Do you need to disconnect but you don’t have time for a relaxing getaway in Catalonia a weekend? There is no better occasion to enjoy the best forests in Barcelona!
The colors of autumn, the snow in winter, the freshness of pure air for spring and summer… No matter the season, it is always a good time to visit a forest, so in Willy’s Plan we make you a tour of the most beautiful forests near Barcelona, natural spaces that you can easily reach and that will allow you to disconnect from the noise of the city and enjoy the peace and beauty of nature.
1. Montseny
One of the most beautiful forests in Barcelona is the Montseny Natural Park.
Considered one of the most important and oldest in Catalonia, its extension of more than 100,000 hectares means that a total of 18 municipalities have in their interior an area of this natural park that is capable of embracing them.
One of its main attractions, besides the fact that it is very close to the city by car, is the great biodiversity of its flora, offering a very diverse vegetation depending on the area where we are. In its interior we can find from the typical Mediterranean forest with oaks and shrubs to the black pine forest or fir trees, although one of the most surprising species are the beech trees that grow in the highest areas and oriented to the north.
Although it is beautiful at any time of the year, it is recommended to visit in autumn, since the colors that dye the leaves of the trees are a magical spectacle, worthy of a fairy tale.
This is one of the mountain routes in and around Barcelonaand surroundings and one of the best natural one of the best natural parks in Catalonia. So much so that Unesco named it a Natural Biosphere Reserve.
2. Collserola
In the area of Tibidabo and Vallvidrera, with more than 8,000 hectares of natural space located a few kilometers from Barcelona, we find Collserola, one of the most beautiful forests near Barcelona.
Inside we find the Collserola Tower, designed by Norman Foster, one of the most important architects on an international scale. Another of the main attractions of this forest, in addition to its impressive views, is that it has different accommodations inside.
The mountain range not only acts as Barcelona’s green lung, being one of the largest metropolitan parks in the world, but also offers fairy-tale postcard photographs.
3. La Fageda de la Grevolosa
La Fageda de la Grevolosa or the Grevolosa Beech Forest is located in the Serra dels Llancers, natural border between the Transversal mountain range and the Prepirineu.
This horseshoe-shaped forest stands out for its impressive beech forests, some of which are more than 300 years old. In fact, some of them are really monumental, reaching more than one meter in diameter and 40 meters in height. The most spectacular one has 5.80 m of perimeter base, 24 m of height and 20 m of crown.
In addition to its trees, the Fageda de la Grevolosa attracts attention for its great natural diversity, being able to find numerous species both in terms of flora and fauna. Its great biological richness and its impressive natural beauty have made this beech forest a Protected Natural Area.
The best time of the year to visit this beautiful forest in Barcelona is autumn, when the beech forest acquires unique colors and the atmosphere is calm and inspiring.
4.Catllaràs mountain range
The thick forests of the Sierra de Catllaràs are another of the most beautiful forests of Barcelona that you have to visit, perfect if you want to make a hiking route and excursions in the Berguedà.
With a great diversity of environments condensed in a single space, a large part of the territory is covered by forests, such as oak, oak and pine forests, as well as beech forests in the shady areas. Its specimens of red pine, holm oaks, oaks and beeches are beautiful all year round, but especially impressive between September and December.
The fauna that inhabits this area constitutes a transitional community between the Pyrenean systems and the more Mediterranean ones located to the south. Along with the capercaillie and the marten, the presence of the deer stands out as one of the species of great interest in the area. As for the flowers, in the highest areas of the mountain range, the presence of the edelweiss, a very rare species in the country protected by the Catalan legislation, stands out.
Among the many options to discover, the Espinedes beech forest stands out, perhaps the most bucolic point of the mountain range, where you can see ancient trees over 30 meters high. Despite being a difficult place to access in general, this forest is a perfect plan for hiking enthusiasts to discover itineraries on foot or by bicycle.
5. Cadí-Moixeró
This mountainous massif of the Catalan Pre-Pyrenees is the only Natural Park in Catalonia that extends over 3 provinces: Barcelona, Girona and Lleida.
In its interior there are two wonderful forests that are worth knowing; The Gresolet Forest, near the refuge house Gresolet, which can be reached from Saldes and La Fageda Clot del Pere, near the small village of Gréixer, which can be reached from Bagà.
Within this natural park with great biodiversity is the Pedraforca, a mountain with a very characteristic shape located in the south, one of the most traditional climbing peaks in Catalonia that attracts thousands of enthusiasts of this discipline to climb to the top.
Unlike other beech forests, these two forests of the Parc Natural del Cadí are small in size but of enormous beauty. For this reason, they are also less known by visitors, so you will be able to enjoy a calmer place away from tourists.
6. The Montnegre and the Corredor
The Natural Park of Montnegre i el Corredor is part of the Catalan coastal mountain range, is located in the province of Barcelona and is the natural barrier between the Vallés Oriental and the Maresme regions (Do not miss our Routes and excursions through the Maresme).
Both have a solid compact assembly, although they have different characteristics. Montnegre is somewhat larger, wilder and more rugged, while the Corridor is a has a smoother and more rounded terrain.
The variety of environments in the Montnegre and Corredor mountain ranges (holm oak groves, cork oak groves, pine forests and thickets, riparian forests, pine forests, open and cultivated areas) means that its fauna is diverse and abundant. In addition, the proximity of the sea favors the development of lush vegetation enriched with numerous species. It is also located on one of the migratory bird routes, so you can see different species of birds.
The blackness of the slate soil combines with the shade of the large trees that inhabit these forests to give as a result a dark place full of humidity, thus justifying its name. Neolithic dolmens, Iberian remains and medieval churches merge in a diverse landscape of crops, forests and farmhouses, ideal for a disconnecting retreat.
7. Enchanted forest of Orrius
If we talk about magical forests in Barcelona, mysterious places full of legends and secrets, we could not leave out of the list the Orrius Forest.
One of the great attractions of Orrius is its geographical location, in the Maresme region, very close to Barcelona, on a route of just over half an hour from the city center, but in a different natural setting where nature shines above the urban. Since 2016, the municipality has been part of the Consorci del Parc de la Serralada Litoral, a park with numerous
hiking routes in Barcelona
to do with family, friends, alone or as a couple.
If you visit this magical forest in Barcelona, you can’t miss the famous figures of the elephant, the Indian and the moai. The origin of the famous stone figures is quite uncertain, related to mystical and esoteric theories of all kinds, from its link with the Roman god Janus to legends of witches and goblins hiding in the forest. It is even rumored that at night it is a meeting point for mystical meetings and covens. In fact, years ago this forest was the protagonist of an episode of Cuarto Milenio, so the most daring will surely venture to visit it when the sun goes down. What is clear is that this is a place to let your imagination run wild.
In addition to the three figures, in the enchanted forest of Orrius also highlights the Prehistoric Route, which with an approximate length of 11 kilometers takes us to the Plat del Rei, the Dolmen of Céllecs, the Cova Foradada (Cueva Agujereada), the Pedra de les Orenates (Rock of the Swallows) and the Rock of the Crosses, related to Perot Rocaguinarda, a Catalan bandit who raided the roads linking Barcelona and Gerona. Legend has it that it is marked by each cross that the outlaw made after eliminating each of his victims.
