Barcelona Hikes: 7 best mountain tours near the city

Table Of Contents

The best Barcelona hikes

If you want to explore Barcelona from a new perspective, beyond its most famous tourist spots, a very interesting option that will take you away from the city’s busiest areas is to plan a hiking trip. Whether within the city itself or in the surrounding areas, you’ll find beautiful parks and great options to escape the crowds and connect with nature.

I remember, when I was a little girl and lived in Barcelona with my family, there wasn’t as much concern about taking care of the natural environment as there is today. Those were different times! (pre-Olympic times, yes, I’m getting old 😅)

The local industry had polluted the entire environment, and I remember that to spend a day at the beach, we had to go more than 30 kilometers away to find one where, well, it wasn’t disgusting to set foot. And that despite having beaches within walking distance!

Fortunately, all that changed a long time ago, and nowadays you can even enjoy nature right in the heart of Barcelona and take a wonderful walk while enjoying the local nature and stunning views. So let’s enjoy this treasure that we have!

If you’re looking for the best hikes in Barcelona, here are 7 stunning options for hiking in Barcelona and its surroundings, where you can find beautiful hiking routes for all skill levels, allowing you to enjoy a peaceful short walk or an intense hike, whichever you prefer.

The best Barcelona hikes

1. Collserola Natural Park: beautiful hikes in the city

Barcelona Hikes: 7 best mountain tours near the city

The Parc de Collserola is a green refuge in the midst of the metropolitan area, covering over 8,000 hectares of protected natural space located in the mountain range surrounding the city. Undoubtedly, it’s not easy for densely populated major cities like Barcelona to have such a large natural area, which adds even more value to this place.

This vast green lung offers an extensive network of trails winding through pine and oak forests, typical of the Mediterranean environment. In addition to its natural richness, Collserola Park is home to remarkable architectural heritage. The park’s various trails pass by beautiful gardens, old farmhouses, hermitages, and remains of ancient fortifications.

You can also discover iconic places like Tibidabo Mountain, crowned by the Temple Expiatori del Sagrat Cor and the Amusement Park, as well as Torre Baró Castle, from where you can enjoy spectacular panoramic views of Barcelona and the mountains.

You can find more information about the park and choose your hiking trail on the Collserola Natural Park website.

2. Montjuïc: iconic hotspots and hiking in Barcelona

Also within the urban limits of Barcelona lies Montjuïc mountain, one of the most popular destinations in the city. Despite frequently appearing on the city’s tourist routes, this green corner is also an ideal place for relaxation and leisurely walks.

Montjuïc, which means “Jewish Mountain”, has played a prominent role in Barcelona’s recent history, first with the 1929 International Exhibition and later with the 1992 Olympic Games. In addition to enjoying its vegetation, botanical richness, and amazing views of the city, Montjuïc offers a long list of places worth visiting:

Museums such as the Miró Foundation, the Museum of Archaeology, the Ethnological and Cultural Museum, and the National Art Museum of Catalonia.
The Magic Fountain of Barcelona
The Spanish Village
The Olympic Ring with the Palau Sant Jordi, the Olympic Stadium, the communications tower, or the Olympic and Sports Museum.
The City of Theatre
The Botanical Garden
And we cannot forget the castle and even a historic cemetery!

Furthermore, Montjuïc offers the only approved trail that runs entirely within the city. Montjuïc 360 is a circular trail of 11 kilometers that winds through the mountain, avoiding the asphalt, with a duration of about 3 hours and suitable for all ages and fitness levels.

Without a doubt, Montjuïc is a perfect place for a full-day tour, enjoying its perfect combination of natural beauty and iconic area of the city.

You can find the various options offered by this place on the Montjuic website.

3. Garraf Natural Park: forest hikes near Barcelona

Just a few kilometers from the city of Barcelona, in a privileged location next to the Mediterranean Sea, lies the Parc Natural del Garraf. This corner of rugged coast and Mediterranean forests is another Barcelona’s perfect spot for a hiking day trip.

The different self-guided hiking routes of Garraf have been created to showcase the historical legacy of this Mediterranean territory and have good signage to help you navigate properly.

This mountainous massif features typical vegetation of the area, including low shrubs, reeds, and fan palms, along with holm oaks, pine forests, boxwoods, and honeysuckles. Along the various trails, you can find some interesting constructions such as farmhouses, barracas (cabins used as shelters for shepherds), hermitages, several castles, archaeological remains and even a Buddhist monastery that offers guided tours, meditation classes and retreats.

Here’s the official tourism website of Garraf where you can find more information about Garraf Park and the scenic trails it offers.

4. Montseny Natural Park: natural richness and hikes near Barcelona

The Montseny National Park is another ideal area for hiking halfway between Barcelona and the Costa Brava. This scenic park of the pre-coastal mountain range is located about 50 km from the city and is the oldest and one of the most important in Catalonia.

In this area, you can find representative plant communities of the three major European biomes: the Mediterranean (cork oaks, holm oaks, and Aleppo pines), the Eurosiberian (silver fir, Scots pine, and beeches), and the Boreoalpine (alpine meadow). Additionally, the fir forest of Montseny is the southernmost in all of Europe.

