Vall de Nuria Hiking Trip, from Barcelona

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Vall de Nuria Hiking Trip, from Barcelona

Vall de Nuria Hiking Tour from Barcelona

The magnificent Vall de Nuria in the Spanish Pyrenees, where we hiked from the village of Queralbs, which was our home for a few days last week.
The hike was approximately 9km in length and 800m elevation gain.
The place is a small ski resort in winter and a signature place for hiking in summer, where you'll have peaks up to 3000m towering above.
Also a religious pilgrimage site thanks to the historical Mare de Déu de Núria sanctuary.

Luckily there was limited snow when we did it, but most definitely this might have changed over the past week and generally always advised to do it in summer.

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Hike to Top of Montserrat Mountain Sant Jeroni

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Hike to Top of Montserrat Mountain Sant Jeroni

Sant Jeroni Hike Montserrat Mountain

Some of the best views from the top of Montserrat Mountain 1237m elevation, you can see some of Catalonia's most famous peaks and national parks.

On a clear day you can see the famous Pica d'Estats at 3143m elevation in the distance and is the highest peak in Catalonia. This mountain is included in the Parc Natural de l'Alt Pirineu.

#landscape_perfection #welivetoexploremore #natureloversgallery #mountainsports #visitcatalunya #catalunya_foto #hikingspain #spaintravel #spain_vacations #hikingtheglobe #hikingspain #hikingbarcelona #walkingtours #trekkingspain #trekkingcatalunya #cyclespain

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Montserrat Monastery to Sant Jeroni Hike

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Montserrat Monastery to Sant Jeroni Hike

Sant Jeroni is the highest point of Montserrat Mountain at 1237m in elevation. The hike from the Monastery to Sant Jeroni is my favourite route to take and with the best views. On clear day you will see the Pyrenees to the north and sometimes even the island of Mayorca to the south.

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LIST OF BEST BEACHES IN BARCELONA

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LIST OF BEST BEACHES IN BARCELONA

LIST OF BEST BEACHES IN BARCELONA

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Living in Barcelona we’re very lucky to not only have beaches on our doorstep in the city but also close to the North and south of Barcelona, where some impressive beaches can be found. Easily accessible by train, it’s the perfect day trip to do with your family, to escape the busy city beaches, especially in July and August.

Below have made a list of my best beaches in Barcelona city and nearby:

Bogatell Beach

My favourite beach in Barcelona City is definitely Playa de Bogatell, which sits at the bottom of Rambla Del Poblenou and is one of my favourite places to visit, swim or have a walk along the beach.

Generally a lot quieter and sometimes cleaner than it’s neighbours, specially Barceloneta Beach, which can be filled with stag parties etc and busy tourists in the summer.

There’s lots to do from Bogatell Beach, from Beach Tennis https://www.beachtennisbarcelona.com/ and hiring paddle boards https://www.escuela-sup.com/ from the Base Náutica Municipal de Barcelona. In addition you can do some great swimming, where in summer they place yellow boys around 50m out from from the beach and you can swim, following them along to the Forum or the Whotel in Barceloneta if you wanted. In summer you’ll find lot’s of people doing this, but always recommended to do it with a friend. Would definitely recommend to do this at sunrise, an incredible experience to start your day.

platja de gava

Down the coast the other side of Barcelona Airport next to Castelldefels you’ll find Platja de Gava and in the busy summer, when the beaches of Barcelona will be packed, you’ll always find it considerably quieter here.

Only 20 minutes in a car or you can take the train from Barcelona-Sants Station and take either the R2 or R2S line and get off at Platja de Castelldefels. A nice beach in itself at Castelldefels but always busy in the summer. You can enjoy the beach here or walk for 15 minutes along the coastal path and you’ll find it lots quieter at Platja de Gava.

If you have kids or anyone in the group keen to do something active, it’s a great place for you all to locate yourself. The sea is shallow to swim, so great for kids to enjoy the water. There’s a path that follows the coast along for nearly 10km, ideal for a run or if you’re into road cycling, you’d got the hills of the Garraf National Park behind, with some incredible routes to choose from.

For something to eat there’s an amazing place to eat on the beach called Guingueta Iguana Gavá Mar http://www.quesadagavamar.es/en/ , would definitely recommend.

platja montgat nord/Platja de can tano

Up the coast from Barcelona our favourite beach close to Barcelona, is Platja de Can Tana which is right next to Platja Montgat Nord. You’ll find Mongat Nord a bit more busier because it’s right next to the station but a short along towards Barcelona, you’ll find the beach Can Tano, which is a lot quieter.

