Normally we associate Barcelona with the great cosmopolitan and dynamic city, where every day the activities of the day to day are combined with the constant visit of tourists to the main attractions and places of interest that the city offers. But the province of Barcelona not only focuses on the city, it also has a large territory to discover and a large number of Barcelona rural houses.
Nature near Barcelona
The area closest to Barcelona has different landscapes in which you can make a relaxing stay, without the stress of the big city and in direct contact with nature. One of the areas closest to Barcelona is the Garraf Natural Park, a place where the Mediterranean forests combine with the Garraf coast, reaching Sitges, the main city in the area, in which we highlight the fantastic film festival which takes place in early October.
Montserrat and Sant Llorenç del Munt i l'Obac
Near Barcelona, if we go inland we find the mystical mountain of Montserrat, a paradise for climbers, and with a monastery famous for its students and the famous "virolai". If you go to Montserrat you must try the cottage cheese that is made in the mountains, one of the best cheeses in the country! Montserrat can be accessed on foot, by car, coach, or by rack railway.
In the area we also find the Sant Llorenç de Munt i l'Obac Natural Park, where La Mola stands out, a mountain suitable for all audiences and which offers very good views from the restaurant that is located at the top.
Montseny, Berguedà, and Penedès
Between the region of Osona and La Selva we also highlight the Montseny Natural Park, declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO thanks to its ecological diversity and the particular orography of the area, the Turó de l'Home and the Matagalls are the two peaks highest in the area, where they also create several streams and rivers that bring a lot of life. The towns in the area are also very charming such as Viladrau, Sant Miquel del Fai, or Espinelves, in this area you can find rural houses in Barcelona.
One of the regions with a better offer of rural houses in Catalonia is Berguedà, a region located in the Pre-Pyrenees, in which the Cadí y Moixeró Natural Park is located, a mountainous area with a rich flora and fauna, which turns out to be paradise for mushroom lovers. From this area we highlight the Pedraforca mountain, which can be seen from all the surrounding towns because it is alone. In Berguedà you can stay at any time of year, as it has ski slopes and different natural pools. The capital of this region is Berga, which is known for the Patum, a festival recently listed as Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.
Another must-see if a rural tourism stay in the province of Barcelona is the Penedès, a land of wines and cavas, which means that in all the towns in the area there are from small family friendly wineries to large multinationals dedicated to the sector. In the area you can do specialized routes, wine and cava tasting, and excursions along the many paths that cross the vineyard fields. The main town in the area is Vilafranca del Penedès, with a great culture of "castles".
Gastronomy
Catalonia is one that among many other things stands out for its gastronomy, the Catalans like to taste the typical products of their land and its excellent culinary techniques.
This gastronomy has been an additional tourist attraction worldwide thanks to the markets, bars, and restaurants (some awarded with michelin stars), which can be found in Barcelona.
The escalivada, the esqueixada, the pa amb tomàquet or the butifarra, are some of the most typical and traditional dishes that we find in Barcelona. Especially inside, there are many traditional restaurants where you have to try the Catalan cream.
All this accompanied by a delicious wine or cava from Penedès, and ending with a shot of the traditional ratafia.