While I enjoyed spending time with my friends in Barcelona, I often felt the need to get away from the busy city. I wanted to relax in the quiet countryside. Luckily, some friends of my friends lived on a beautiful wine estate owned by their boss, who only cultivated the vineyards but didn’t use the old house, a charming building surrounded by nature.
We got along well, and they invited me to stay for a few days, which I happily accepted. The only issue was that the gate was too small for my truck, so I had to park it outside the wall. The place was peaceful and very relaxing.
During the day, we all worked as usual, but in the evenings, we sat together, talked, ate, and enjoyed their homemade wine.
The surrounding area was great for hiking and mountain biking, with beautiful views of Montserrat.
Seeing snow in Barcelona
Winter in Catalonia was nothing like the winters I knew back in Germany. While I often had to light the woodstove in the mornings, the days were generally mild and sunny, sometimes even warm enough to wear a t-shirt. However, I got to witness something rare: snow! Locals hadn’t seen it in years.
I was parked in Terrassa when I woke up to find my truck covered in snow.
Even the trees around Barcelona had a thin layer of snow for a brief moment.
The “winter” didn’t last long. A few days later, I was enjoying sunny, warm weather in the mountains near Mura.
The air was filled with the scent of Mediterranean herbs, and the sunshine gave me an energy boost. It even motivated me to do a full spring cleaning of my truck.
After vacuuming and tidying up the entire cabin, I felt ready to welcome spring.
Enjoying Costa Brava
When I wasn’t moving between the city and the mountains, I also spent some time along the northeastern coast of Barcelona, visiting a friend and coworker.
The flat, sandy beaches were nice, especially for watching the beautiful sunrises, but they didn’t excite me as much.
I much preferred the rocky beaches further up the coast on the Costa Brava. They felt more secluded, with fewer touristic buildings around.
There were also plenty of scenic hiking trails along the lush, green coast.
The area was perfect during the off-season: free parking, quiet bays, and peaceful beaches with stunning sunsets.
I knew, though, that I wouldn’t be able to park my truck here during the summer when the beaches would be packed with people and parking spots hard to find.
Embracing the local life
Even though I could have spent the winter in a warmer region, I never felt the urge to drive further south. Catalonia had so much to offer, and the main reason I stayed was the great people I spent time with. Spending months, rather than just a few days, allowed me to build deeper connections and make new ones, too.
I was able to experience the Calçotada, a traditional Catalan event where we grilled and ate calçots (a type of green onion) in my friends backyard.
My truck even became a mini tour bus when my friends played at a punk festival in Tàrrega.
There was plenty of space for everyone to hang out, have a drink, and sleep.
Good times!