Barcelona is a grand city with lots of places of interest. Very nice for city walks too, just go crazy…

Lots of interesting places to eat, especially tapas bars. I found myself going back to the same place again and again since it was so close to my hotel, and the the food was of course commendable. Try Rías de Vigó at Avenida Parallel 190. There is also a chain if Greek restaurants in town (yes I am hopeless…), Dionisos, which has better taramosalada than many places I have visited in Greece and also excellent fresh retsina. Their sense of decoration however is slightly odd. There is one at Calle Valencia 112, and a bigger one at Avenida Marqués de l’Argentera 27.

Selected walks: For walks in the area around Barcelona take a look in Landscapes of The Costa Brava by Michael Lockwood and Teresa Farino, referred to below as “/Lockwood & Farino/”. There is also Mountain Walking in Southern Catalunya by Philip and Vivien Freakley and Costa Brava by Roger Büdeler. But there is some ESSENTIAL information missing: Several smaller train stations does NOT have ticket sales. However: YOU CANNOT EXIT FROM THE BARCELONA TRAIN STATIONS (as well as most others) WITHOUT A TICKET, THESE ARE HERMETICALLY SEALED!!! This is a fantastically stupid policy and seems especially constructed to prevent people from doing our kind of walking holidays where you are never 100% certain where you will end up or you are starting from a very different place maybe not even using the train. At least they can just forget about any further visits from me.

•1 BAIXADOR DE VALLVIDRERA – SANT CUGAT (my total time 3h44, only includes very short rests and some time for photography; 437a 540d; net walking time 2h53): This is Walk 2 in /Lockwood & Farino/.

Pretty easy to find and follow throughout, but do not make the same mistake as I did by doing this walk on a sunday. The mountain bikers will outnumber walkers 10-20 to 1 and it is actually quite dangerous. Also note that there are more crossroads than the ones mentioned in the book!

Especially note that the sign for “La Mola” (40mins) does not exist anymore, it now says “Font de la Salamandra” etc.

•2 SANT JERONI (my total time 3h39, includes time for photography; 732a 730d; net walking time 2h51): This is Walk 3 in /Lockwood & Farino/.

A superb walk and one of the best I ever did! The navigation is slightly tricky however, there are just so many footpaths in every direction at all times, and more than the ones noted in the book. Quite by chance I managed to do the walk exactly as noted (I think), but I am actually not quite sure…

WARNING: The train station at Aeri de Monserrat has no ticket sales! YOU CANNOT EXIT FROM THE BARCELONA TRAIN STATIONS WITHOUT A TICKET, THESE ARE HERMETICALLY SEALED!!!

•3 GR92 FROM MARE DE DÉU DE BRUGUERS TO GARRAF (my total time 4h02, includes time for photography; 597a 800d; net walking time 3h21): This is Walk 1 in /Lockwood & Farino/.

You can just about discard all instructions in the book and just follow the official signs. I did. Firstly the book is slightly outdated now, secondly you avoid totally unneccessary road walking.

WARNING: The train station in Garraf is just a ruin and has no ticket sales! YOU CANNOT EXIT FROM THE BARCELONA TRAIN STATIONS WITHOUT A TICKET, THESE ARE HERMETICALLY SEALED!!!

•4 CIRCULAR WALK FROM RIELLS (my total time 4h36, includes shorter and longer rests, time for photography and some time for investigation as well as an addition as noted below; 704a 709d; net walking time 3h29): This is Walk 5 SW in /Lockwood & Farino/. The walk is actually neither very short nor easy (note the accumulated ascent/decent!). Moderate I would say. Also note the indispensable update to the book regarding bus access to Riells!

Easy to find and follow throughout however, EXCEPT that the signpost for the GR5 is missing at the 45min point. Look for painted waymarks on the cliff wall on the oposite side of the creek.

Useful addition to the walk: Before turning right between wooden posts not far from the start of the walk, go straight ahead as far as the old water mill for a great view of the valley and the monastery.

• Good starting points: • The Eixample district, somewhere in the triangle between the three main train stations at Sants, Placa Espanya and Placa de Catalunya is perfect

• How to get there: • By air

• More info: • Barcelona Tourist Guide has indispensable information for the traveller • RENFE is the Spanish state railways • FGC is the narrow-gauge “Ferrocarils de la Generalitet” railways • Rodalies de Catalunya is a good place to look for local train information