Guided Hike – Empordà Oak Forests & Dolmens Hike and Picnic

• Tour Duration: Approximately 9 hours
• Walking Duration: Approximately 2.5 hours
• Activity level: Easy-Medium
• Price: From €230 per person

Itinerary

Morning

Tour leader Killian Driscoll and your chauffeur will pick you up for your Empordà forest guided hike from your chosen location, and you’ll start your tour driving out of the city with Killian introducing the day ahead, and answering any questions you may have. Throughout the day, Killian will share with you his knowledge of the region, and the places you visit.

Your guided hike will start at the sleepy medieval village of Romanyà de la Selva in the Gavarres Mountain range, overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. The Gavarres Mountains here are part of a nature reserve and the dense forest is dominated by cork oak, holm oak, and pine. The hike takes you through the woodland and farmland, visiting some enormous, ancient cork oak trees, including 'Suro de l'Almeda', the largest cork oak tree in Catalonia. You will learn about the cork and wine industry in the region of past and present, and the stories and legends related to the famed trees.

Prehistoric Megalithic Monuments - Dolmens, Paradolmens, Cists, and Standing Stones (Menhirs)

Along with the many monumental trees on the hike, you'll also visit a number of prehistoric megalithic monuments including dolmens, paradolmens, cists, and standing stones (menhirs). These megaliths are from up to 6,000 years ago, dating to the Neolithic (Stone Age) and Bronze Age. The dolmens, paradolmens, and cists are different types of megalithic (meaning 'large stone') constructions, and were used by the prehistoric communities for as burial places and ritual activities. The standing stones (menhirs) are related to the dolmens, but don't tend to be a focus for burials. Instead, they are often considered to be markers in the landscape.

Lunch

After your guided hike you will enjoy a sumptuous, gourmet picnic of local Catalan food and wine. Alternatively, you can choose to have lunch at a local restaurant that Killian can recommend.

Afternoon

After lunch you will drive through the wine country of Empordà to the stunning medieval village of Peratallada. There, you will explore the beautiful medieval walled town, and learn about the history of the town and area. The name 'Peratallada' comes from 'pedra' meaning stone and 'tallada' meaning cut. Peratallada is a beautifully preserved medieval town, with stone buildings, medieval town walls, and large moat cut out of the bedrock. In fact, the town's history goes back about 2,500 years, with its roots as an Iron Age village and later a Roman settlement. You'll see how this small town evolved over the centuries, in the rich agricultural landscape north of Barcelona.

• Activity level: Easy-Medium
• Walking Duration: Approximately 2.5 hours
• Walking Length: 7.2 km (4.5 miles)

• Elevation max: 385 m (1263 ft)
• Elevation min: 291 m (955 ft)
• Total Uphill: 205 m (673 ft)