The Montseny massif offers plenty of hikes that wind through forests, mountains, and medieval villages, where water is the main protagonist. It also offers various organized activities to enjoy this privileged environment. And if you’re more adventurous, you can climb to its highest peak, Turó de l’Home, with an altitude of 1,706 meters and spectacular views.

On the Tourism website of Montseny, you can find more information about the park, access points, and the different hiking routes for a relaxed day visit.

5. Sant Llorenç del Munt i l’Obac Natural Park: amazing landscapes and panoramic hikes near Barcelona

Sant Llorenç del Munt i l’Obac Natural Park, covering an area of over 13,000 hectares, offers beautiful mountain landscapes with rocky peaks, green valleys, and lush forests of oaks, pines, oaks, and hazelnuts. In this natural space, there are also more than three hundred caves and chasms, making it popular among caving enthusiasts and nature lovers.

It’s a great place to disconnect and get lost, just 40 kilometers from Barcelona, and a highly recommended option if you enjoy hiking, as there are around twenty trails to choose from. there are options for all skill levels. From easy routes to more demanding ascent trails that will take you to the peaks of La Mola (crowned by the ancient Monastery of Sant Llorenç del Munt and the tallest mountain of the park) and Montcau.

You can find more information about the park and hiking trails in this brochure from the Barcelona Natural Parks Network.

6. Montserrat National Park: memorable and unique hikes near Barcelona

The Montserrat Mountain, with its iconic monastery and the revered “Moreneta” virgin (Black Madonna), is the most recognizable mountain in Catalonia and a popular day trip from Barcelona. There’s no doubt that visiting the monastery is a must if you decide to go to the area. But many visitors forget that Montserrat is more than just a monastery: it’s an entire mountain in a magnificent setting. In fact, Montserrat means “Serrated Mountain,” which aptly describes the characteristic silhouette of this rock formation.

The oak and boxwood forest covers a good part of its territory, despite its barren mountain appearance, and you’ll find a variety of vegetation formations if you venture into it. If you take any of the five trails in the Montserrat Natural Park that culminate at the sanctuary, you won’t be able to help but be captivated by the spirituality and beauty of the place.

The trail known as the Path of the Waters starts from Monistrol de Montserrat and is the route historically used to reach the monastery. This trail offers gorgeous views of the mountain and is an excellent choice for spending the day and visiting one of Catalonia’s main tourist attractions with a different focus.

On the Montserrat website can find all the information for your visit to Montserrat.

7. Delta del Llobregat: coastal hikes near Barcelona

The Llobregat Delta, the second most important in Catalonia, offers an excellent option on the outskirts of Barcelona for hiking enthusiasts. With a combination of marshes, dunes, and lagoons, in this natural environment you will find various easily-accessible paths that will allow you to contemplate its marshes, dunes, and lagoons through the wetlands, observe migratory birds, and discover the rich biodiversity of the area.

In addition to being a fantastic natural refuge, the coastal paths of the delta also provide a glimpse into traditional rural life in the region. Its location is particularly unique as it extends like a natural oasis surrounding the Barcelona airport. How many places can you walk through a protected natural space while airplanes fly just a few meters above your head? The Llobregat Delta is a striking testament to the balance between human action in its environment and untouched nature.

On the Tourism website of Baix Llobregat you can find more information about this natural area.

As you can see, both in Barcelona and its surroundings, you have plenty of options to enjoy a fantastic day of hiking. You can rent a car and venture a bit further from the city, stay within it and stroll through Montjuïc or Collserola, or even join an organized tour. In any case, you can choose between a short hike, which you’ll enjoy whether you go alone, with friends, or with family, or a long hike and more challenging route if you’re an experienced hiker.

Personally, I love big cities where you can also enjoy wild nature without straying too far. And Barcelona is perfect for that because you have everything a big city offers, but you’re just a stone’s throw away from exceptional natural spaces when you want to breathe some fresh air and disconnect.

Hiking in Barcelona will allow you to discover the natural beauty of this Mediterranean region, explore the richness of its fauna and flora, and enjoy spectacular views. Indeed, I advise you to choose the time of year carefully to avoid the winter cold or summer heat since in the humid climate of this area, thermal sensations are more noticeable. Spring and autumn are the best time for hiking in Barcelona. Plus, the landscapes during those seasons are gorgeous!

Get your hiking boots ready because the experience is worth it!

Rate it

★★★★★

Belén - SpainInsideOut.com

My name is Belén, and I’m the one behind this blog. I was born and raised in the wonderful city of Barcelona, but since my family is from Galicia, I moved to this beautiful land in the northwest of Spain when I was thirteen. I lived there until I finished University and decided to make a living in the capital, Madrid. And here is where I currently live and work.

When I travel, I usually avoid organized tours and prefer to research my destination and establish my own route. That’s why I came up with the idea of writing a travel blog. But a travel blog, in reverse! From the perspective of someone who knows the country and welcomes visitors from other places.

If you love Spain and want to learn more about this wonderful country, welcome to SpainInsideout.com!

spain-insideout.com