Beautiful places of Barcelona and Catalonia: enero 2014

domingo, 26 de enero de 2014

BARCELONA: MONTSENY

El Montseny is a mountainous mass with a characteristic form, dominating and visible from many parts of Catalonia, known everywhere for the beauty of scenery. It's located in the Catalan Pre-coastal Mountain Range, of which this massif is the highest part. It's made up of three different geographical units:

El Matagalls
Turó de l'Home - Les Agudes (which with 1706m and 1703m are the highest peaks in the park)
Pla de la Calma

The Pyrenees from Turo de l'Home in Montseny

The Pyrenees from the top of Turó de l'Home in Montseny

In 1978 UNESCO included Montseny Natural Park within the world-wide network of biosphere reserves, for its variety of countryside, fauna and flora.

Excursions

From the information centers in the Natural Park you can find out about routes and points of interest for the full enjoyment of time spent there. I specially recommend to use the network of sign-posted routes. They start from Fontmartina, Santa Fe, Sant Marçal, Collformic and the Collet of Sant Martí and go up to the most important peaks of the massif.

The most interesting excursions for me would be:

Collformic - Matagalls: 3400m, 1h30min
Font de Passavets - Turó de l'Home: 3850m, 1h40min

Turó de l'Home - Les Agudes: 1550m, 40min
Santa Fe - Les Agudes - Turó de l'Home: 11,5Km, 4h30min
Empedrat de Mourou: 5,8Km, 1h45min (circular route)
Bellver - Turó del Tagamanent: 1,2 km, 30min

The excursions we did this weekend were:

Day 1

Collformic-Matagalls

Day 2

Font de Passavets - Turó de l'Home

Montseny

Montseny and Montserrat in the background from Turó de l'Home

Collfornic - Matagalls

Beginning of the route from Collfornic to Matagalls in Montseny

Montseny from a point midway between Collfornic and Matagalls

The Pyrenees from Montseny near Matagalls

The Pyrenees from the route between Collfornic and Matagalls in Montseny

Nice view of Montseny in Barcelona

Creu del Matagalls (Cross on the top of Matagalls)

When we got to the top of Matagalls, there were many people enjoying the spectacular views of the Montseny

View from the summit of Matagalls in Montseny

The Pyrenees from the summit of Matagalls in Montseny

Creu del Matagalls in Montseny

Font de Passavets - Turó de L'Home

Beginning of the route from Font de Passavets to Turó de l'Home

Route from Font de Passavets to Turo de l'Home

L'Avetosa in the route from Font de Passavets to Turó de l'Home

Near the summit of Turó de l'Home in Montseny

Summit of Turó de l'Home, the highest mountain in Montseny

This path leads to the summit of Turó de l'Home in Montseny

Views from Turó de l'Home

Pic de les Agudes from Turó de l'Home in Montseny

The Pyrenees from Turó de l'Home in Natural Park of Montseny

The Pyrenees and the Collsacabra (also appears the village of Tavertet) from Turó de l'Home in Montseny

The Montseny from Turó de l'Home, its highest mountain

Going down from the summit of Turó de l'Home in Montseny

Finally, clicking on the next link you will find more beautiful places and landscapes in Catalonia.

BARCELONA - MONTJUIC: REFUGI 307

Refugi 307 is one of the bomb shelters which were built during the Civil War to protect the population from the indiscriminate bombing to which Barcelona was subjected. The first shelters were set up in the basements of houses and in metro stations. However, as the bombings intensified, people joined together to build air-raid shelters.

More than a thousand were built during the war, and among them was Refugi 307, (shelter number 307). This refuge consists of 400 metres of tunnel measuring 1.6 meters wide and 2 meters high. During the visit, you can discover what the living conditions were like within its walls and see the different rooms, including the toilets, a drinking fountain and an infirmary.

Refugi 307 in Barcelona

Refugi 307 in Barcelona was built under the mountain of Montjuïc

Open air Exhibition inside the Refugi 307 in Barcelona

Bombardment of Barcelona during the Civil War

Occupation of Barcelona during the Spanish Civil war in 1939

Plan for Refugi 307 in Barcelona

Latrines inside Refugi 307 in Barcelona

Tunnels of Refugi 307 in Barcelona

Refugi 307 consists of 400 meters of tunnels

Throughout the length of the shelter, you can get a glimpse of living conditions in its tunnels

- Useful information:

Address: Nou de la Rambla, 169
How to get there:

Metro: L2 and L3 stop Paral.lel.
Bus: 20, 21, 36, 57, 64 and 157

Web site: www.museuhistoria.bcn.cat

Other interesting places to visit in Barcelona are:

- Modernism Route

- Gothic Quarter and Old City

Montjuïc - Montjuïc Castle and Magic Fountain
Tibidabo

Finally, clicking on the next link you will find links to other beautiful places in Barcelona

viernes, 17 de enero de 2014

COSTA BRAVA: CAMI DE RONDA IN BEGUR

The coastal paths called Camins de Ronda are one of Begur’s (and Costa Brava) principal and best-known attractions. Historically-speaking, they are old paths criss-crossing the coast, used mainly by customs officers to keep an eye on tobacco smugglers, and by fishermen and sailors to go fishing or in cases of shipwreck.