In the busy summer months you’ll always find the beaches of Barcelona packed and sometimes depending on the current, the water can be a little dirty. Here you’ll find it quiet, water cleaner and it always feels more local and chilled out, with less people trying to sell you random sun glasses and all sorts on the beach.

It’s also very easy to get to and you can take the R1 line from various stations in Barcelona including, Barcelona-Sants, Catalunya, Arc de Triomf and El Clot-Arago. Takes approximately 30min and it’s a great journey, where the train line follows right next to the coast line for pretty much the duration of the trip.

If you’re not one for sunbathing, you’ll find a water-sports centre called Escola de Mar http://www.escolademar.cat/ , where you can hire paddlle boards, windsurfing equipment, Sailing and also they have Sailing/Windsurfing lessons.

To eat you’ve got lots of places to choose from with Chiringuito Mil Olas on the beach and also a nice friendly place called Original Can Faba, which is on the other side of the railway line. Don’t worry the trains are surprisingly very quiet and you hardly notice them.

sant pol de mar

Sant Pol de Mar is definitely one of my favourite, sitting further north up the coast from Mongat Nord, taking approximately 1 hr from Barcelona and once again you can catch the R1 Line from most stops in Barcelona, including Arc de Triomf, El Clot, Sants and Catalunya.

A charming village positioned in a cove between the towns of Calella and Canet de Mar, the historical architecture and history, combined with stunning beaches, makes it a perfect day trip from Barcelona.

There is several beaches to choose from when leaving the station, with Sant Pol having 10 beaches to it’s name, but if you turn left out the station and walk 5 min along the beach, you’ll find smaller coves with less people. Also if you’re keen for a small hike, you can walk even for 20 min up the coast towards the picture perfect Platja Rocagrossa , which is just before Calella.

To eat would recommend a restaurant called Banys Lluís https://www.banyslluis.cat/es/ , which is on Platja del Morer and is a family owned business with an incredible range of seafood.

Thanks for reading my blog, please share and don’t hesitate to get in touch if you need any help with further information.

Please remember, we offer bespoke day trips for your family, friends and colleagues, so please get in touch and we can help you discover this incredible area of Catalonia.

Get in touch below.

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Hiking Tours from Barcelona, Pyrenees

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Hiking Tours from Barcelona, Pyrenees

Hiking Tours Pyrenees from Barcelona

Cadí-Moixeró Natural Park with the famous Pedraforca behind , in the Pre-Pyrenean mountain range.


A great place for Walking and Hiking in the summer but also in the winter, it's famous for bird watching. Symbolic species including bearded vultures, alpine chough, alpine accentor and white-winged snowfinch can be seen here.

Hiking tours from Barcelona, take approximately 1hr 40min to drive to the pyrenees and is best visited in summer if you want to hike or if you like to ski, we have the resort of Molina, close to Barcelona.

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Costa Brava Walking and Hiking Tours

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Costa Brava Walking and Hiking Tours

Hiking and Walking Tours Costa Brava from Barcelona

The hidden Calas of Spain, where we whip our trunks on under our hiking gear and follow the trail along the coast, stopping to cool off in stunning calas like these.

Our hiking tours to the Costa Brava will pick you up from Barcelona in a fully air conditioned van and drive towards the area of Cala de Castell, next to the small town of Palamos. This will take approximately 1hr 30min.

The hike will start on the infamous Cami De Ronda that stretches along the Costa Brava into France and is infamous for hikers around the world.

The hike will be approximately a 8km loop where we'll stop at some of the most stunning emerald coves in the area, until we reach the Botanical Gardens of Cap Roig, before heading inland and returning to Cala de Castell. The hike will take around 2-4 hours and once finished you'll have time to relax on the beach, swim and even do some snorkelling.

Please note the hike is open to all fitness levels and can be adjusted if needed. Just let us know and we'll bespoke the trip to your needs.

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Pyrenees Hike From Barcelona

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Pyrenees Hike From Barcelona

Pyrenees Hike From Barcelona

It's Back to Basics with our morning swim and wash when we run our Long Weekend Hiking Trip to the Pyrenees from Barcelona, sleeping in Talaixa Refuge. Living primitive and simplifying life to the bare essentials.
Using environmentally friendly soap obviously it's our secret little pool in the mountains.


Absolutely freezing for most months of the year but it's an instant cure to perk yourself up in the morning.
Hidden turquoise pools of the Pyrenees from Barcelona.

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Hiking Tours Tibidabo, Barcelona

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Hiking Tours Tibidabo, Barcelona

One of our favourite hill walks near Barcelona, where the best hiking guides will take you to the top of Tibidabo Mountain from the base, on a circular route. Incredible views, local Barcelona trails and into the nature of the Collserola National Park.

