It’s often the capital of Catalonia, Barcelona, that takes centre stage in this pretty pocket of Spain, when in fact there are over 30,000km2 of mountains, coast, nature reserves, wine regions and traditional towns and villages. There are the Pyrenees and a panoply of national and natural parks, from Aigüestortes National Park to Aiguamolls Nature Reserve, Montserrat to Ebro Delta. The Costa Brava and the Costa Dorada are its two sizzling coastlines, and the Penedès Wine Region has sparkles of a very different kind. The name, Costa Brava, translates as wild coast and you definitely find some wild places cycling and walking in Catalonia. Tasty ones too, given that Catalan food and wine takes living to another level while on tapas of treks and trails. BCN is the well known nickname for Barcelona, but its surrounding landscapes are all about Beauty, Culture and Nature.
Highlights of cycling and walking in Catalonia
Montserrat Natural Park
When you explore Montserrat Natural Park’s pointy peaks and wayout ridges, you quickly see where Gaudí got his inspiration, with caves and colossal natural structures informing his architectural work. You don’t have to join queues to see the natural quirks of Montserrat Natural Park though, although its landmark monastery is a popular daytrip. On our cycling or hiking holiday, however, you leave the daytrippers behind, although on the latter, you do have an opportunity to stay in the iconic and mesmeric monastery, Santa María de Montserrat.
Another option on this walking holiday is to stay in the ancient town of Igualada, located on the River Anoia, boasting its own fine architecture, including the Basilica of Santa María. Wherever you go, you have the marvels of the massif all around, with walking trails to the likes of Sant Jeroni which, at 1,236m, is the highest point of Montserrat. Our cycling holiday is longer (eight days rather than four), giving you time to explore beyond the park and into the Penedès Wine Region.
Penedès Wine Region
The Penedès Wine Region is famous for its Cava wines, which have Denominación de Origen (DO) status. The capital of the wine region is Vilafranca del Penedès, which is just over 50km from Barcelona, and where you’re based throughout this cycling holiday. The town boasts a well preserved medieval quarter, which includes the 14th-century Basilica of Santa María. Although this is a quick hit of Catalan culture, as well as imbibing the rural idylls of these rolling landscapes, you have time to visit Vinseum (Wine Museum), or seek out local wineries. All on an e-bike, so you don’t have to push yourself too hard if you’ve enjoyed a bit too much of the Penedès fruits the night before. On our longer eight day e-biking itinerary, you get plenty of the Penedès wine but also seek out wilderness and wisdom at Montserrat and the medieval town of Montblanc, while also dipping into the Ruta del Cister.
Ruta del Cister, Catalonia
This sacred circular route connects the monasteries of Poblet, Vallbona de les Monges and Santes Creus, starting and ending in Montblanc. You can walk it in seven days, starting and ending in Montblanc, following a trail through rolling hills, vineyards and farmland of the inland regions of Alt Camp, Conca de Barberà and Urgell. Or you can cycle it in five days, again with a start and end point in Montblanc, which is also accessible by train. Whichever adventure you choose, you will feel like you’ve lucked out in a landscape of exquisite and ecclesiastical beauties. With no shortage of vineyards and wine villages en route. Those monks knew what they were doing, setting up monasteries with such tempting terroirs.
Aigüestortes National Park
The full name is Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici National Park and although it’s the country’s only park in Catalonia, this is a fiesta of fine natural features, with Central Pyrenees taking centre stage. The name Aigüestortes means ‘twisted waters’ in Catalan, and given that it is home to more than 200 glacial lakes, numerous rivers, streams and waterfalls, you certainly feel immersed in its waters when you go walking here. Spend a week walking in both Aigüestortes and nearby Vall de Boí, the natural gateway to the national park. Picnic by glacial lakes, trek up to heartstopping viewpoints such as Port de Rius (2,475m) and have one of the best wake-up views ever at Ventosa i Calvell mountain hut (2,215m). This trek to the refuge features in our blog, Best day hikes in Spain.
High Pyrenees
The national park is located in the Central Pyrenees, but we have a trekking holiday that takes you further up into the High Pyrenees, with eight days of the most exquisite elevations and remote villages. Hike through the oak and beech forests of the Alta Garrotxa region, following ancient trails past ancient bridges and remote churches or village ruins. The remoteness and ruggedness of these areas means that they have remained very untouched, and wildlife such as eagles, griffon vultures and chamois are still thriving. Highlights along the way include Costabona (2,465m), on the border with France, the high passes of Fembra Morte (1,728m) and Col de Lliens (1,864m), where the woodland stops and the views begin. On your last day, you have a chance to take a cog train up to Núria, with treks to a clifftop monastery and to landscapes with some of the most stunning views of the Pyrenees’ 3,000m plus peaks.
Ebro Delta Natural Park
Ebro Delta Natural Park is the largest and most important wetland in Catalonia where you not only get top birding opportunities, but also some very soothing landscapes. If you haven’t tried a dose of Ebro, it’s the way to go, and we have three different holidays there that delve into the delta. First of all, our seven day walking holiday which is perfect for those adventurers who already know Catalonia, but want to spend quality time in a new region. Or a four day version if you’ve less time or want to combine it with a city break to Barcelona perhaps. For cyclists, we have six days in the saddle, starting and ending in the historic and handsome town of Tortosa, on the banks of Ebro River. Whichever you choose, get ready for a sublime mix of coasts and canalside paths, lagoons and luscious rice fields, as well as the wildlife wonders of Encanyissada Lagoon.