Sa Riera beach in Begur from Camí de Ronda

Nowadays Camins de Ronda are used not only as a path between the various coves, but also as a place to take walks while enjoying the incomparably beautiful landscape of Costa Brava.

Because of its coastline, abrupt and folded between cliffs, Camins de Ronda of Begur are not continuous for their 20 km length, instead they are divided into four separate sections.

From north to south, these are the sections of Camins de Ronda in Begur:

From Sa Riera beach to Platja del Racó beach via the Illa Roja cove.
From Sa Riera and covers 500 metres of coast offering a spectacular panoramic view of the cliffs and the abrupt coastline.
From the beaches of Sa Tuna to Aiguafreda
From Platja Fonda beach to Fornells’ small coves and Aiguablava beach.

From Sa Tuna to Aiguafreda

Beginning of Camí de Ronda in Sa Tuna beach

Turquoise and clear water of Costa Brava from Camí de Ronda in Begur

Aiguafreda in Begur is a typical beach of Costa Brava

From Sa Riera to Platja del Racó

This is the section is the one I liked the most.

Sa Riera beach in Begur from Camí de Ronda

Clear water of Sa Riera beach in Costa Brava

Lovely cove next to Sa Riera beach in Begur

Taking pictures of Costa Brava from Camí de Ronda

Camí de Ronda near Sa Riera beach in Begur

Illa Roja beach in Begur from Camí de Ronda

Camí de Ronda from Sa Riera beach to the beach of Platja del Racó

Illes Medes from Camí de Ronda in Begur

Platja del Racó in Begur and, behind, Platja de Pals, belonging to the town of Pals

From Platja Fonda to Aiguablava beach

Aiguablava beach in Begur from Camí de Ronda

More beautiful Camins de Ronda in Costa Brava are:

If you liked these pictures, clicking on the next links you will find more pictures of another fantastic beaches in La Costa Brava, like:

Besides, in Costa Brava you can visit the fantastic old city of Girona, many lovely villages and interesting places, like:

Calonge
Pals and Peratallada
Dalí Theatre-Museum
Monastery of Sant Pere de Rodes in El Port de la Selva
Empúries
Catedral de l'Empordà (church of Santa Maria) in Castelló d'Empúries
Medieval village of Besalú

Moreover if you like beaches, below you have other beautiful beaches in Catalonia, Spain and Portugal:

- Costa Daurada beaches

Barra del Trabucador beach in Delta de l'Ebre
L'Ametlla de Mar
Salou beach
Miami Playa
Beach beside the Castle of Tamarit
Beach of Roc de Sant Gaietà

- Barcelona Beaches

- Spain and Portugal

Mallorca
Cádiz and Costa de la Luz
Beaches in Galicia
Basque Country - Guipúzcoa and San Sebastián
Cantabria and Santander
Alicante

Beaches in Algarve

Finally, clicking on the next link you will find more beautiful villages, beaches and landscapes in Catalonia.

lunes, 13 de enero de 2014

COSTA BRAVA: CAMI DE RONDA IN CALELLA DE PALAFRUGELL

The footpaths called Camins de Ronda (Ronda Way) will allow you to discover in detail the most lovely corners of the Costa Brava in Catalonia.

Historically-speaking, they are old paths criss-crossing the coast, used mainly by customs officers to keep an eye on tobacco smugglers, and by fishermen and sailors to go fishing or in cases of shipwreck.

Beach of Llafranc in Costa Brava from Camí de Ronda

Nowadays Camins de Ronda are a set of public seaside footpaths (belonging to the GR-92) often connecting beautiful beaches and villages of Costa Brava and offering beautiful views of its beaches and coves.

There are several sections of Camí de Ronda near Llafranc and Calella de Palafrugell:

From Garbí stairs in Llafranc to Golfet beach in Calella de Palafrugell (about 1h 30min.)

From Pedrosa cove in Tamariu along the coast (1 hour approx.), continue inland to Saint Sebastian (45 min. more approx.) and, finally, you can keep walking to Llafranc (20 min. approx.)

Next I would like to show you some pictures of the first section, the one I enjoyed.