geocalia
Day itinerary · 41.76° N · 2.40° E
The classic climb to the roof of the Montseny, from the golden Santa Fe beech forest to the ridge of les Agudes and the Turó de l'Home, and a chestnut lunch in Viladrau. An hour from Girona.
Part of MontsenyUnusual places to stay in SpainHorse riding routes in Spain
The plan
Any part can be swapped for another without spoiling the day.
from Girona via the C-25 and Viladrau, or from Barcelona via the AP-7 and Sant Celoni, to Santa Fe via the BV-5114
PR-C 208 from Can Casades · 11.5 km · 5 h · medium-hard
Xalet La Coromina, in Viladrau · chestnut cooking · €€€ · booking until 15:00
Carretera de Vic, 4, 17406 Viladrau · +34 676 237 016
In Girona around 17:30; in Barcelona, around 18:00
Adds up the activities and meals in the plan at their published prices; travel and accommodation not included.
The route
In autumn the Santa Fe valley is the most visited beech forest in Catalonia, and almost everyone stays on the loop round the reservoir. This plan keeps going up: the PR-C 208 leaves from the same valley, climbs through the golden forest to the Briançó spring and comes out on the bare ridge between les Agudes and the Turó de l'Home, the two highest peaks in the Montseny, with the Vallès, the sea and, on clear days, the Pyrenees. Then you go down to Viladrau, the chestnut village, for lunch.
7:30 · Set off. From Girona, take the C-25 towards Vic and Viladrau, and the BV-5114 to Santa Fe. From Barcelona, take the AP-7 to Sant Celoni and the BV-5114 via Campins. The last kilometres are winding.
8:30 · From Santa Fe to les Agudes and the Turó de l'Home. You set off from the Can Casades information centre, beside the BV-5114. The path climbs through the beech forest to the Briançó spring and there it splits: one branch to les Agudes, 1,703 m, and another to the Turó de l'Home, 1,706 m, the highest peak of the massif, with its old observatory. Between the two there is little more than a kilometre of ridge. It is 11.5 km and about five hours, of medium-to-high difficulty. Take water and a coat: it blows up there.
14:15 · Lunch at Xalet La Coromina. From Santa Fe to Viladrau, about 25 minutes on the BV-5114. The Xalet is one of the village's Chestnut Ambassador restaurants, with a fireplace and big windows onto the woods. On Sundays it opens from 13:00 to 15:30 and holds tables until 15:00: if you are delayed on the mountain, call.
16:30 · Head home. In Girona around half past five; in Barcelona, around six.
The chestnut and onion soup with pancetta and thyme, the wild boar civet with roasted chestnuts or the chestnut butifarra with mushrooms and polenta. For dessert, chestnut baba.
In 2026, at weekends and public holidays from 10 October to 8 December the Diputació regulates access to the valley: there is a welcome point at the entrance to Fogars de Montclús, with free parking and a Bus Parc to Santa Fe, and the road is closed when there is no room left up there. Arriving before nine is the best way to park at Santa Fe.
Where to eat
Lunch is half the plan: book before you set off.
What to order: The onion and chestnut soup, the wild boar civet with chestnuts or the chestnut butifarra with mushrooms; for dessert, the chestnut baba.
What to order: from the grill, the Viladrau chestnut butifarra or the Montseny lamb; the Menú del Montseny serves it with ganxet beans.
What to order: Something from the holm-oak grill or, in autumn, the seasonal mushrooms; the desserts are made in the house.
Map
With where to park at each one.
Getting there
When to go
The Santa Fe beech forest turns golden from mid-October to mid-November. In 2026, at weekends and public holidays from 10 October to 8 December access to Santa Fe is regulated: if the car park fills up, you go up on the Bus Parc from Fogars de Montclús.
Tips
With parking at Santa Fe and the route started at half past eight, you eat without rushing.
On the ridge, at 1,700 m, it is much colder than in the valley.
In thick fog on the ridge, stay in the beech forest.
If you are not used to five hours in the mountains: do the loop round the Santa Fe reservoir and go up to Viladrau for a relaxed lunch.
Questions
11.5 km and about five hours, of medium-to-high difficulty.
From mid-October to mid-November, depending on the year.
Yes, free, but at weekends it fills up; if it is closed, take the Bus Parc from Fogars de Montclús.
Yes, at midday and in the evening. Closed Wednesday and Thursday.
More plans like this
geocalia.com/en/spain/catalonia/montseny/itineraries/autumn-les-agudes-and-chestnuts-in-viladrau
Prices, opening hours and times are approximate: check them before you go. Each place has its own page on Geocalia.
Geocaliahttps://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/catalonia/montseny/itineraries/autumn-les-agudes-and-chestnuts-in-viladrau