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Hiking in the Pre-Pyrenees from Barcelona

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Hiking in the Pre-Pyrenees from Barcelona

Hiking in the Pre-Pyrenees from Barcelona

Was exciting to have our first hiking tour in the Pre-Pyrenees of Alta Garrotxa with some incredible clients from Canada and Switzerland.

Have a look at the amazing review and please get in touch if you’d you’d like to join us on one of Hiking and Walking Tours,

“Excited for JAMIE KERR to open ONE LIFE, HIKE IT's Barcelona office- where it all started for him. Jamie- he's this great big guy with a company he designed for- city slickers, basically. The idea behind it was that our city routine is a major killer of time and that hiking gets you out of that. He's good at navigating unpredictable situations and varied mostly technical Alta Garrotxa rugged/calcareous terrain just outside of the volcanic legacy region (He's British Army - and maybe hes a rugby player- that makes him an ideal mountain man). Very grateful to him for creating such an incredible experience for us: finding vultures, secret waterfall for a dip, the world's largest natural border lines, and my inner gladiator in the heart of the Pyrenees mountains. Can't wait to see where he goes from here. Pyrenees how-to: https://lnkd.in/dmiifvA We stopped for a cup of Earl grey out at 'the bar' (photo cred: Jamie) -just mingled with people, the spectacular peaks of the Pyrenees silhouetted by the breaking sunlight”.

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Hiking Tours Montserrat Mountain, from Barcelona

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Hiking Tours Montserrat Mountain, from Barcelona

Hiking Tours Montserrat Mountain from Barcelona

Happy New Year!!.
Nice to be back at Montserrat Mountain, fresh air and beautiful views.

View of our Beginners Route - total distance: 5 Km with 236m elevation gain.

Monserrat Mountain is one of Barcelona’s favourite mountain to visit from Barcelona where it’s possible to organise a tour with ourselves or you can also take the train from Barcelona.

There is lots of hiking routes on offer for all levels of fitness, from a leisurely 5 km hike, moderate 9km hike or if you’re feeling energetic you can hike from the base to the top Sant Jeroni, which sits at 1237m in elevation.

The views from the top of Montserrat have some of the best views in the area, where it’s possible to see the Pyrenees mountains of Catalonia and Andorra to the north, where it’s possible to ski in the winter.

To the south you’ll have views back to Barcelona, where you’ll be able to see the famous Tibidabo, which sits on the mountains behind Barcelona.

The East you’ll see the peak of La Mola that is 1104m in elevation and sits behind the town of Terrassa and further more the famous mountain of Montseny, with it’s highest peak Turó de l'Home at 1712m in elevation.

West of Montserrat Mountain, you’ll see the Penedes Wine region of Barcelona, which is famous for Cava and also the Serra de Montsant, a national park that sits north of Tarragona and is famous for hiking and a beautiful small medieval town called Siurana.

If you’re interested in joining us for our group tours to Montserrat Mountain from Barcelona, then please get in touch?

We also offer Private Hikes and can bespoke the tour to your needs. Please get in touch and we can guide you to some of the best hiking routes in Catalonia, direct from Barcelona.

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Guided Hiking Tours Mont-Rebei Gorge, from Bacrelona

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Guided Hiking Tours Mont-Rebei Gorge, from Bacrelona

Hiking Tours Mont-Rebei Gorge

We’re very happy to be offering an incredible days guided hiking in Mont-Rebei, where we’ll hike one of Catalonia most famous area.

From Barcelona we’ll drive in a small group of a maximum of six persons, to insure you receive a personalised experience in the mountains.

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Best Location to Rent Apartment to Hike near Barcelona

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Best Location to Rent Apartment to Hike near Barcelona

Best Location to rent Apartment to Hike near Barcelona

My favourite area to hike and rent an apartment or hotel near Barcelona, is Alta Garrotxa and the Cadi-Moixero Natural Park in the Eastern Pre-Pyrenees, where you have an abundance of hiking and activities to do all year round. It’s a go to area when we want to escape the busy city life of Barcelona, because they’re both relatively easy to get to from Barcelona.

Alta Garrotxa is centrally located between the beaches of the Costa Brava and the Pyrenees Mountains. In addition it’s located close to some of Catalonias most beautiful medieval towns, including Girona, famous for cyclists and the small town of Besalu. Garrotxa is split into two areas; the Volcanic Region of Baixa Garrotxa and Alta Garrotxa, that borders into France from the north. My favourite is most definitely Alta Garrotxa, because of it’s remoteness and rugged landscape, where mountains peak are blanketed with Forest. Covering an area of 32,865 hectares it has been declared an Area of Natural Interest, because how difficult it is to reach and it’s wealth of wildlife. The climate has a heavy rainfall all year with the wettest times throughout the summer and driest in the winter. Although cold in the winter, it’s a great time to visit, where you’ll experience a dry climate, perfect for a days hiking.

