Hiking through the mountains of one of Barcelona’s hidden gems
In my second month here in Barcelona, I have experienced many changes in my outlook about the city. Although my friends and host family have shifted to become more recognizable, I have experienced new cultural challenges, such as settling into the Spanish schedule, learning new cultural norms, and understanding where and how to use my time outside of my studies. Once I noticed that the wonderful buildings like La Sagrada Familia (one of the largest cathedrals in Europe) and the streets were starting to feel like home, I decided to explore Spain another layer deeper by participating in events outside of my school.
This is when I decided to go on a trip to Rupit with my Erasmus chapter at my university (BCN UAB): a student network that hosts local events in European cities and provides an experience to learn alongside international students from all over the world.
Rupit, a small village located in the Sierra de la Cabrera mountain range next to Barcelona, is a small vacation town usually visited by Spaniards year-round. Because of how small it is and because its economy runs primarily on tourism, it only has a population of around 300 people!
As an architecture lover, I was super excited to visit because almost every building is constructed out of stone, making for a quiet medieval experience (even if some of the stone is just designed to look medieval). Their church, Sant Joan de Fàbregues, is from the 10th century, and the community around it grew quickly in the 12th century, so it truly is a place full of history!
After taking a group bus for two hours with around 50 of us, we arrived in Rupit and put our jackets on as the sudden increase in altitude was a little chilly compared to our 65-degree fall in Barcelona. The first things I noticed, as expected, were the stunning architecture and the peaceful setting.
A shot capturing the heart of Rupit.
After admiring this for a bit, we began our hike, which would go through the mountains of Sierra de la Cabrera and show off the natural beauty of Spain. Our student organizer got lost a few times, so we ended up backtracking before we could start the hike, but we eventually got on the right foot and were able to laugh it off.
After many interactions of: “Hi, what’s your name?” and “What country are you from?” I was quickly making new friends and growing my portfolio of acquaintances from countries all over the world! Erasmus students here are mostly Europeans, so I’ve met lots of new friends from Poland, Italy, Belgium, Croatia, and many more countries! I was surprised to realize how many shared experiences I have with students of my age, even though they’re from many different countries, some even from different continents.
A calm Rupit garden building.
The mountains contained beautiful views, stunning waterfalls, impressive wildlife, and—my personal favorite—fields of cows with real cowbells, something I’ve never seen in the States before! The lack of city noise and the mountain air mixed peacefully with the cowbells, as well as the faint murmur of the church bell back in Rupit.
We got to eat our lunch overlooking a spectacular view of a massive valley in the Spanish mountains, which left me inspired and refreshed. It reminded me a little bit of the Appalachian Mountains back in the States, which made me think deeply about the differences in my new home and my experiences back where I was born in Virginia.
The stunning view from Sierra de la Cabrera, 2500 meters above sea level!
After the hike, we got to experience a little bit of the town of Rupit. It shared similar sentiments with the mountains: a chilly but friendly breeze, quiet streets, and beautiful wildlife, this time in the form of hundreds of flowers hanging off every windowsill. It even had an extremely old rope bridge, where only 10 people could go at a time!
In the town, I purchased a xuixo, a kind of chocolate churro dessert my host family had recommended to me, which was absolutely delicious. The bakery also sold massive croissants, which we later competed over in the Erasmus Olympics on a serene hill. As I’m sure you can imagine, after a packed day of hiking over 5 miles, games with friends, and exploring the town, I had an excellent rest on the bus ride home that evening.
The maximum weight sign at the old rope bridge, written in Catalan and Castellano (Spanish).
As someone who studies city planning, I often have to remind myself that it is important for me to also study outside the city. Exploring wildlife, listening to new sounds, and feeling fresh air is extremely important to anyone living in a big city like I do. Since I am so passionate about what I study, I sometimes find myself disconnected from nature; however, now I feel prepared to enter my third month in Spain knowing the diverse and gorgeous countryside of the Mediterranean coast is just a short bus ride away!
Next up on my list, I plan to visit even more medieval cities in my region of Spain, and to get myself lost in nature while exploring my new, friendly, and wonderfully Spanish world.