In this article we cover the beautiful hiking routes and trails in and around Barcelona. These make ideal day trips and most starting points can easily be reached by metro, train or bus.
🍃 City | Collserola | Garraf | Monserrat | Montseny | Campdevànol | Groups | FAQ
Hiking within the City
You don’t even have to leave the city to enjoy some scenic hiking with this great path.
The Three Hills Walk
Three Hills is a beautiful walk of about 6km within the city that takes about 2 hours, winding through the districts of Gràcia, Carmel and Horta-Guinardó. For more about this urban hike see here.
Start: Vallcarca metro (L3)
Finish: Alfons X metro station (L4)
Route: Linear
Distance: 6KM
Time: 1 hour 16 minutes
Wikiloc: wikiloc.com/walking-trails/the-3-hills-walk-el-coll-el-carmel-and-la-rovira-47311642
Hikes in Collserola
The Parc de Collserola spans 8,000 hectares of protected land covering the range of small mountains (Serra de Collserola) between the Besòs and Llobregat rivers. Within the park a forest of white pines and evergreen oaks is home to a wide variety of species including wild boars and genets. At the crest, the Carretera de les Aigües offers uplifting views of Barcelona and the Mediterranean sea on one side and the Vallès plain on the other.
Collserola is the largest metropolitan park in the world, 8 times larger than the Bois de Boulogne in Paris, and 22 times larger than Central Park in New York. Living in Barcelona, this expanse of unspoiled nature is just a short metro ride away.
Barcelona to Sant Cugat (GR 6)
The hike from Barcelona to Sant Cugat begins on the GR 6 trail beside the Parc del Laberint d’Horta. The path reveals the Ermita De Sant Medir dating from the 11th century and the the Forn Ibèric, a relic from the second century BC. Before reaching Sant Cugat, hikers are greeted by El Pi d’en Xandri, a monumental pine tree over 230 years old and 23 meters high.
Start: Mundet Metro
Finish: Sant Cugat FCG Station
Route: Linear
Distance: 12KM
Time: 3 hours 25 minutes
Wikiloc: wikiloc.com/wikiloc/view.do?id=11458918
Vallvidrera to La Floresta (GR 96)
This hike begins in the Vallvidrera neighborhood which features attractive modernist houses and brushes up against Collserola. After a short walk into the park you reach the Vallvidrera reservoir, pictured above. The reservoir provided the old town of Sarrià with drinking water until the end of the 19th century. From there the GR 96 trail leads to La Floresta with views of Montserrat along the way. More information and photos of the hike here.
Start: Vallvidrera Superior Station (FGC)
Finish: La Floresta Station (FCG)
Route: Linear
Distance: 8KM
Time: 2 hours 4 minutes
Wikiloc: wikiloc.com/wikiloc/view.do?id=18073931
Can Masdeu to Torre Barro
Start: Trinitat Nova Metro (L3, L4)
Finish: Vallvidrera Funicular
Route: Linear
Distance: 11KM
Time: 3 hours
Wikiloc: wikiloc.com/wikiloc/view.do?id=4027253
Baixador de Vallvidrera to Sant Cugat
La Font d’en Ribas
This hike begins at Baixador de Vallvidrera station which can be reached on the S1 and S2 trains (you only need a zone 1 metro ticket). The trail goes by the old Casino of Rabassada, the Font d’en Ribas, the hermitage of Sant Medir and some of the most gorgeous scenery of Collserola.
Start: Baixador de Vallvidrera
Finish: Sant Cugat
Route: Linear
Distance: 12KM
Time: 2 hours and 30 minutes
Wikiloc: wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/baixador-de-vallvidrera-to-sant-cugat-35268767
Vallvidrera to Sant Pere Mártir
Deep in the woods
This hike explores the southern part of Collserola park, passing by Font de Can LLevallol. After lengthy forest trails the hike finishes along the crest of the hill overlooking the city.