The Cadi-Moixero Natural Park is located directly north of Barcelona and is famous all year round for skiing in the winter and infamous hiking and cycling in the summer.

The Natural Park of Moixero covers an area of 41,060 hectares with the highest peak La Tosa at 2536m high.

Have a look at my favourite places to stay in both Alta Garrotxa and near the Cadi-Moixero Natural park.

Accommodation

Can Serola Farmhouse

Can Serola Farmhouse is one of our favourites, sitting in Alta Garrotxa has only a small number of rooms, meaning it’ll always feel quiet, where you’ll be able to relax next to the pool after a mornings activities.

They have only eight rooms and we slept in the Ethnic Room, where the entrance to the room is from the garden and although has no air conditioning, the stone walls and sealing fan kept it cool.

Throughout the farmhouse you’ll discover stunning shaded areas in the garden to relax and read a book or little reading room in the house to escape the summer heat.

We had a lovely continental breakfast in the garden and it’s also possible to eat there for dinner if you wanted; however, we decided to treat ourselves and visited an amazing Michelin star restaurant in the small town of Besalu called Pont Vell http://www.restaurantpontvell.com/ , which I’d definitely recommend.

https://www.canserola.com/en/home/

El Bosquet Mountain Villa

El Bosquet is a charming villa at the base of Alta Garrotxas highest peak Puig de Bassegoda. Sleeps ten people, we visited with a group last summer and was the perfect location, sitting in the middle of the Vall de Riu, where you’re close to some of Alta Garroxtas highest peaks and the beautiful pools and waterfall of Sant Aniol d'Aguja.

Sleeping is reasonably basic with bunkbeds and single beds, but it’s the perfect balance between sleeping in a hotel or on a roll mat in a refuge, which is also possible to do in the mountains close by.

The drive is approximately 1 hr 30 min from Barcelona and we spent a weekend at El Bosquet and hiked the infamous Puig De Bassegoda 1373m elevation on one day and the other Puig de Sant Marc 1326m elevation. The views were incredible and what made even better was after the hike, being able to nip down in the car in 5 min and swim in the beautiful turquoise pools near Sadernes. And of course we finished the day on the porch outside, having a barbecue and drinking some delicious local wine under the stars.

https://www.racorural.com/en/rural-houses/el-bosquet

MAS SANT MARC COUNTRY HOUSE HOTEL

Sant Marc Country House is located approximately 1hr 45 mi north of Barcelona and sits in the centre of some of the best hiking in Spain. We stayed here last winter and we were blown away how close and easy it was to get to from Barcelona, and the interior reminded me of being in a Soho House members club.

For me the house is located perfectly for activities all year round and when we visited in November, an early snowfall enabled us to hire some snow shoes from the local town of Puigcerda and we ventured to the local ski resort of Molina and hiked in the mountains for 8km. In addition the House is situated in the middle of the countryside and in the winter it’s also possible to hire bikes or they have stables on the grounds, for horseback rides also.

https://santmarc.es/

Hiking near Sant Marc is incredible and a great base to locate yourself, where you have the epic Pedraforca 2506m elevation to the south and the beautiful Vall de Nuria sitting to the east.

In summer The Cadi-Moixero Natural Park I would definitely recommend for some hiking and even if you’re not up for hiking to the top of Pedraforca, there’s some easier routes lower down and you can get some stunning photos with Pedraforca in the background.

In the winter the hills surrounding the hotel will most definitely be covered in snow and wouldn’t recommend you hike the peak of Pedraforca then; however, there’s lot’s to do surrounding the hotel to keep you entertained.

We offer bespoke Hiking Tours to Alta Garrotxa and the Pre-Pyrenees, from Barcelona and can organise the perfect Hiking Holiday in Europe for groups, companies and solo traveler’s. Please also check out our Long Weekend Hiking Holiday Pyrenees , we offer in Alta Garrotxa.

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HIKING TOUR MONTSERRAT MOUNTAIN, FROM BARCELONA

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HIKING TOUR MONTSERRAT MOUNTAIN, FROM BARCELONA

There is lots of soft hikes available in Montserrat where you can start from the Monastery passing Sant Miquel Cross, then a small ascent to Sant Joan funicular. Here you have three option: 1 - You can take the funicular back down to the Monastery. 2 - Continue to ascent for another 30 minutes approximately and visit the Ermita de Sant Joan, Ermita de Sant Onofre and Ermita de Santa Magdalena. 3 - Passing the funicular station on the right and approximately 20m after you will see a trail that descends down towards Ermita de Santa Anna. After this you will arrive at many steps, where you can continue to descend until you are back at the Monastery.

