Step by step

Switch off from work. Get out of your chair. Put your smartphone away … Look! Just a stone’s throw away from Barcelona, there are a host of natural areas where you can enjoy nature. Among iconic mountains, pine and holm oak forests, peaks overlooking the Mediterranean Sea and quiet valleys, you’re sure to find an inviting setting that will have you reaching for your walking boots and backpack. Welcome to hiker’s paradise!

If you’re the kind of person who likes to explore the countryside step by step at a leisurely pace, then you’ll be over the moon with the extensive network of waymarked footpaths available to you in the regions of Barcelona. With a wide variety of levels of difficulty, distances and scenery, you can choose the excursion that best matches your fitness level, circumstances or preferences.


The best-known long-distance trails include the Three Mountains trail, a 106-km route which, over six stages, connects the Montseny, Montserrat and Sant Llorenç del Munt i l’Obac natural parks. Meanwhile, the Path of the Good Men is the number one choice for hikers with an interest in history, since it follows the paths used in ancient times by the Cathars, stretching from the Sanctuary of Queralt in Berga to the Château de Montségur in the French department of Ariège. Another option is the GR-5 long-distance footpath, which is perfect for nature lovers since it connects natural parks boasting incredible biodiversity, while worshipers of Neptune will thoroughly enjoy the GR-92 Mediterranean coastal trail, a route that runs parallel to the coast, passing through the parks of Montnegre i el Corredor, Serralada Litoral, Serralada Marina, Serra de Collserola and Garraf.


If you’re looking for something shorter, find out about the guided walks organised annually by the natural parks network, which while taking no longer than four hours give you the chance to explore some extremely interesting places. What’s more, it’s impossible to get lost with a local environmental educator as your guide. Sounds good, right? Well, get your walking boots on then!

Check out the schedule of guided walks on the website of the Natural Parks Network.


More information:

Waymarked footpaths of the Natural Parks Network
What’s on guide of the Natural Parks Network
Three Mountains Trail
Path of the Good Men
GR-5: Scenic Long-Distance Trail
GR-92: Mediterranean Long-Distance Trail