Spring in the Parc del Laberint in Horta (Barcelona)

 

This park is the oldest in Barcelona , and so far my favorite between all parks I've visited here. Works began in 1791 when marquis Joan Antoni Desvalls i d'Ardena, owner of the lot, created the design of a neoclassical garden in collaboration with Italian architect Domenico Bagutti. There are huge trees, pools, water canals, a waterfall different terraces with flower beds and of course the labyrinth. You also have the sea view , and the view of Barcelona from an unusual angle. You have to pay to enter the park , but only 2,23 euros, and on Wednesdays and Sundays it is free  but they only let in 750 people a day. With the green metro line you have to take off at Mundet and walk a bit, basically the park is behind the Velodrom of Horta which also deserves a short visit I think. Secretly I can tell you that I like this park better than Park Guell, it is not so crowded and the vegetation is much nicer and mature with real trees, much more romantic.

Parts of the Camino de Ronda on the Costa Brava II.

Camino de Ronda from Sant Feliu de Guixols to Playa de Sant Pol (this is not the same as Sant Pol de Mar)

The return ticket to Sant Feliu de Guixols  is almost 30 euros, and it takes 90 minutes to get there with the bus from the Estacion Nord with the Sarbus company. Sant Feliu itself is not the prettiest little town on the Costa Brava, but the places and  beaches which surrounds it are amazing and easily can be reached by foot as well, so it is perfect base to stay even for a few days trip. To find the Camino de Ronda direction to the north, you just walk pass the port through the parking , direction to the rocks, and you will see the first little bay , the Cala Jonca, if you want to continue you just have to walk up those millions of stairs opposite to the ones  going down to the bay. From there the path will be very well signed and obvious.The walk to Sant Pol takes around an hour.  It is an easy walk although it is mainly stairs up and down . All the way there are amazing views, beautiful plants, flowers and fantastic smells. The bays are amazing all the way, if you don't like to go in the water on a little complicated way, on slippery rocks, just go almost until the Playa de Sant Pol, there will be a nice natural pool, with some steps craved into the rocks with turquoise blue water. The Playa Sant Pol is nice as well it is long sandy beach the water is quite shallow for a long while so it can be perfect with children. There is a bus which takes you back to Sant Feliu if you don't want to do the steps back again. One more thing about Sant Feliu: The market is very good and cheaper than in Barcelona, fresh and delicious fruits,vegetables and fish, don't miss that!

One ugly building in Sant Feliu which you have to pass by, on the way to the Camino

 Playa de Sant Pol

The market in Sant Feliu

On the way back we stop in Figaro. This village lies in the valley , just on the border of the Montseny Natural Park. I totally recommend the "platos combinados" in the first bar on the main street, it was cheap and delicious. Now just follow the river direction to Vic and you get to the beginning of a nice little path on the right of the street. This path is very romantic with blooming trees, small waterfalls on the cute river, friendly dogs, bees, green hills around, playing butterflies, just what i needed! Unfortunately the path is not too long,the walk to the old church at the end and back , can be done in an hour. From Figaro it takes about an hour to get back to Barcelona, there is no timetable or ticket office at the station so you can buy your ticket on the train. There are a couple of other tracks going out of Figaro which can be interesting, i hope i'll have the possibility to discover those as well, later on.

Montseny Natural Park