Mother and son in the Montseny Nature Reserve, Catalonia.

Rural getaways to Catalonia to discover the main mountains

Holidays as a family, couple or with friends. If your plan in Spain is to breathe the pure mountain air with the best company, here are some suggestions. In the rural areas of Catalonia, you can enjoy a trip rich in tranquility and connection with nature. You will discover the best views of some of the best-known mountains in the area and/or explore its forests. You decide how and when.

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Montserrat

To discover this unusual mountain, you can take the rack railway (mountain railway) from Montserrat, in Monistrol. It takes you to the top, to the tourist centre. From there, you can choose from several options to continue with your visit: take the Sant Joan funicular that takes you to the Shrine of Sant Joan and the natural viewing point or stay around the Monastery and Montserrat Museum. You will meet La Moreneta in person, the virgin the shrine has been built to. You will be amazed by its history and its surroundings but, best of all, you can delve into nature. Many excursions start from the same place and you will be able to travel unique paths.

Montseny Nature Reserve

The Montseny massif lies between the counties of Vallès Oriental, La Selva and Osona. In this Biosphere Reserve, you will find different peaks with all kinds of activities on offer. The main options are hiking and ATBs (All Terrain Bikes), while always enjoying a full day surrounded by nature. To get incredible views, you can climb to the tops of Matagalls, Turó de l'Home, Les Agudes or Llano de la Calma. And here, where there is green there is culture. You can see the megalithic constructions of the Sierra del Arca, the Roman villa of Can Terrers and medieval castles, for example. It is very nice to visit it in autumn, with the tree leaves dyed in different colours.

Pedraforca

This iconic mountain is located between the municipalities of Gósol and Saldes (Berguedà, Barcelona). It is part of the Sierra del Cadí, within the Cadí-Moixeró Nature Reserve. Its surprising shape means it's one of most recognisable in all of Catalonia. It is a perfect destination for walking. You can take several marked routes. Some of them are at the foot of the mountain and will give you the opportunity to discover the towns in the area. If you like rock climbing, you can climb different routes on the north face and south face (the south face is the most popular). Near Pedraforca, you can go to the source of the Llobregat river and then to Castellar de n'Hug (its views will leave you speechless), or find out about the influence of the textile industry in Catalonia at Colonia Vidal.

Pica d’Estats

In the heart of the Pyrenees, Pica d’Estats is the highest mountain in Catalonia. The most common route up starts from Sotllo, in the province of Lleida. Climbing this mountain requires from level of expertise, but it is also the irresistible for anyone who wants to mark peaks in their mountaineering passport. The best time to climb a peak is always from May to September, but you can plan a getaway for any time in the year. When are you coming?

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