Locate
Barcelona's green belt
This Nature Reserve lies at the heart of the Montseny Biosphere Reserve, which was designated as such by UNESCO in 1978 and extended in 2014 to cover an area of over 50,000 hectares. The Montseny Nature Reserve is one of a network of protected natural spaces that form a green belt.
La Montseny Massif, in the Catalan Pre-Coastal Range, straddles 3 districts: L'Osona, La Selva and El Vallès Oriental. It is formed by materials of very diverse origins. The massif comprises three major sets of mountains: Turó de l'Home (1,706 m) with Les Agudes (1,703 m), Matagalls (1,697 m) and Pla de la Calma. The rugged terrain – with mountains set against valleys furrowed by streams – and the lush woodlands make up a spectacular landscape of singular beauty. Climate differences in Montseny give rise to very varied scenery: holm oak groves (on the lower slopes), cork oak forests (in the granitic areas), pine forests, sub-Mediterranean oak, beech and fir woods, as well as riverside vegetation and rock formations. Mediterranean and Central European fauna communities congregate in the Nature Reserve. Highlights include the shrew, badger, gray dormouse, bullfinch, woodcock, Pyrenean newt, grass frog, Aesculapian snake and boar.
Practical information
Information for visits
From Granollers, take the E-15 motorway. From Sant Celoni, take the road to Montseny and El Brull, or towards Campins and Viladrau. The fastest way is from Sant Celoni. A main road and a number of tracks run through the Nature Reserve.
Environmental information
The flora and fauna in the Nature Reserve are characterised by the presence of species typical of Central Europe in the higher parts of the Massif and of others typical of Mediterranean environments in the lower areas.
Cultural information
Inside the Nature Reserve, a dozen small mountain churches in Romanesque style can be visited. These include the parish churches of Montseny, El Brull, Sant Marçal, Sant Martí del Montseny and Aiguafreda de Dalt.
