Arcadia Spain

Last Friday we went for a hike in the Collserola Natural Park with our students. Among other things, we could switch off from the everyday hustle and bustle, take a deep breath of mountain air, and get some spectacular views of Barcelona. After our little excursion we went back to the city, refreshed and with much more energy. Some call it the “Barcelona’s great green lung” for a reason!

Collserola is the name of a mountain range in Catalonia (Serra de Collserola), which encompasses the mountains and the woods of different areas between the Llobregat River and the Besòs River. It’s a well-known mountain range because it hosts famous landmarks like the Tibidabo (its highest peak –516.2 meters / 1,694 feet– with a famous temple and a theme park on the top), or like the Torre de Collserola (“Collserola Tower”). It’s also well known because it is enjoyed by the population who lives nearby this large natural park. Besides, it offers a great variety of plants and trees that provide the area with not only rich flora but also rich fauna. We could even spot a wild boar not very far away from us when we were there!

We did a circular route to reach a fountain called Font de la Budellera, which brings you nearer the Torre de Collserola and the Tibidabo. It’s an enjoyable, cozy route and you can take different footpaths to get there. Of course, we chose the woodiest one! The evergreen vegetation along with the pines of Collserola make you feel far away from the city –even though it takes about 15 minutes to get to the park by train. That’s one of the perks of having the largest metropolitan natural park so nearby. Many of the population who live in towns and cities around these mountains make the most of it by hiking, cycling, jogging, walking or birdwatching.

We also took a popular route called Carretera de les Aigües (Waters Road) to get some stunning views over the city of Barcelona and the surrounding area. We stayed there for a while before going back to the city. It was definitely one of the best ways to make the most of a Friday morning!