Cap de Creus Natural Park
This protected area, which covers both land and sea, is the point where the Pyrenees meet the Mediterranean, and is the easternmost peninsula on mainland Spain. This has created a landscape that’s scattered with natural rocky sculptures, terrain that is said to have inspired Salvador Dalí, who was born in nearby Figueres. The nearby whitewashed town of Cadaqués was also a favourite of Dalí’s, and you stay there on this Pyrenees Coastal Trails holiday, before exploring the park. Walk as far as the iconic Cap de Creus lighthouse on this Costa Brava walking holiday and our Costa Brava highlights walking holiday, on which you also get to explore the peninsula’s ancient sites at Serra de Rodes. These include Sant Pere de Rodes Monastery and other ecclesiastical sites, as well as the ruins of Santa Creu de Rodes village.
Camí de Ronda
Ronda is the name for patrol in Spanish, and the Camí de Ronda trail (or Camino de Ronda) is so called because it was a trail of smuggling lookout points for the carabineros, or border guards. It’s more about smugness than smuggling these days, as local people must be proud to call beauty spots like this home. The trail clings to the coast for 43km, with an additional route inland to create a circular option. You dip in and out of Camí on this Coastal trails of Catalonia walking holiday, such as on the third day, walking between the medieval town of Begur and Llafranc, the latter being a white-washed seaside town that was another Dalí favourite. You also explore the trail on this five day walking holiday, where you spend two days walking the northern and southern sections of the Camí de Ronda.
Aiguamolls de l’Empordà Natural Park
Thankfully this wetland wonder in the Bay of Roses was protected by Natural Park status in the 1980s to avoid development, leaving it as a habitat for over 300 species of birds, including cormorants and flamingoes, as well as fallow deer. With wetlands, reed-lined paths, dunes and saltwater lagoons, it covers 48.24km² and is stunning walking terrain as you can see on both this Costa Brava walking holiday and our Costa Brava highlights walking holiday. On these tours you spend a day exploring the banks of the El Fluvià which, along with the Muga River, supports this wetland ecosystem across the Empordà Plain. As these tours run between February and November, you have choices when it comes to birding, with thousands of birds descending in the migratory seasons of February to June and July to October. If there’s a northerly wind in spring, late April and early May are peak times for flamingo, heron, falcon and an array of waders joining the throngs.
Ruta dels Indiketes
This is Catalonia’s newest and stunning long-distance walking trail, although it follows in the footsteps of Iberian people from ancient times who lived in this region. The 476km circular trail, starting and ending in Llançà, takes you through the two regions of Alt and Baix Empordà, exploring ancient paths and woodland, ravines, ancient villages and remote coves. It also dips in and out of many of the natural heritage highlights mentioned above. This itinerary is the complete trail walked over 24 days, but you can start and finish it anywhere you like. However, our recommended route runs north to south, in a clockwise direction, staying in a mix of mostly small, locally-owned hotels, traditional guesthouses and one camping site. If ever a trail deserved the name Catalonia dreaming, this is the one.
Barcelona
Last but not least, the capital of Catalonia needs little introduction, especially if you’re a foodie, football or festival fan. Considered one of the coolest contemporary cities in Europe, Barcelona is the jumping off point for many of our Catalonia holidays, meaning that you can combine a city break with a more adventurous one. Not that Barcelona is short on adventures, the main one being navigating the crowds around its most famous sights, including Gaudí’s Sagrada Família, Park Güell, Casa Batlló and Casa Milà (La Pedrera). They attract tourists in their millions for good reason, but it’s worth going out of peak season if possible. Barcelona is also a homing ground for culture vultures, with highlights including the Picasso Museum, Joan Miró Foundation and the MNAC (National Art Museum of Catalonia).
Travelling to Catalonia by train
Just like the rest of Spain, Catalonia has some superb train connections, run by its national rail operator, Renfe. For international visitors, one of the most efficient and exciting journeys is the direct train between Paris and Barcelona, which takes just under seven hours, and links up easily with Eurostar services. There are often promotional fares on this route, and the best site to keep an eye on these is SNCF-Connect. Many of our Catalan holidays have train or bus connections, such as on our Coastal trails of Catalonia holiday. It’s a one hour transfer from Figueres Vilafant train station to the starting point of Begur. This holiday ends in the elegant resort town of S’Agaró, from where you can get a direct bus back to Girona, a major train hub. Or, if you prefer to go walking in Catalonia’s mountains, this trip includes transfers from Girona at the beginning and end of your walking adventure.
If you’d like to know more about walking in Catalonia, take a look at all of our tours here, or don’t hesitate to contact our adventure specialists for more details. You may also enjoy our blogs, Our top day hikes in Catalonia, and Best time to go to Catalonia. To delve more deeply into Spain, you may also enjoy our blogs on Top national parks in Spain, Best time to go to Spain and our Six best day hikes in Spain.
Walking in Catalonia: Priorat Wine Region
Cycling in Catalonia: La Ruta del Cister
Walking the Full Ruta dels Indiketes
Walking in Catalonia: Ebro Delta Natural Park
Cycling in Catalonia: Ebro Delta Natural Park
Walking in Catalonia: La Ruta del Cister
Road Cycling in Catalonia: Priorat Wine Region
Walking in Catalonia: Montserrat Mountain (Centre-based)
Cycling in Catalonia: Coast and Aiguamolls Nature Reserve
Walking in Catalonia: Camí de Ronda and Coastal Trail
Cycling in Catalonia: Ebro Delta Natural Park Short Break
