Meet new friends while hiking in Barcelona's Secret Forest: 9km Hike + Lunch

What do you do this weekend? Let’s go out on day trip to Collserola to start getting to know each other better. A little escape for an outdoors hike and meeting new people while enjoying the best local food!

For this occasion I propose a fun hike of about 9,5km (approximately 3 hours hike in total) in Collserola, the mountain behind Barcelona. The perfect plan to admire the incredible views over the city, know about its curiosities, to meet new local and international likeminded friends and enjoy a spectacular meal in a 16th Century Catalan farmhouse in the middle of the beautiful nature between Barcelona and Sant Cugat.

PROGRAM AND DETAILS:

10: 00h

• We'll leave from Plaça Catalunya with the S1 or S2 of the Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya (FGC Peu del Funicular to connect to Carretera de les Aigües with the Funicular de Vallvidrera, a funicular created in 1906 to communicate the city of Barcelona with the old town of Vallvidrera and that today is like an elevator that goes up and down automatically.

• Once arrived at the Carretera de les Aigües we'll start this easy and beautiful 9.5km walk that runs along very varied unpaved paths like on gravel and flat tracks or more steep rocky paths.

• We'll walk first towards Tibidabo to appreciate one of the most Insta-famous views of Barcelona and visit the Expiatory Church of the Sacred Heart, completed in 1961 and located at 575m above sea level. Behind Tibidabo we'll immediately enter Collserola’s forests where cyclists, walkers and wild boars try to coexist in a harmonious way, with more or less difficulties :). From this point we'll have approximately an hour's walk to the restaurant.

1:00 p.m.

• The next stage takes place in the unique Can Cortés Restaurant. This Catalan farmhouse from 1590 is the perfect location for this traditional local food restaurant that has an extensive menu for all diets and palates. Here it’s moment to enjoy together our deserved 3 courses lunch and drinks. We need to get the forces back and powered up for the ned of the hike!

• Forget about fast foods or rushing. In this type of restaurant, grandmother's food is cooked: slow cooking, with local and quality products, careful to detail, and very tasty! The windows of Can Cortés overlook Vallès and even Montserrat mountain.

3.00pm

• After lunch we'll continue the hike down (45 minutes) heading towards Les Planes Station to catch the FGC back to Barcelona. In this final stretch of the hike we'll discover a section of Les Planes, a beautiful corner of Collserola that belongs to Sarrià - Sant Gervasi district and that combines older and more deteriorated houses with totally new, modern and luxurious single-family ones spread out up the green mountain.

It's going to be a great day!!

Can't wait to meet you all :)

• AND IT'S FOR FREE -

Things to Consider:

1. The meeting point and time is in front of FGC entrance in Plaça Catalunya al 10:00am, where there is a small newspaper kiosk is located.
2. On weekday day-trips we’ll enjoy the Menú del Dia formula at 13.90€ that includes a starter, a main course, dessert and a drink (water, wine or beer). On weekends we order Menú de Temporada for 33,90€ or "a la carte" and you should calculate about 25 – 35€ for 3 courses and a drink (not included in the tour).

What do you need to bring:

• 1 bottle of Liter of water per person at least.
• SPF+30 sun protection and a cap
• Comfortable, light and breathable clothing and shoes suitable for hiking (boots aren't necessary, but avoid flat soles without texture to avoid slipping)
• 1 T-Casual (or equivalent Barcelona integrated transport ticket) with at least 2 free trips, for the round trip in FGC (zone 1).
• Tickets for public transporation, lunch, drinks or other snacks are NOT INLCUDED