural heritage, where biodiversity flourishes among peaks and valleys, as well as streams and magical forests. Here, time stands still and connects you to a world that, despite the achievements of modernity, speaks to you of deep roots and the need to care for the land that cares for you. Are you ready to explore five signposted routes that are not just paths, but also links to your history and very essence?
Serra dels Bufadors, near the Montesquiu Castle Park
The Serra dels Bufadors is one of those places that seems to have come straight out of a fairy tale. You start walking from Montesquiu castle, in the north of Osona, surrounded by the silence of nature and the babbling stream that guides you to the heart of the mountain range. The path gets steeper, sweat begins to trickle down your forehead, but you cannot help looking around you: imposing beech trees, mosses clinging to the rock and the air that, like a gentle breath, whispers among the Bufadors mountains. Here, nature works its magic, the earth breathes and you feel its power. When you arrive at Sant Moí chapel, peace is tangible. All that remains is to return to the castle, enjoy the satisfaction of having completed the route and get back home with another excursion under your belt.
Practical information
- Starting point: Montesquiu castle. Car park at the exit from Bufadors. Car park at the exit from Montesquiu castle.
- Distance: 12 km
- Duration: 4 hrs 15 min
- Slope: 200 m
- Route website
- Follow the route on Wikiloc
Empedrat de Morou in the Montseny Nature Park and Biosphere Reserve
In Montseny, Empedrat de Morou (a rocky terrace) on the Vallès Oriental side, offers you an experience that changes with every step. The path starts off gently, among chestnut trees, until it reaches a crossroads where you can continue towards the Mulladius plain or climb up to the Morou hill. The beech forest becomes increasingly impressive as you follow the curves of the path, until you reach Empedrat de Morou, a natural balcony with breathtaking views. Further on, the path merges with the beech forest, until you reach the Santa Fe reservoir, surrounded by alders and poplars, hazelnut trees and other riverside vegetation. It is a journey full of surprises, from the very beginning to the very end. Remember that there is the park bus service available on weekends throughout the year to access Montseny and preserve the park.
Practical information
- Starting point: Can Casades Information Centre
- Distance: 6 km
- Duration: 2 hrs
- Slope: 250 m
- Route website
- Follow the route on Wikiloc
The vats of the Flequer valley, in the Sant Llorenç del Munt i l’Obac Nature Park
On the Vats of the Flequer Valley route, in the heart of the Sant Llorenç del Munt i l’Obac Nature Park, in the Bages region, time seems to have come to a standstill. A beautiful trail will take you to explore the vats of Bleda, Tosques, Escudelleta and Ricardo. Each one is built with dry stone and silently testifies to a past in which the vineyard and the land set the pace of life. You will venture between walls and huts to explore the stories of these tanks that are now fully integrated into the landscape. On the way back, the path will take you along a comfortable track that runs alongside the Flequer stream, with the feeling that this ancient world will never fully disappear.
Practical information
- Starting point: Ca n'Oristrell car park
- Distance: 5.3
- Duration: 1 hr 30 min
- Slope: 130 m
- Route website
- Follow the route on Wikiloc
Montnegre Carener route in the Montnegre i el Corredor Park
Walk along trails that wind through holm oak and chestnut forests to Gros hill, one of the highest peaks in Montnegre, where the views are a treat, with green waves stretching to the horizon. Following the trail, you will discover magical spots, such as the chapel of Santa Maria de Montnegre, surrounded by an aura of history and calm, or the remains of a charcoal kiln, which tell us of a hard-working past. This route is rich in nature and heritage, as well as a genuine invitation to get lost in the charms of Montnegre, north of the Vallès Oriental region.
Practical information
- Starting point: Sant Martí de Montnegre
- Distance: 8 km
- Duration: 3 hrs 15 min
- Slope: 270 m
- Route website
- Follow the route on Wikiloc
Prehistoric route in the Serralada Litoral Park
Imagine walking along paths that have witnessed millennia pass by and letting yourself be carried away by the mystery of ancient stones. This route, which starts in La Roca del Vallés, takes you from Can Planes to the chapel of Sant Bartomeu de Cabanyes, passing by megalithic sites that tell the story of a livestock and agricultural society that inhabited these lands between 2,500 and 2,000 BC. Among the rocks, vegetation and remains of these ancient tombs, you will be able to feel the echo of a civilisation that left its mark on the landscape. At the end of the path, the chapel of Sant Bartomeu will treat you to its panoramic views, a reminder that history is always just a step away.
Practical information
More information:
Parc del Castell de Montesquiu
Parc Natural i Reserva de la Biosfera del Montseny
Parc Natural de Sant Llorenç del Munt i l’Obac
Parc del Montnegre i el Corredor
Parc de la Serralada Litoral