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The Costa Brava - literally the 'rugged coast', in reference to
the rocky, inhospitable nature of much of the shore - runs from
the French border southwards towards Barcelona. Behind the coast
lie the Serralada Litoral and Serralada Prelitoral. These ranges
include such varied landscapes as the extraordinary conglomerate
pinnacles of Montserrat, the dormant volcanoes of the Garrotxa
and the subalpine heights of the Montseny. It is this very
variety, coupled with its proximity to Barcelona and the coastal
towns, that makes the hinterland of the Costa Brava so
attractive to walkers. As far as possible, we have tried to
describe here the best walks in this part of Catalonia, be they
the classic, well-waymarked routes that form part of the
repertoire of any self-respecting Catalan walker, or some of our
personal favourites way off the beaten track. Because we are
keen naturalists, many of the walks will draw your attention to
the enormous variety of wildlife on offer, and we urge you to
carry a pair of binoculars and the appropriate field guides.
During the course of your forays into rural Catalonia, we hope
you will learn that a three-hour walk can also take six hours,
especially in spring, when the limestone hills are teeming with
orchids, or in summer, when the flower-rich waysides are alive
with nectaring butterflies. Area covered by the book: from
Portbou, Colera, the Serra de l'Albera and Port de Llanca in the
north down to Barcelona in the south. The book does not cover
the Costa Dorada (which is south of Barcelona). |
