COSTA BRAVA | Sunflower hiking guide

hiking guide

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 exploring the Costa Brava hinterland so attractive.

This pocket-sized guide describes car tours, picnic places and walks throughout the area. There is a fold-out touring map for motorists, which also highlights the various walking locations. For those without a car, there are timetables for local transport.

The authors describe what they believe to be the best walks in this part of Catalonia - from the classic routes that form part of the repertoire of any self-respecting Catalan walker to some of their personal favourites well off the beaten track.

A special feature of the guide is the focus on the enormous variety of wildlife on offer, and the authors, keen naturalists, urge you to carry a pair of binoculars and the appropriate field guides.

6 car tours (and accompanying touring map), 18 short and easy walks for motorists, 23+ main walks (each illustrated with 1:50,000 topo map), picnic suggestions. Free online update service with specific route change information on the publisher's website, maintained daily.