Description

Hiking from the top of the Vallvidrera Funicular down to the train station in Sant Cugat del Valles may be the most popular hiking objective in Parc de Collserola.

While of course, there are many different roads and paths that you can take to reach Sant Cugat, the Aqueducto Trail is one of the most direct. After departing the funicular and hiking along the ridge past el Tibdabo, the trail begins to drop into the deep forest of Collserola.

While the vegetation on the south-facing slopes of the mountain range is open and dry, on the north-facing slopes, the vegetation is dense, and the woods feel deep and dark.

Here, you'll wind your way beneath a dark forest canopy along ancient singletrack trails that connect old villages and historic sites. The trail begins rocky and rough, dropping quickly down to the highway.

After crossing the road, you'll gain a ridge and hike along a delightful section of traversing trail that follows the ridgeline. Eventually, the trail begins to descend slowly along the ridge.

While some sections are smooth, others are quite rough and rocky.

Some short sections that you must descend are almost cliff-like, with tall ledges, washed-out gullies, and stair-like features.

These rough sections of trail are the reason this hike has been assigned a "difficult" rating.

The aerobic difficulty isn't very high, thanks to the lift to the top of the mountain, but sections of this trail can be quite technical in places.

If you're looking for an easier route down to Sant Cugat, you can instead opt for the gated road located in the valley below you. If you persevere down the Aqueducto trail, you'll enjoy a delightful hike through the forest that feels remote and isolated… except for all of the other trail users.

As mentioned above, this hike can get quite popular—not only with hikers and runners, but with mountain bikers as well.

This trail is one of the best mountain bike descents in the region, so be sure to listen for riders approaching from behind you. At the bottom of the mountain, you'll pass Can Borrell, a restaurant in an ancient building that's situated all by itself in the forest.

This is an excellent spot for a rewarding lunch, with only a little flat hiking remaining to reach the train station.