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Hiking and Kayaking Mont-Rebei Gorge, near Barcelona

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Hiking and Kayaking Mont-Rebei Gorge, near Barcelona

Mont rebei gorge is one of my favourite places to visit, located on the border with Aragon it’s an incredible place to visit. The water is turquoise blue and the trails cut into the rocks with great views. It’s possible for a day trip from Barcelona or Girona, but would definitely recommend to find somewhere to sleep and try and make a weekend of it.

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Hidden Hiking Routes in Barcelona

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Hidden Hiking Routes in Barcelona

HIDDEN HIKING ROUTES IN BARCELONA

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Tell me your best hiking routes throughout the world? One of our favourite weekends is sleeping in our wee Nissan Campervan. Siurana, sitting north of Tarragona is approximately 1hr 45min drive from Barcelona towards the West and is a go to place for hikers and climbers. We visited in April and slept in the camper next to the small village of Siurana. Was blown away by its beauty and the star gazing in the evening was incredible. Siurana is small medieval village located on a cliff, where you’ll find parking and also a great refuge, if you wanted to come for the weekend. It’s called Refugio Ciriac Bonet and is situated in an idyllic location, serving food and drinks. There’s an great terrace sitting on the edge of a cliff, where the sunset is incredible and is perfect to finish the hike. The hike we followed was called “Camí de la Trona” and is famous for hiking and you’ll find lots of climbers throughout to watch. We started the route from Pantá de Siurana, following a river which lead us to 3 turquoise pools called Toll de la Palla, then we head up to “La Trona”, until we reached the small medieval town called Siurana. The pools were cold but perfect in the heat of the sun. Hike, Swim, Beers and Van Life, sleeping under the stars. - - - #HikingBarcelona #TrailRunning #PersonaltrainerBcn #IgersBarcelona #Barcelona #BcnTrips #Bcntravelling #Monserrat #Bcnsummer #hikingculture #fitnessbarcelona #hikingtoursbarcelona #walkingtoursbarcelona

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One of my hidden hiking route near Barcelona.

One of our favourite weekends is sleeping in our wee Nissan Campervan.
Siurana, sitting north of Tarragona is approximately 1hr 45min drive from Barcelona towards the West and is a go to place for hikers and climbers.

We visited in April and slept in the camper next to the small village of Siurana. Was blown away by its beauty and the star gazing in the evening was incredible.
Siurana is small medieval village located on a cliff, where you’ll find parking and also a great refuge, if you wanted to come for the weekend. It’s called Refugio Ciriac Bonet and is situated in an idyllic location, serving food and drinks. There’s an great terrace sitting on the edge of a cliff, where the sunset is incredible and is perfect to finish the hike.

The hike we followed was called “Camí de la Trona” and is famous for hiking and you’ll find lots of climbers throughout to watch.
We started the route from Pantá de Siurana, following a river which lead us to 3 turquoise pools called Toll de la Palla, then we head up to “La Trona”, until we reached the small medieval town called Siurana. The pools were cold but perfect in the heat of the sun.
Hike, Swim, Beers and Van Life, sleeping under the stars.

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HIKING IN BARCELONA CALAS

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HIKING IN BARCELONA CALAS

HIKING IN BARCELONA CALAS

My favourite Hiking in Barcelona Calas on the Costa Brava.

One area we love is around Cala de Castell, which is next to the town of Palamos and the hike follows the coastline towards the Botanical Gardens of Cap Roig and the stunning small fishing village of Calella de Palafrugell. The hike will take around 2-4 hours and is approximately a 8km loop.

The hike starts and finishes on the Wild Beach of Castell which is in the Cap Roig National Park. From here towards the Botanical Gardens of Cap Roig, you’ll find crystal clear coves including Cala Roca Bona and Cala Estreta to name a few. In addition you’ll discover ruins of Iberian settlements on the hills behind, Old Catalan Farmhouses and a small known paint studio of Salvador Dali.

We parked the car at Cala de Castell, which is a beautiful beach in itself and a perfect location to hire canoes or if you're in a group who'd rather relax for the day, whilst you hiked along the coast. -
Snorkel, Relax, Hike, Paddle Board, Canoe or Swim. Great area to visit.

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What You Eat When Hiking?

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What You Eat When Hiking?

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