Map
8 ideas, picked for these days
A weekend in Siurana and the Priorat: cliff, reservoir and vineyards
The kayak on the Siurana reservoir opens at weekends and holidays in autumn, and its season usually closes around 12 October: this long weekend is among the last days for paddling. The 4x4 vineyard trips are booked beforehand with Montsant Natura.
Two nights at the Cava & Hotel Mastinell, in Vilafranca, with the cava cellars of Sant Sadurní by train
The harvest has just finished and in Sant Sadurní the Cavatast, the cava showcase, is usually held on the first weekend of October, just before. The cellars continue with visits on holidays, and the hotel menu is served the day before the 12th.
Two nights at the Parador de Cardona, inside the castle, with the Salt Mountain and Solsona
The castle and the Salt Mountain only close on Mondays that are not holidays, so if 12 October falls on a Monday they are open. On holidays the castle opens from 10:00 to 15:00; the parador nights sell out before anything else on this long weekend.
A getaway to Besalú and the volcanic Garrotxa, with a balloon flight
The Garrotxa balloon flies all year with the first light, and in October it dawns later than in summer, so you get up less early. The beech woods of the volcanoes begin to change colour at the end of the month: this long weekend is still green and gold.
Priorat: autumn vineyards by 4x4
After the harvest, the garnacha vines begin to turn yellow and red, and that is the off-road route this plan looks for. October and November are its season; book the outing and a table in Siurana, which on a long weekend fills at midday.
Sitges: seafront promenade and rice
The Sitges Fantastic Film Festival occupies about ten days of October each year, which usually include the 12th, with the village full of screenings and atmosphere. The Cau Ferrat and Maricel close on Mondays; the beach still has lifeguards until mid-month.
Montseny: guided mushrooms and the inn
The mushroom outings with the park guides run on some Sundays in October and November, on different dates and in different forests each year. Check the programme: if one falls on the long weekend, sign up early, because places are few and cost a few euros.
Peratallada and the Iberian city of Ullastret
From October the Iberian city of Ullastret opens from 10:00 to 18:00 and closes every Monday, holidays too, except Easter Monday: if the 12th falls on a Monday, do the visit another day. After summer, Peratallada is a quiet village again.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Is the Pilar a holiday in Barcelona too?
Yes, every year: it is Spain's National Day, and Catalonia keeps it in its calendar.
What can you do on the Pilar long weekend without a car from Barcelona?
Sitges and its film festival on the R2 Sud, and the Penedès cellars on the R4 to Sant Sadurní or Vilafranca.
Are there mushrooms by mid-October?
It depends on how it has rained. The guided Montseny outings begin in October; for the golden beech wood, the end of the month or November is better.
What opens on 12 October if it falls on a Monday?
Cardona and the Escaladei charterhouse open on holiday Mondays. Ullastret and the Cau Ferrat in Sitges, on the other hand, close.