Dog walks
1. Park path
The perfect remedy for too many hours spent indoors is the 8,000-hectare Parc de Collserola, the largest metropolitan park in the world. To conquer this giant, take the L3 metro line to the Mundet station and start walking on the GR6 trail beside Parc del Laberint d’Horta. When you reach the GR92, take the path towards Torre Baró, where you and your pup are likely to have the rest of the hike to yourselves. Keep your eyes peeled for wild boars, foxes and beech martens, however, which are common in the area and can either excite or scare your dog depending on his or her temperament.
2. River walk
Take the L4 until you reach El Maresme | Fòrum to begin this walk to Parc Fluvial del Besòs. Out of the metro, head north and follow Carrer de Llull to a five-kilometre stretch of newly-reclaimed public recreational area, with bike and walking paths running alongside the river Besòs. The first three kilometres comprise river meadows, beaches and plenty of nooks and crannies for your canine to explore, whereas the remainder of the park is a paved strip for a more direct route. You can explore side streets or parks along the way, such as Parc de la Trinitat, if you and your sidekick feel like a change of scenery.
3. City slicker
Begin this 2.75-kilometre stroll at Parc de l’Estació del Nord—the largest dog park in Barcelona—which has more than 1,000 square metres of free space for your four-legged friend to take advantage of. Head north on Carrer de la Marina, passing Avinguda Diagonal and the Sagrada Família until you reach the Jardins de la Indústria, a popular meeting point for dogs and their owners. If your dog prefers a more secluded spot to romp around, head to the Jardins del Príncep de Girona at the intersection of Carrer de la Marina and Travessera de Gràcia, where you can reward his or her good behaviour with a splash in the park’s man-made lake.
4. Lofty route
This trail, aptly named Carretera de les Aigües, follows a historical water distribution pipe, making it particularly flat, wide and popular amongst cyclists and runners. Begin the route by hopping on the FGC (S1 or S2) to Peu del Funicular. From there you’ll need to switch to the Vallvidrera Funicular and take it to the Carretera de les Aigües stop. The rest is a walk in the park: head southwest along Carretera de les Aigües until you reach the Mirador dels Xiprers. From this scenic lookout, it’s a bit of a scramble back down to the city, but you can get to Zona Universitària in about 30 minutes. Stop for water breaks as you go and take in the views of the city from this vantage point.
5. Beach beat
After years of campaigning, Barcelona City Council finally opened a designated dog-friendly area of the beach last summer. A fenced-off section of Platja de Llevant, near Nova Mar Bella, gives dogs the freedom to get their paws sandy and charge into the waves untethered. Measuring 1,250 square metres, the area has been equipped with state-of-the-art dog urinals, fountains for dogs big and small to drink from, and specially adapted showers to rinse salty seawater and sand off canine coats.