Walking the Costa Brava QQQQ

Birdwatching at Aiguamolls de l’Empordà

Distance: Six miles
Difficulty: Easy
Approximate ascent: 100 feet

This activity is designed so you can see some of the region’s most interesting birds via a pleasant walk from the notable town of Castelló d'Empuries. You'll start by visiting the town’s Gothic cathedral and historical centre, before picking up the long-distance footpath to the Aiguamolls Na.

Half day

Coastal Walk

Distance: Nine miles
Difficulty: Moderate
Approximate ascent: 590 feet

This is a route with great charm that leaves no corner of Castell-Platja d'Aro unexplored. You'll leave the coast behind, and walk through the ancient town of Castell d'Aro, reaching Roques Martines, a raised and peaceful spot where you can breathe in the pure air while gazing over a magnificent landscape. You'll then leave Platja d'Aro, pass by the mouth of the Ridaura, and reach S'Agaró where you'll explore the wonderful Camí de Ronda, a perfect balance between nature and architecture.

Full day

The Montseny summits

Distance: Eight miles
Difficulty: Moderate
Approximate ascent: 2,000 feet

This itinerary allows you to discover an area of great beauty in Montseny Nature Park, declared a World Biosphere Reserve. At the end of the excursion you'll visit the Information Centre of Can Casades Nature Park, where the route begins. Before leaving, you can admire the slim silhouettes of Les Agudes and of the Turó de l'Home, the highest peak in Montseny. You'll then reach the park’s limits in less than an hour.

Santa Fe del Montseny will be your starting point and on the way back, you can visit the swamp, dating to the beginning of the 20th century. During your ascent, you'll go through the southernmost spruce area in the Iberian Peninsula, and you'll see impressive sights over Turó de l'Home and Las Agudas. Approaching the summit, you'll leave vegetation behind, only to find high mountain prairies. Once on the summit, where there is a weather observatory, the view is magnificent before descending.

Full day

Three landscapes in one

Distance: Five miles
Difficulty: Easy
Approximate ascent: 900 feet

In the 13th century, King Jaume II built the imposing castle of Montgrí as a show of power atop the Montgrí massif. This mighty fortress, with towering walls, was constructed over seven years, but remained unfinished. A symbol of the region, it commands superb views across the gulf.

Half day

Walking on lava – Medieval towns

Distance: Four miles
Difficulty: Easy
Approximate ascent: 6,500 feet

The Garrotxa Volcanic Zone Natural Park has many interesting sites to visit, from volcanic cones and lava flows, to oak and beech woods and rural areas. From an architectural point of view, the old medieval towns, Romanesque churches and art nouveau buildings are all well worth a visit. A trip into the entrails of the volcano Croscat – the youngest volcano in the Iberian Peninsula – and, thanks to a now-disused quarry that has exposed its innards, an excellent place in which to study volcanic eruptions and materials.

Next is a visit to the medieval village of Besalú, with its famous Jewish quarter and dog-legged medieval bridge. Your visit begins in the centre of the village in Placa de la Llibertat, and continues on to the only Jewish purification baths in Spain, and the medieval bridge, the Romanesque churches of Sant Vicenc and Sant Pere, and the medieval building of La Cúria Reial.

Full day