GR 92

The GR 92 in Catalonia begins at Portbou and ends at the Pont de l’Olivar near Ulldecona. It is broken into 31 stages, ranging from about 10 km to 28 km. If you start in the north in Portbou, the trail will be quite mountainous and rocky to begin with. For the first week or so, you’ll hike on more exposed ridges, with a lot of elevation gain and descent. You’ll enjoy some dune hiking and lots of ocean views.

From stage seven, you’ll stay more in the pine wood forests and on coastal paths. It is much more gradual, and you’ll even hike on some stages of the Camí de Ronda. This is what most people think of when they think of the Spanish coast.

Week three, from stage 15, is when the coastal paths turn more into a hilly inland section. You’ll be closer to Barcelona (although you won’t go into the city) and will get to see Massís de les Gavarres and Collserola Park in the region as you hike. You’ll have more climbing here and forests.

Finally, on the last week of the trail, you will go back to the coastal paths and hike on the Garraf coast, in the Tarragona area, and on through the Ebro delta. The trail is much flatter, and you’ll see more marshes and farmland as you hike between beaches.

You can hike the GR 92 year-round thanks to the mild Mediterranean weather. Summer (July & August) has high temperatures and crowding, so spring is best with cooler weather and fewer people . You’ll find that coastal towns stay active from late spring to early autumn. But outside that, some lodgings may close, and the weather is less predictable. However, it is technically possible to hike the trail all year. You just might have to be a bit creative and well-planned with your accommodations!

Hiking for 31 days on the GR92 takes some preparation, but not as much as you would think! Booking accommodations ahead of time will be key when you’re hiking in high season, but otherwise, you will be able to pick up provisions in town (including sunscreen!) and have plenty of chances to rest as you hike. Using resources that tell you where to camp (linked below) will help you measure how much you want to hike each day to stay on track and how much food to carry at any given point.

Be sure to pack layers for hiking along the coast, as it can go from sunny and hot to rainy and windy very quickly. You will also want to bring a backpack that is comfortable, along with shoes that won’t wear out on you. Make sure to check how the tread is doing on them before you go! Sand will wear them down pretty quickly, so you want to start with shoes that are in good shape.

This trail is listed as difficult for its length and varying elevations. However, it could be seen as a moderate-to-difficult hike. Because you will be on the trail for a long time, around a month, the preparation and impact on your body can be significant, but the elevation gain over that time is not drastic. Keeping your pack light and picking up food in each town will help mitigate the physical impact.