Beyond the Collserola Mountains that embrace Barcelona, there are plenty of little-known beauty spots through which you can discover the essence of the regions of Barcelona, while enjoying more peace and quiet.

Showing full respect to local culture is one of the main principles of sustainable tourism. But since it’s difficult to show respect to what we don’t know, before travelling to place, we should try and find out about the most important aspects of its tangible and intangible heritage. So if you’re thinking of visiting the regions of Barcelona in the near future, here are five keys to enjoying a truly authentic trip and not feeling like just another tourist as you travel around.

Given the growing concern about environmental issues and climate change, more and more people prefer to travel without polluting at all or as little as possible. Proponents of sustainable tourism try to avoid using cars, buses, planes and cruise ships, and when they can choose between different means of transport they choose the one with the smallest carbon footprint. Are you one of them? 

The tram and train are the greenest public transport systems. But if in addition to being environmentally friendly you also want to do some exercise and travel around at your own pace, perhaps you should explore the different types of active and sustainable transport promoted in the regions of Barcelona. Getting around on foot, by bike or on horseback can only bring you benefits, so get moving! Green mobility awaits you!

Over a thousand years after Abbot Oliba’s appointment as Bishop of Vic, there are various mediaeval routes and places in the city through which to explore his legacy. While special occasions and anniversaries are celebrated every day, millennial anniversaries are few and far between. The Oliba celebration shows the importance of this renovator of the Church and great promoter of Romanesque art and architecture in Catalonia. The legacy of the visionary bishop, who laid the foundations for a Catalan spiritualism based on peace, is alive and well in the city of Vic, with its beautiful historical and mediaeval centre.

For a long time we believed that heritage was only a thing of the past, which is why we visited museums to explore it. But all you have to do is head out for a stroll to see that the streets house the biggest collection of them all. We suggest a route that goes beyond the historical façades of the streets of Barcelona, immortalised every day in thousands of selfies. The cities and towns close to the capital are also home to architectural jewels that make them well worth a visit.