Montseny

If you look at the maps of Calalonia in the Lonely Planet or Frommer's, each will show both a town and a National Wilderness area with the name Montseny less than 100 km north and maybe a little east of Barcelona, but neither singles it out as anything worth going to see, at least in the editions I have. Even Wikipedia's entry gives little indication to the treasures that await.

Parc Natural del Montseny

The view from the hotel in Monsteny

As it turns out, these are glaring omissions as the area is filled with beautiful vegetation, spectacular mountain views, ruins of castles and monasteries and friendly people (not always the rule among Catalans). The town of Montseny, which is little more than an old monastery, a couple restaurants and a hotel, is halfway up the mountain and nicely situated between three other stone monasteries, each in different stages of repair.

The monastery in Monseny

The ruin of a nearby monastery

At the base of the mountain are a pair of towns, Sant Esteve de Palautordera and Sant Maria de Palautordera and, nearby, the ruins of a medieval castle and a more complete and more recent palace now being used as an area for children's camps. Castell Montclus is a little more difficult to access, but easily viewed from the road. Getting there requires crossing a small, fairly cold stream and a 15-minute hike up a steep path, but very much worth the effort. These ruins by themselves should have been enough to make the travel guide writer drool.

Castell Montclus

Castell Montclus' upper floor

Castell Montclus' upper floor

Within a kilometer, as the crow flies, was the palace, which seemed newer by several centuries and Moorish in style. Many other monasteries went unexplored. In summer, with a tent and sleeping bag, this area could easily justify two week's exploration, not just a day or two.

As it turns out, there's an even bigger castle further up the mountain. Check out the pictures here:
http://www.montsoriu.cat/en/category/1.html