Barcelonins often escape to this protected, pine-scented 83-sq-km park on the northwest edge of the city, with sprawling urban views. It's a great place to hike, run and bike (the 10km Carretera de les Aigües is a popular route), and has a smattering of country chapels (some Romanesque), the Tibidabo and the ruined 14th-century Castellciuro castle. The park information centre is at Carretera de l’Església 92 (near Baixador de Vallvidrera FGC station).
Opposite the information centre, you can learn about one of Barcelona's great 19th-century writers, Jacint Verdaguer, at the Vil·la Joana, where he spent his final days.
