Guide · Barcelona

Hiking near Barcelona without a car

You can be walking through pine forest within an hour of leaving your flat. Four mountain areas are reachable by metro, FGC or regional train, with no car and no special gear.

Check before you go. Train lines, stops and fares are as given in our own researched guide and can change. Look up the current timetable on the operator's journey planner, and check the last train back, as regional services can be sparse in the evening.

The four at a glance

Area	By train	Best for
Collserola Natural Park	FGC trains on the S1 or S2 line to Baixador de Vallvidrera, within zone 1, so a standard city ticket covers it.	The easiest first outing. Good all year; start early in summer.
Montserrat	The R5 train to Aeri de Montserrat or Monistrol, then the cable car or rack railway up.	Check the return train times before you set off, since regional services can be sparse in the evening.
Garraf Natural Park	The R2 line south towards Sitges or Vilanova i la Geltrú.	Limestone and forest paths get slippery, so wear shoes with grip.
Montseny	Rodalies (Cercanías) trains, with Sant Celoni a common jumping-off point.	Plan the journey back before you leave, and download an offline map before you lose signal.

Collserola Natural Park

Getting there: FGC trains on the S1 or S2 line to Baixador de Vallvidrera, within zone 1, so a standard city ticket covers it.
Where to start: The park's information centre is next to the station. Several waymarked circular routes start there, passing spots like the Font d'en Ribas and the hermitage of Sant Medir before dropping down to La Floresta.
What it is like: A big stretch of Mediterranean woodland you can reach on a city ticket. For views without much climbing, the Carretera de les Aigües is an almost flat gravel path along the hillside, popular with runners and dog-walkers.
Good to know: The easiest first outing. Good all year; start early in summer.

Montserrat

Getting there: The R5 train to Aeri de Montserrat or Monistrol, then the cable car or rack railway up.
Where to start: From the monastery, the walk to the Sant Jeroni summit is the classic route.
What it is like: The jagged, unmistakable massif and the classic day trip from Barcelona. A bigger, more dramatic day than Collserola.
Good to know: Check the return train times before you set off, since regional services can be sparse in the evening.

Garraf Natural Park

Getting there: The R2 line south towards Sitges or Vilanova i la Geltrú.
Where to start: Pale limestone hills and coastal paths, with easier walks that end near a beach.
What it is like: A gentler day out that finishes near the sea, with lunch at the end.
Good to know: Limestone and forest paths get slippery, so wear shoes with grip.

Montseny

Getting there: Rodalies (Cercanías) trains, with Sant Celoni a common jumping-off point.
Where to start: The Santa Fe woods and the peaks above Sant Celoni.
What it is like: A UNESCO biosphere reserve of beech and fir forest, further out and a fuller day.
Good to know: Plan the journey back before you leave, and download an offline map before you lose signal.

Practical notes

Spring and autumn are the sweet spot. In summer walk early and carry more water than you think. Winter is often clear and crisp, good for higher routes.
Wear shoes with grip, as limestone and forest paths get slippery.
Download an offline map before you lose signal in the hills.

More in our posts Hiking Near Barcelona Without a Car and Where to Hike in Barcelona.

Hike with people instead

Our hiking group does full-day trips, usually on a Sunday once a month, meeting in central Barcelona and travelling to the trailhead by train. Free to join, train fare only.

Join the hiking group