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World's biggest metropolitan park! |
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 Huge and hidden.
Some residents and visitors to Barcelona lament the absence of real parks in Barcelona. You know.. the kind with a foresty sort of feel, real woods not just the garden type park like Parc de la Ciutadella, which is very nice, but you it does only take 10 minutes to walk through and you do have a bigger chance of losing your way in a lift!
There are many small parks and gardens in the city itself. Click here to find Barcelona's urban parks. If you are looking for a "real" park, then you will be happy to know that Barcelona has parks, woods, and forests very close to the city! Real parks, big parks, hiking parks. And perhaps you didn't know it but Barcelona has the largest metropolitan park in the world!
It can be found over the hill of Tibidabo just a hop, skip and jump away from the centre of Barcelona a mere 20 minutes by train from Plaza Catalunya!
Collserola Park, Barcelona
We are talking about 8000 hectares of unspoilt nature called El Parc de Collserola - the Collserola Park.
The reason that it is the largest metropolitan park in the world is because 50 % of the population of Catalonia lives less than ten kilometres away from it. And it's size makes Collserola Park 8 times larger than the Bois de Boulogne in Paris, and 22 times larger than Central Park in New York.
At the end of 2009 it will be become an official natural park of Spain and change name to Parc Natural de la Serra Collserola. It will also be expanded to a total size of 8320
We are talking about an ocean of green bang in the middle of one of the most densely populated urban areas on the Mediterranean coastline. There are walking trails, biking trails, farm house restaurants and lots of things to do apart from enjoying the fresh country air!
 Click here for more information about how to get to Collserola Park in Barcelona
Click here for information about all the parks and gardens in Barcelona
Montseny Natural Park
 And if you venture slightly further afield there are bigger and even more impressive natural parks. Montseny Natural Park is only 55 minutes from Barcelona by car. Now we are talking real nature. Much closer than the Pyrenees, Montseny has it's own smaller mountain range called the Montseny Massif. The highest peak is 2000 m set in 30.000 acres of mountainous beauty and tranquility.
The park itself is dotted with magnificent scenary historic sites, village, rural hotels and camp sites.
Click here to find more information about Montseny Natural Park - sights, walking routes, accommodation, tours and directions.
Click here to visit BarcelonaYellow's guide to parks, gardens and beaches in Barcelona
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