Start: Vallvidrera Superior
Finish: Vallvidrera Superior
Route: Circular
Distance: 8.5KM
Time: 2 hours
Wikiloc: wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/vallvidrera-to-esplugues-de-llobregat-35323011
Les Planes to Can Calopa de Dalt to Vallvidrera
El Salt d’Aigua
This is a beautiful walk that passes the 17th century farmhouse Can Planes, the waterfall pictured above and continues alongside the stream to the restaurant Can Castellví.
Start: Molins de Rei
Finish: Molins de Rei
Route: Circular
Distance: 9.2KM
Time: 4 hours
Wikiloc: wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/collserola-molins-de-rei-can-planes-el-salt-daigua-can-castellvi-molins-de-rei-34595358
Garraf
Hike from Sitges to Vilanova
The GR-92 from Sitges to Vilanova i la Geltrú takes you along a rocky path between the sea and the railway tracks, offering some spectacular views and hidden beaches along the way. Learn more about this hike here.
Hike from Garraf to Sitges via Buddhist Monastery
This hike begins takes you deep into the Garraf Natural Park and along the way you will pass a Buddhist Monastery, vineyards and the abandoned town of Jafra.
Start: Garraf
Finish: Sitges
Route: Linear
Distance: 20KM
Wikiloc: wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/garraf-monasterio-budista-sitges-8759801
L’Arboç to Vilanova i la Geltrú
This trail follows the GR-92 through the Parque del Foix. Covering 2,900 hectares, the Foix park is on the edge of the Garraf Massif, just inland of the Sitges-Vilanova stretch of the Costa Daurada coast. The hike passes by the 10th century Castell de Castellet, the Pantà de Foix, and many masia ruins.
Start: L’Arboç
Finish: Vilanova i la Geltrú
Route: Linear
Distance: 18.92 km
Wikiloc: wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/larboc-vilanova-i-la-geltru-19-km-gr-92-8078484
Montserrat
Montserrat Monstery to Sant Jeroni
This jagged mountain range lies 56km north-west of the city of Barcelona and has numerous spectacular hiking trails. The hike from the Montserrat Monstery to Sant Jeroni (the highest peak) is a classic hike.
Start: Montserrat Monastery
Finish: Montserrat Monastery
Route: Circular
Distance: 11.9KM
Time: 4 to 6 hours
Wikiloc: wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/a0157-sant-jeroni-from-montserrat-monastery-75432155
Montseny
Panta de Santa Fe
The Montseny Natural Park is a protected natural area located 50km north of the city of Barcelona.
Start: Santa Fe del Montseny
Finish: Santa Fe del Montseny
Route: Circular
Distance: 9.2KM
Time: 4 hours 35 minutes.
Wikiloc: wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/volta-pel-montseny-avioneta-estavellada-6259855
Campdevànol
The 7 Waterfalls of Campdevànol
Campdevànol is a village in the province of Girona. The route leads though pine forests punctuated by beautiful waterfalls.
Start: Campdevánol RENFE station
Finish: Campdevánol RENFE station
Route: Circular
Distance: 13.3KM
Time: 6-8 hours
Wikiloc: wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/a0228-the-7-waterfalls-of-campdevanol-44637653
Hiking Groups in Barcelona
Centre Excursionista de Catalunya The Hiking Club of Catalonia is a sporting and cultural organisation founded in 1876. It currently has about 4,500 members and offers organised hikes, cultural activities and courses in mountaineering. The club also has a library of maps and photographic archive. Illustrious Catalan figures such as Antoni Gaudí and Jacint Verdaguer were members.
The Barcelona Hiking & Outdoors Group A non-profit Meetup group where you can meet other outdoor enthusiasts. Hiking and outdoor events are regularly scheduled, with a couple of hikes to choose from every week.
Back to Nature This is an excellent group with regular hikes scheduled in Collserola and routes outside Barcelona also.
FAQ
It takes about an hour and a half by train from Barcelona-Sants station.
There are many ways to enter Collserola. Taking the metro to Mundet leaves you close to where the GR 6 enters the park. The path begins beside the Parc del Laberint d’Horta. Taking the FGC train to Baixador de Vallvidrera will drop you off right in the park, surrounded by many great trails.
